Genetically Encoded Libraries of Constrained Peptides.

Many therapeutic peptides can still be improved with respect to target specificity, target affinity, resistance to peptidases/proteases, physical stability, and capacity to pass through membranes required for oral delivery. Several modifications can improve the peptides' properties, in particular those that impose (a) conformational constraint(s). Screening of constrained peptides and the identification of hits is greatly facilitated by the generation of genetically encoded libraries. Recent breakthrough bacterial, phage, and yeast display screening systems of ribosomally synthesized post-translationally constrained peptides, particularly those of lanthipeptides, are earning special attention. Here we provide an overview of display systems for constrained, genetically encoded peptides and indicate prospects of constrained peptide-displaying phage and bacterial systems as such in vivo.

Phage display and selection of lanthipeptides on the carboxy-terminus of the gene-3 minor coat protein.

Ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) are an emerging class of natural products with drug-like properties. To fully exploit the potential of RiPPs as peptide drug candidates, tools for their systematic engineering are required. Here we report the engineering of lanthipeptides, a subclass of RiPPs characterized by multiple thioether cycles that are enzymatically introduced in a regio- and stereospecific manner, by phage display. This was achieved by heterologous co-expression of linear lanthipeptide precursors fused to the widely neglected C-terminus of the bacteriophage M13 minor coat protein pIII, rather than the conventionally used N-terminus, along with the modifying enzymes from distantly related bacteria. We observe that C-terminal precursor peptide fusions to pIII are enzymatically modified in the cytoplasm of the producing cell and subsequently displayed as mature cyclic peptides on the phage surface. Biopanning of large C-terminal display libraries readily identifies artificial lanthipeptide ligands specific to urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and streptavidin.

Binding proteins internalized by PTD-fused ligands allow the intracellular sequestration of selected targets by ligand exchange.

The targeted inactivation of intracellular molecules has important therapeutic potential. For this purpose, it could be envisioned to introduce specifically designed binding proteins into cells by covalent linkage to protein transduction domains (PTDs). However, stable linkage of a PTD to a cargo may affect its conformation and, hence, its binding property inside the cell. Here, we analyzed the ability of non-covalently linked PTDs to internalize the model binding proteins streptavidin (SA) and Strep-Tactin (ST). Notably, inside the cell, the PTD-Strep-tag II ligand used for internalization of SA was displaced by the model target biotin which exhibits a higher binding affinity for the same binding pocket. Thus, specifically designed binding proteins can be internalized into cells by non-covalent binding to a PTD and subsequently be used for capturing given intracellular target molecules by ligand exchange. Under therapeutic aspects, it could be envisioned to further develop such systems for the intracellular sequestration, and consequently, functional inactivation of pathologically relevant factors.

Transtactin: a universal transmembrane delivery system for Strep-tag II-fused cargos.

The delivery of molecules into cells poses a critical problem that has to be solved for the development of diagnostic tools and therapeutic agents acting on intracellular targets. Cargos which by themselves cannot penetrate cellular membranes due to their biophysical properties can achieve cell membrane permeability by fusion to protein transduction domains (PTDs). Here, we engineered a universal delivery system based on PTD-fused Strep-Tactin, which we named Transtactin. Biochemical characterization of Transtactin variants bearing different PTDs indicated high thermal stabilities and robust secondary structures. Internalization studies demonstrated that Transtactins facilitated simple and safe transport of Strep-tag II-linked small molecules, peptides and multicomponent complexes, or biotinylated proteins into cultured human cells. Transtactin-introduced cargos were functionally active, as shown for horseradish peroxidase serving as a model protein. Our results demonstrate that Transtactin provides a universal and efficient delivery system for Strep-tag II-fused cargos.

Membrane-permeable cygnets: rapid cellular internalization of fluorescent cGMP-indicators.

We have recently developed genetically encoded cGMP-indicators (cygnets) which have enabled us to study the spatial and temporal dynamics of intracellular cGMP in single cultured cells (1). However, primary mammalian cell types (dissociated cells or acute tissue samples) are often difficult to maintain undifferentiated in culture and the current established methods of introducing molecular reporters in single cells are laborious (micro-injection) and/or require cell culture techniques to accommodate the 1-2 day lag time of genetically mediated reporter expression. Here, we present an alternative, non-genetic method to rapidly introduce cGMP-indicators into cells and intact tissues using membrane permeable peptides (MPP). Five different 125 kDa MPP-cygnets were expressed and purified from insect SF9 cells. Three constructs showed high level cGMP-dependent FRET in vitro. One of the probes, Ant7-Cygnet, demonstrated emission ratio changes identical to the unmodified indicator. Ant7-Cygnet was rapidly (3 hours) and efficiently internalized in cultured smooth muscle cells and intact cerebral arteries. Furthermore, the internalized Ant7-Cygnet detected nitric oxide mediated elevations of intracellular cGMP in cultured smooth muscle cells and sensed increased levels of intracellular cGMP derived from C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) induced guanylyl cyclase stimulation in intact arteries. These results demonstrate that MPP-cygnets provide a novel and potentially powerful technique to study intracellular cGMP in intact tissue.