scholarly journals Protein evolution with an expanded genetic code

2008 ◽  
Vol 105 (46) ◽  
pp. 17688-17693 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chang C. Liu ◽  
Antha V. Mack ◽  
Meng-Lin Tsao ◽  
Jeremy H. Mills ◽  
Hyun Soo Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Genetic Code ◽  
Directed Evolution ◽  
Unnatural Amino Acids ◽  
Selective Advantage ◽  
Display System ◽  
Antibody Library ◽  
Evolution Of Proteins ◽  
Expanded Genetic Code ◽  
Selection Of

We have devised a phage display system in which an expanded genetic code is available for directed evolution. This system allows selection to yield proteins containing unnatural amino acids should such sequences functionally outperform ones containing only the 20 canonical amino acids. We have optimized this system for use with several unnatural amino acids and provide a demonstration of its utility through the selection of anti-gp120 antibodies. One such phage-displayed antibody, selected from a naïve germline scFv antibody library in which six residues in VH CDR3 were randomized, contains sulfotyrosine and binds gp120 more effectively than a similarly displayed known sulfated antibody isolated from human serum. These experiments suggest that an expanded “synthetic” genetic code can confer a selective advantage in the directed evolution of proteins with specific properties.

scholarly journals Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetases and tRNAs for an Expanded Genetic Code: What Makes them Orthogonal?

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (8) ◽  
pp. 1929 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergey V. Melnikov ◽  
Dieter Söll
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Synthetic Biology ◽  
Genetic Code ◽  
Unnatural Amino Acids ◽  
Trna Synthetases ◽  
Cross Reactions ◽  
The Past ◽  
Aminoacyl Trna Synthetases ◽  
Expanded Genetic Code ◽  
Fundamental Requirement

In the past two decades, tRNA molecules and their corresponding aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRS) have been extensively used in synthetic biology to genetically encode post-translationally modified and unnatural amino acids. In this review, we briefly examine one fundamental requirement for the successful application of tRNA/aaRS pairs for expanding the genetic code. This requirement is known as “orthogonality”—the ability of a tRNA and its corresponding aaRS to interact exclusively with each other and avoid cross-reactions with additional types of tRNAs and aaRSs in a given organism.

scholarly journals Transferability of N-terminal mutations of pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase in one species to that in another species on unnatural amino acid incorporation efficiency

Amino Acids ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas L. Williams ◽  
Debra J. Iskandar ◽  
Alexander R. Nödling ◽  
Yurong Tan ◽  
Louis Y. P. Luk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Genetic Code ◽  
Unnatural Amino Acids ◽  
Trna Synthetase ◽  
Unnatural Amino Acid ◽  
Amino Acid Incorporation ◽  
Acid Incorporation ◽  
Genetic Code Expansion ◽  
Incorporation Efficiency

AbstractGenetic code expansion is a powerful technique for site-specific incorporation of an unnatural amino acid into a protein of interest. This technique relies on an orthogonal aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase/tRNA pair and has enabled incorporation of over 100 different unnatural amino acids into ribosomally synthesized proteins in cells. Pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase (PylRS) and its cognate tRNA from Methanosarcina species are arguably the most widely used orthogonal pair. Here, we investigated whether beneficial effect in unnatural amino acid incorporation caused by N-terminal mutations in PylRS of one species is transferable to PylRS of another species. It was shown that conserved mutations on the N-terminal domain of MmPylRS improved the unnatural amino acid incorporation efficiency up to five folds. As MbPylRS shares high sequence identity to MmPylRS, and the two homologs are often used interchangeably, we examined incorporation of five unnatural amino acids by four MbPylRS variants at two temperatures. Our results indicate that the beneficial N-terminal mutations in MmPylRS did not improve unnatural amino acid incorporation efficiency by MbPylRS. Knowledge from this work contributes to our understanding of PylRS homologs which are needed to improve the technique of genetic code expansion in the future.

Rational design of a function-based selection method for genetically encoding acylated lysine derivatives

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (25) ◽  
pp. 6127-6130
Author(s):  
Hui Miao ◽  
Chenguang Yu ◽  
Anzhi Yao ◽  
Weimin Xuan
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Genetic Code ◽  
Directed Evolution ◽  
Rational Design ◽  
Selection Method ◽  
Genetic Code Expansion

Genetic code expansion depends on the directed evolution of aaRS to recognize non-canonical amino acids. Herein, we reported a function-based method that enables rapidly evolving aaRS for acylated lysine derivatives.

scholarly journals Expanding the Genetic Code of Yeast for Incorporation of Diverse Unnatural Amino Acids via a Pyrrolysyl-tRNA Synthetase/tRNA Pair

2010 ◽  
Vol 132 (42) ◽  
pp. 14819-14824 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan M. Hancock ◽  
Rajendra Uprety ◽  
Alexander Deiters ◽  
Jason W. Chin
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Genetic Code ◽  
Unnatural Amino Acids ◽  
Trna Synthetase

scholarly journals Exploring the potential impact of an expanded genetic code on protein function

2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (22) ◽  
pp. 6961-6966 ◽  
Author(s):  
Han Xiao ◽  
Fariborz Nasertorabi ◽  
Sei-hyun Choi ◽  
Gye Won Han ◽  
Sean A. Reed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Genetic Code ◽  
Conformational Changes ◽  
Protein Function ◽  
Catalytic Efficiency ◽  
Structural Basis ◽  
Active Site Residues ◽  
Functional Changes ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
Expanded Genetic Code

With few exceptions, all living organisms encode the same 20 canonical amino acids; however, it remains an open question whether organisms with additional amino acids beyond the common 20 might have an evolutionary advantage. Here, we begin to test that notion by making a large library of mutant enzymes in which 10 structurally distinct noncanonical amino acids were substituted at single sites randomly throughout TEM-1 β-lactamase. A screen for growth on the β-lactam antibiotic cephalexin afforded a unique p-acrylamido-phenylalanine (AcrF) mutation at Val-216 that leads to an increase in catalytic efficiency by increasing kcat, but not significantly affecting KM. To understand the structural basis for this enhanced activity, we solved the X-ray crystal structures of the ligand-free mutant enzyme and of the deacylation-defective wild-type and mutant cephalexin acyl-enzyme intermediates. These structures show that the Val-216–AcrF mutation leads to conformational changes in key active site residues—both in the free enzyme and upon formation of the acyl-enzyme intermediate—that lower the free energy of activation of the substrate transacylation reaction. The functional changes induced by this mutation could not be reproduced by substitution of any of the 20 canonical amino acids for Val-216, indicating that an expanded genetic code may offer novel solutions to proteins as they evolve new activities.

scholarly journals Directed evolution of GFP with non-natural amino acids identifies residues for augmenting and photoswitching fluorescence

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 1159-1166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel C. Reddington ◽  
Amy J. Baldwin ◽  
Rebecca Thompson ◽  
Andrea Brancale ◽  
Eric M. Tippmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Genetic Code ◽  
Directed Evolution ◽  
Target Protein ◽  
Natural Amino Acids

Genetic code reprogramming allows proteins to sample new chemistry through targeted introduction of non-natural amino acids. By combining with random codon replacement, residues traditionally overlooked can be identified as instilling new properties on a target protein.

scholarly journals Genetically Encoded Libraries of Nonstandard Peptides

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takashi Kawakami ◽  
Hiroshi Murakami
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Genetic Code ◽  
Posttranslational Modifications ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
Peptide Libraries ◽  
Universal Genetic Code ◽  
Nonsense Codons ◽  
Genetic Code Expansion ◽  
Diagnostic Applications ◽  
Selection Of

The presence of a nonproteinogenic moiety in a nonstandard peptide often improves the biological properties of the peptide. Non-standard peptide libraries are therefore used to obtain valuable molecules for biological, therapeutic, and diagnostic applications. Highly diverse non-standard peptide libraries can be generated by chemically or enzymatically modifying standard peptide libraries synthesized by the ribosomal machinery, using posttranslational modifications. Alternatively, strategies for encoding non-proteinogenic amino acids into the genetic code have been developed for the direct ribosomal synthesis of non-standard peptide libraries. In the strategies for genetic code expansion, non-proteinogenic amino acids are assigned to the nonsense codons or 4-base codons in order to add these amino acids to the universal genetic code. In contrast, in the strategies for genetic code reprogramming, some proteinogenic amino acids are erased from the genetic code and non-proteinogenic amino acids are reassigned to the blank codons. Here, we discuss the generation of genetically encoded non-standard peptide libraries using these strategies and also review recent applications of these libraries to the selection of functional non-standard peptides.

scholarly journals Genetic Code Ambiguity Confers a Selective Advantage on Acinetobacter baylyi

2007 ◽  
Vol 189 (17) ◽  
pp. 6494-6496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie M. Bacher ◽  
William F. Waas ◽  
David Metzgar ◽  
Valérie de Crécy-Lagard ◽  
Paul Schimmel
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Growth Rate ◽  
Genetic Code ◽  
Selective Advantage ◽  
Acinetobacter Baylyi ◽  
Code Ambiguity

ABSTRACT A primitive genetic code, composed of a smaller set of amino acids, may have expanded via recursive periods of genetic code ambiguity that were followed by specificity. Here we model a step in this process by showing how genetic code ambiguity could result in an enhanced growth rate in Acinetobacter baylyi.

scholarly journals Evolving Bacterial Fitness with an Expanded Genetic Code

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Drew S. Tack ◽  
Austin C. Cole ◽  
R. Shroff ◽  
B.R. Morrow ◽  
Andrew D. Ellington
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Genetic Code ◽  
Unnatural Amino Acid ◽  
Noncanonical Amino Acids ◽  
Bacterial Fitness ◽  
Genetic Code Expansion ◽  
Encoding Strategy ◽  
Translation Systems ◽  
Expanded Genetic Code

AbstractEvolution has for the most part used the canonical 20 amino acids of the natural genetic code to construct proteins. While several theories regarding the evolution of the genetic code have been proposed, experimental exploration of these theories has largely been restricted to phylogenetic and computational modeling. The development of orthogonal translation systems has allowed noncanonical amino acids to be inserted at will into proteins. We have taken advantage of these advances to evolve bacteria to accommodate a 21 amino acid genetic code in which the amber codon ambiguously encodes either 3-nitro-L-tyrosine or stop. Such an ambiguous encoding strategy recapitulates numerous models for genetic code expansion, and we find that evolved lineages first accommodate the unnatural amino acid, and then begin to evolve on a neutral landscape where stop codons begin to appear within genes. The resultant lines represent transitional intermediates on the way to the fixation of a functional 21 amino acid code.

scholarly journals Simplified Methodology for a Modular and Genetically Expanded Protein Synthesis in Cell-Free Systems

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yonatan Chemla ◽  
Eden Ozer ◽  
Michael Shaferman ◽  
Ben Zaad ◽  
Rambabu Dandela ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Genetic Code ◽  
Unnatural Amino Acids ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Living Cells ◽  
Trna Synthetase ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Reporter Protein ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Genetic Code Expansion

ABSTRACTGenetic code expansion, which enables the site-specific incorporation of unnatural amino acids into proteins, has emerged as a new and powerful tool for protein engineering. Currently, it is mainly utilized inside living cells for a myriad of applications. However, utilization of this technology in a cell-free, reconstituted platform has several advantages over living systems. The common limitations to the employment of these systems are the laborious and complex nature of its preparation and utilization. Herein, we describe a simplified method for the preparation of this system from Escherichia coli cells, which is specifically adapted for the expression of the components needed for cell-free genetic code expansion. In addition, we propose and demonstrate a modular approach to its utilization. By this approach, it is possible to prepare and store different extracts, harboring various translational components, and mix and match them as needed for more than four years retaining its high efficiency. We demonstrate this with the simultaneous incorporation of two different unnatural amino acids into a reporter protein. Finally, we demonstrate the advantage of cell-free systems over living cells for the incorporation of δ-thio-boc-lysine into ubiquitin by using the methanosarcina mazei wild-type pyrrolysyl tRNACUA and tRNA-synthetase pair, which can not be achieved in a living cell.

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