title: Polymersome surface decoration by an EGFP fusion protein employing Cecropin A as peptide "anchor".
abstract: Polymer based nanocompartments have potential applications in synthetic biology, medicine (drug release) and industrial biotechnology (chiral nanoreactors, multistep syntheses, selective product recovery). A step towards the aforementioned goals is the polymer membrane functionalization through covalent bonding of chemical anchors or insertion of proteins/peptides, to obtain specific properties like recognition, catalytic activity and facilitated diffusion, mimicking the complexity of a biological membrane. The use of genetic engineering techniques widens the possible applications of peptides and proteins specifically designed for polymer membrane interactions. A fusion protein (CecEGFP) based on the antibacterial peptide Cecropin A and the EGFP (Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein) was designed, expressed and biophysically characterized. CecEGFP interaction with the tri-block copolymer PIB-PEG-PIB (PIB=polyisobutylene, PEG=polyethylene glycol) based polymersome membrane was analyzed by circular dichroism as well as EGFP and Trp fluorescence measurements. Results proved that Cecropin A is usable as a "membrane surface anchor" for water soluble proteins, as it inserts into the polymer membrane. The aim and novelty of this study is within the design of fusion proteins specifically developed for polymer membrane interactions. The use of amphiphilic Cecropin A "anchoring" water soluble proteins to the polymersome surface, avoids chemical coupling between polymers and proteins.
authors: Department of Biotechnology (Biology VI), RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
authors: Muhammad
authors: M
authors: Noor
authors: Tamara
authors: T
authors: Dworeck
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: Schenk
authors: Pravin
authors: P
authors: Shinde
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Fioroni
authors: Ulrich
authors: U
authors: Schwaneberg
mesh_terms: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005452:Fluoresceins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008954:Models, Biological; D011090:Polyenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D015202:Protein Engineering / Q000379:methods; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D005452:Fluoresceins; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011090:Polyenes; D011108:Polymers; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C485184:enhanced green fluorescent protein; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C031161:cecropin A; C008967:polyisobutylene; C007740:fluorexon