Water solubility and structural stability are key merits
for proteins
defined by the primary sequence and 3D-conformation. Their manipulation
represents important aspects of the protein design field that relies
on the accurate placement of amino acids and molecular interactions,
guided by underlying physiochemical principles. Emulated designer
proteins with well-defined properties both fuel the knowledge-base
for more precise computational design models and are used in various
biomedical and nanotechnological applications. The continuous developments
in protein science, increasing computing power, new algorithms, and
characterization techniques provide sophisticated toolkits for solubility
design beyond guess work. In this review, we summarize recent advances
in the protein design field with respect to water solubility and structural
stability. After introducing fundamental design rules, we discuss
the transmembrane protein solubilization and de novo transmembrane protein design. Traditional strategies to enhance
protein solubility and structural stability are introduced. The designs
of stable protein complexes and high-order assemblies are covered.
Computational methodologies behind these endeavors, including structure
prediction programs, machine learning algorithms, and specialty software
dedicated to the evaluation of protein solubility and aggregation,
are discussed. The findings and opportunities for Cryo-EM are presented.
This review provides an overview of significant progress and prospects
in accurate protein design for solubility and stability.