scholarly journals Advances in in vitro genetic code reprogramming in 2014–2017

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Takayuki Katoh ◽  
Toby Passioura ◽  
Hiroaki Suga

Abstract To date, various genetic code manipulation methods have been developed to introduce non-proteinogenic amino acids into peptides by translation. However, the number of amino acids that can be used simultaneously remains limited even using these methods. Additionally, the scope of amino acid substrates that are compatible with ribosomal translation systems is also limited. For example, difficult substrates such as d-amino acids and β-amino acids are much less efficiently incorporated into peptides than l-α-amino acids. Here, we focus on three recently developed methodologies that address these issues: (i) artificial division of codon boxes to increase the number of available amino acids, (ii) orthogonal ribosomal translation systems to ‘duplicate’ the codon table and (iii) development of novel artificial tRNAs that enhance incorporation of difficult amino acid substrates.

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Drew S. Tack ◽  
Austin C. Cole ◽  
R. Shroff ◽  
B.R. Morrow ◽  
Andrew D. Ellington

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.


Amino Acids ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas L. Williams ◽  
Debra J. Iskandar ◽  
Alexander R. Nödling ◽  
Yurong Tan ◽  
Louis Y. P. Luk ◽  
...  

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.


1955 ◽  
Vol 215 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henry Borsook ◽  
Adolph Abrams ◽  
Peter H. Lowy

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (12) ◽  
pp. 6252
Author(s):  
Paula Ossowicz-Rupniewska ◽  
Rafał Rakoczy ◽  
Anna Nowak ◽  
Maciej Konopacki ◽  
Joanna Klebeko ◽  
...  

The potential of bacterial cellulose as a carrier for the transport of ibuprofen (a typical example of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) through the skin was investigated. Ibuprofen and its amino acid ester salts-loaded BC membranes were prepared through a simple methodology and characterized in terms of structure and morphology. Two salts of amino acid isopropyl esters were used in the research, namely L-valine isopropyl ester ibuprofenate ([ValOiPr][IBU]) and L-leucine isopropyl ester ibuprofenate ([LeuOiPr][IBU]). [LeuOiPr][IBU] is a new compound; therefore, it has been fully characterized and its identity confirmed. For all membranes obtained the surface morphology, tensile mechanical properties, active compound dissolution assays, and permeation and skin accumulation studies of API (active pharmaceutical ingredient) were determined. The obtained membranes were very homogeneous. In vitro diffusion studies with Franz cells were conducted using pig epidermal membranes, and showed that the incorporation of ibuprofen in BC membranes provided lower permeation rates to those obtained with amino acids ester salts of ibuprofen. This release profile together with the ease of application and the simple preparation and assembly of the drug-loaded membranes indicates the enormous potentialities of using BC membranes for transdermal application of ibuprofen in the form of amino acid ester salts.


2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 197-205
Author(s):  
Dwi Wulandari ◽  
Lisnawati Rachmadi ◽  
Tjahjani M. Sudiro

Background: E6 and E7 are oncoproteins of HPV16. Natural amino acid variation in HPV16 E6 can alter its carcinogenic potential. The aim of this study was to analyze phylogenetically E6 and E7 genes and proteins of HPV16 from Indonesia and predict the effects of single amino acid substitution on protein function. This analysis could be used to reduce time, effort, and research cost as initial screening in selection of protein or isolates to be tested in vitro or in vivo.Methods: In this study, E6 and E7 gene sequences were obtained from 12 samples of  Indonesian isolates, which  were compared with HPV16R (prototype) and 6 standard isolates in the category of European (E), Asian (As), Asian-American (AA), African-1 (Af-1), African-2 (Af-2), and North American (NA) branch from Genbank. Bioedit v.7.0.0 was used to analyze the composition and substitution of single amino acids. Phylogenetic analysis of E6 and E7 genes and proteins was performed using Clustal X (1.81) and NJPLOT softwares. Effects of single amino acid substitutions on protein function of E6 and E7 were analysed by SNAP.Results: Java variants and isolate ui66* belonged to European branch, while the others belonged to Asian and African branches. Twelve changes of amino acids were found in E6 and one in E7 proteins. SNAP analysis showed two non neutral mutations, i.e. R10I and C63G in E6 proteins. R10I mutations were found in Af-2 genotype (AF472509) and Indonesian isolates (Af2*), while C63G mutation was found only in Af2*.Conclusion: E6 proteins of HPV16 variants were more variable than E7. SNAP analysis showed that only E6 protein of African-2 branch had functional differences compared to HPV16R.


1971 ◽  
Vol 121 (5) ◽  
pp. 817-827 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. C. Hider ◽  
E. B. Fern ◽  
D. R. London

1. The kinetics of radioactive labelling of extra- and intra-cellular amino acid pools and protein of the extensor digitorum longus muscle were studied after incubations with radioactive amino acids in vitro. 2. The results indicated that an extracellular pool could be defined, the contents of which were different from those of the incubation medium. 3. It was concluded that amino acids from the extracellular pool, as defined in this study, were incorporated directly into protein.


1973 ◽  
Vol 51 (12) ◽  
pp. 933-941 ◽  
Author(s):  
Njanoor Narayanan ◽  
Jacob Eapen

The effect of cycloheximide in vitro and in vivo on the incorporation of labelled amino acids into protein by muscles, liver, kidneys, and brain of rats and pigeons was studied. In vitro incorporation of amino acids into protein by muscle microsomes, myofibrils, and myofibrillar ribosomes was not affected by cycloheximide. In contrast, administration of the antibiotic into intact animals at a concentration of 1 mg/kg body weight resulted in considerable inhibition of amino acid incorporation into protein by muscles, liver, kidneys, and brain. This inhibition was observed in all the subcellular fractions of these tissues during a period of 10–40 min after the administration of the precursor. Tissue homogenates derived from in vivo cycloheximide-treated animals did not show significant alteration in in vitro amino acid incorporation with the exception of brain, which showed a small but significant enhancement.


1993 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 5010-5019 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Heitman ◽  
A Koller ◽  
J Kunz ◽  
R Henriquez ◽  
A Schmidt ◽  
...  

The immunosuppressants cyclosporin A, FK506, and rapamycin inhibit growth of unicellular eukaryotic microorganisms and also block activation of T lymphocytes from multicellular eukaryotes. In vitro, these compounds bind and inhibit two different types of peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerases. Cyclosporin A binds cyclophilins, whereas FK506 and rapamycin bind FK506-binding proteins (FKBPs). Cyclophilins and FKBPs are ubiquitous, abundant, and targeted to multiple cellular compartments, and they may fold proteins in vivo. Previously, a 12-kDa cytoplasmic FKBP was shown to be only one of at least two FK506-sensitive targets in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We find that a second FK506-sensitive target is required for amino acid import. Amino acid-auxotrophic yeast strains (trp1 his4 leu2) are FK506 sensitive, whereas prototrophic strains (TRP1 his4 leu2, trp1 HIS4 leu2, and trp1 his4 LEU2) are FK506 resistant. Amino acids added exogenously to the growth medium mitigate FK506 toxicity. FK506 induces GCN4 expression, which is normally induced by amino acid starvation. FK506 inhibits transport of tryptophan, histidine, and leucine into yeast cells. Lastly, several genes encoding proteins involved in amino acid import or biosynthesis confer FK506 resistance. These findings demonstrate that FK506 inhibits amino acid import in yeast cells, most likely by inhibiting amino acid transporters. Amino acid transporters are integral membrane proteins which import extracellular amino acids and constitute a protein family sharing 30 to 35% identity, including eight invariant prolines. Thus, the second FK506-sensitive target in yeast cells may be a proline isomerase that plays a role in folding amino acid transporters during transit through the secretory pathway.


1976 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. Turner ◽  
P. J. Reeds ◽  
K. A. Munday

1. Net amino acid uptake, and incorporation into protein have been measured in vitro in the presence and absence of porcine growth hormone (GH) in muscle from intact rabbits fed for 5 d on low-protein (LP), protein-free (PF) or control diets.2. In muscle from control and LP animals GH had no effect on the net amino acid uptake but stimulated amino acid incorporation into protein, although this response was less in LP animals than in control animals.3. In muscle from PF animals, GH stimulated both amino acid incorporation into protein and the net amino acid uptake, a type of response which also occurs in hypophysectomized animals. The magnitude of the effect of GH on the incorporation of amino acids into protein was reduced in muscle from PF animals.4. The effect of GH on the net amino acid uptake in PF animals was completely blocked by cycloheximide; the uptake effect of GH in these animals was dependent therefore on de novo protein synthesis.5. It is proposed that in the adult the role of growth hormone in protein metabolism is to sustain cellular protein synthesis when there is a decrease in the level of substrate amino acids, similar to that which occurs during a short-term fast or when the dietary protein intake is inadequate.


1991 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 431-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thérèse Desrosiers ◽  
Laurent Savoie

SummaryThe effect of heat treatments, at various water activities (αw), on digestibility and on the availabilities of amino acids of whey protein samples in the presence of lactose was estimated by an in vitro digestion method with continuons dialysis. Four αw (0·3, 0·5, 0·7 and 0·97), three temperatures (75, 100 and 121 °C) and three heating periods (50, 500 and 5000 s) were selected. The initial lysine: lactose molar ratio was 1:1. Amino acid profiles showed that excessive heating of whey (121 °C, 5000 s) destroyed a significant proportion of cystine at all αw, lysine at αw 0·3, 0·5 and 0·7, and arginine at αw 0·5 and 0·7. At αw 0·3, 0·5 and 0·7, protein digestibility decreased (P < 0·05) as the temperature increased from 75 to 121 °C for a heating period of 5000 s, and as the heating time was prolonged from 500 to 5000 s at 121 °C. Excessive heating also decreased (P < 0·05) the availabilities of ail amino acids at αw 0·3, 0·5 and 0·7. The availabilities of lysine, proline, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, threonine, alanine, glycine and serine were particularly affected. Severe heating at αw 0·97 did not seem to favour the Maillard reaction, but the availabilities of cystine, tyrosine and arginine were decreased, probably as a result of structural modifications of the protein upon heating. Heating whey protein concentrates in the presence of lactose not only affected lysine, but also impaired enzymic liberation of other amino acids, according to the severity of heat treatments and αw.


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