title: In vitro self-assembly of tailorable nanotubes from a simple protein building block.
abstract: We demonstrate a method for generating discretely structured protein nanotubes from the simple ring-shaped building block, homohexameric Hcp1 from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Our design exploited the observation that the crystal lattice of Hcp1 contains rings stacked in a repeating head-to-tail pattern. High-resolution detail of the ring-ring interface allowed the selection of sites for specific cysteine mutations capable of engaging in disulfide bond formation across rings, thereby generating stable Hcp1 nanotubes. Protein nanotubes containing up to 25 subunits ( approximately 100 nm in length) were self-assembled under simple conditions. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the tube ends and interior can be independently and specifically functionalized to generate nanocapsules.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
authors.forename: Edward R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Ballister
authors.forename: Angela H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Ronald N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Zuckermann
authors.forename: Yifan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Joseph D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Mougous
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D050091:Dendrimers / Q000737:chemistry; D050505:Mutant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D053769:Nanocapsules / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011073:Polyamines / Q000737:chemistry; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D050091:Dendrimers; D050505:Mutant Proteins; D053769:Nanocapsules; C104700:PAMAM Starburst; D011073:Polyamines