Nanoreactor Design Based on Self-Assembling Protein Nanocages.

Huimei Ren,Guojun Zheng,Shaozhou Zhu

doi:10.3390/ijms20030592

Abstract

Self-assembling proteins that form diverse architectures are widely used in material science and nanobiotechnology. One class belongs to protein nanocages, which are compartments with nanosized internal spaces. Because of the precise nanoscale structures, proteinaceous compartments are ideal materials for use as general platforms to create distinct microenvironments within confined cellular environments. This spatial organization strategy brings several advantages including the protection of catalyst cargo, faster turnover rates, and avoiding side reactions. Inspired by diverse molecular machines in nature, bioengineers have developed a variety of self-assembling supramolecular protein cages for use as biosynthetic nanoreactors that mimic natural systems. In this mini-review, we summarize current progress and ongoing efforts creating self-assembling protein based nanoreactors and their use in biocatalysis and synthetic biology. We also highlight the prospects for future research on these versatile nanomaterials.

Highlights

Subcellular organization is an essential strategy for cells to orchestrate important cellular processes and is believed to be a general feature of life [1,2,3,4]
While eukaryotes are well known to organize their cellular interiors with diverse membrane-bound organelles such as chloroplasts, Golgi bodies, and lysosomes [5,6,7], current research on microorganisms has drawn an unexpected picture of bacterial cells where a myriad of subcellular structures were developed by the evolution of self-assembling proteinaceous microcompartments [8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17]
Compared with membrane-bound organelles developed by eukaryotic cells, proteinaceous microcompartments with predictable architectures are of great interest to bioengineers due to their robust self-assembly properties, solubility, and biocompatibility [17]

Summary

Introduction

Subcellular organization is an essential strategy for cells to orchestrate important cellular processes and is believed to be a general feature of life [1,2,3,4]. While eukaryotes are well known to organize their cellular interiors with diverse membrane-bound organelles such as chloroplasts, Golgi bodies, and lysosomes [5,6,7], current research on microorganisms has drawn an unexpected picture of bacterial cells where a myriad of subcellular structures were developed by the evolution of self-assembling proteinaceous microcompartments [8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17]. Compared with membrane-bound organelles developed by eukaryotic cells, proteinaceous microcompartments with predictable architectures are of great interest to bioengineers due to their robust self-assembly properties, solubility, and biocompatibility [17]. Their structures are “programmable” for broad application in nanobiotechnology and chemistry, as well as functional materials [11]. Tcihaelsoeragratinfieclilaelsoprgraonveidllesaprnoevwidpe laantfeowrm topdlaetfsoigrmn atogendersaigtinonaofgennaenroaftiaocntoroifesnfaonrosfyancttohreietisc bfoior losgyyn.thMetoicreboivoelor,gwy.ithMtohreodveevr,elowpitmhenthteof nodveveleldoipsmcoevnetryofstnraotveegliedsisscuocvherays sgternatoemgiesmsiuncihngaasngdencomepumteinr-ianigdeadnddecsoigmnpmutetrh-aoides,dpdleensitgynof nomveetlhpodrost,epilneancteyooufsnmovicerlopcroomtepinaarctemoeunstms hicarvoecobmeepnardtmisecnotvsehreadveabnedencrdeaistceodvethreadt oafnfderctrreeamteedntdhoaut s opopffoertturnemitieensdtoudsesoipgpnonrteuwnictaietsaltyotidcensaignnorneeawctocarsta[l2y6t,i3c8n,3a9n]o.rIenacthtoisrsm[2in6i,3-r8e,3v9ie].wI,nwtheihs imghinliig-rhetvriecwe,nt siwgneihfiicgahnltigahcthrieecveenmt seingntsifincanthteacdheiesivgenmaendts cinonthsetrduecstigon aonfdccaotanlsyttriucctnioanoorfecaacttaolrysticfonrabnioorceaatcatolyrsis bafosredbiooncastaellyf-saissbeamsebdlinogn ssueplfr-asmseomlebcluinlagr spurportaeminolceocmulparlexperos.teiAn csoemlecptlenxuesm. bAerseolfecptrnouteminbaecreouf s mpicrorotecionmacpeaorutsmmenitcsroacnodmtphaerstmtraetnetgsieasnudstehdetostcraotnesgtireusctutsheed ntaoncoorneastcrtuocrts wthiellnbaenporreesaecntotersd wtoiglletbheer wpitrhestehnetierdaptopgleictahteironwsi.th their applications

Virus Capsids

Conclusions and Outlook