title: Enzyme-catalyzed protein crosslinking.
abstract: The process of protein crosslinking comprises the chemical, enzymatic, or chemoenzymatic formation of new covalent bonds between polypeptides. This allows (1) the site-directed coupling of proteins with distinct properties and (2) the de novo assembly of polymeric protein networks. Transferases, hydrolases, and oxidoreductases can be employed as catalysts for the synthesis of crosslinked proteins, thereby complementing chemical crosslinking strategies. Here, we review enzymatic approaches that are used for protein crosslinking at the industrial level or have shown promising potential in investigations on the lab-scale. We illustrate the underlying mechanisms of crosslink formation and point out the roles of the enzymes in their natural environments. Additionally, we discuss advantages and drawbacks of the enzyme-based crosslinking strategies and their potential for different applications.
authors.affiliation: Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory for Biomaterials, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, CH-9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Heck
authors.forename: Greta
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Faccio
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Thöny-Meyer
mesh_terms: D019881:Aminoacyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002384:Catalysis; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000737:chemistry; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism; D004798:Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism*; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011503:Transglutaminases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D004798:Enzymes; D011506:Proteins; D019881:Aminoacyltransferases; C120542:sortase A; D011503:Transglutaminases; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases