title: Split-Intein Triggered Protein Hydrogels.
abstract: Proteins are nature's building blocks and indispensable in living organisms. Protein-based hydrogels have a wide variety of applications in research and biotechnology. In this chapter, we describe an intein-mediated protein hydrogel that utilizes two synthetic soluble protein block copolymers, each containing a subunit of a trimeric protein that serves as a cross-linker and one half of the naturally split DnaE intein from Nostoc punctiforme. Mixing of these two protein block copolymers initiates an intein trans-splicing reaction that constitutes a self-assembling polypeptide flanked by cross-linkers, triggering protein hydrogel formation. The generated hydrogels are highly stable under both acidic and basic conditions, and at temperatures up to 50 °C. In addition, these hydrogels are able to undergo rapid reassembly after shear-induced rupture. Incorporation of an appropriate binding motif into the protein block copolymers enables the convenient site-specific incorporation of functional globular proteins into the hydrogel network.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA. zchen4@tamu.edu.|Department of Microbial and Molecular Pathogenesis, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station, TX, 77843, USA. zchen4@tamu.edu.
authors.forename: Zhilei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D004258:DNA Polymerase III / Q000737:chemistry*; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D047668:Inteins; D046937:Nostoc / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D020100:Hydrogels; C074904:DNA polymerase III, alpha subunit; D004258:DNA Polymerase III
keywords: Enzyme; Immobilization; Self-assembly; Shear-thinning; Split-intein