Abstract
Covalently linking together different proteins can enhance functionality for a range of applications. We have developed the SnoopLigase peptide–peptide conjugation method to easily and specifically link proteins fused to the peptides SnoopTagJr or DogTag via an isopeptide bond. SnoopLigase conjugation has been applied for enhancing enzyme resilience and for antigen oligomerization to enhance vaccine efficacy. Following conjugation, SnoopLigase and unreacted substrates can be removed by solid-phase immobilization of SnoopLigase, yielding purified protein–protein conjugates. Here, we describe procedures for designing tag-fused proteins, SnoopLigase purification, and ligation of SnoopTagJr and DogTag. We further define steps for the purification of the ligated product and quantification of ligation success.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Banerjee A, Howarth M (2018) Nanoteamwork: covalent protein assembly beyond duets towards protein ensembles and orchestras. Curr Opin Biotechnol 51:16–23
Mootz HD (2009) Split inteins as versatile tools for protein semisynthesis. Chembiochem 10:2579–2589
Pishesha N, Ingram JR, Ploegh HL (2018) Sortase A: a model for transpeptidation and its biological applications. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol 34:163–188
Nguyen GK, Wang S, Qiu Y et al (2014) Butelase 1 is an Asx-specific ligase enabling peptide macrocyclization and synthesis. Nat Chem Biol 10:732–738
Reddington SC, Howarth M (2015) Secrets of a covalent interaction for biomaterials and biotechnology: SpyTag and SpyCatcher. Curr Opin Chem Biol 29:94–99
Fierer JO, Veggiani G, Howarth M (2014) SpyLigase peptide–peptide ligation polymerizes affibodies to enhance magnetic cancer cell capture. Proc Natl Acad Sci 111:E1176–E1181
Wu XL, Liu Y, Liu D et al (2018) An intrinsically disordered peptide-peptide stapler for highly efficient protein ligation both in vivo and in vitro. J Am Chem Soc 140:17474–17483
Buldun CM, Jean JX, Bedford MR et al (2018) SnoopLigase catalyzes peptide-peptide locking and enables solid-phase conjugate isolation. J Am Chem Soc 140:3008–3018
Schoene C, Bennett SP, Howarth M (2016) SpyRings declassified. Methods Enzymol 580:149–167
Brune KD, Howarth M (2018) New routes and opportunities for modular construction of particulate vaccines: stick, click, and glue. Front Immunol 9:1432
Andersson A-MC, Buldun CM, Pattinson DJ et al (2019) SnoopLigase peptide-peptide conjugation enables modular vaccine assembly. Sci Rep 9:4625
Fairhead M, Howarth M (2015) Site-specific biotinylation of purified proteins using BirA. Methods Mol Biol 1266:171–184
Veggiani G, Nakamura T, Brenner MD et al (2016) Programmable polyproteams built using twin peptide superglues. Proc Natl Acad Sci 113:1202–1207
Wieduwild R, Howarth M (2018) Assembling and decorating hyaluronan hydrogels with twin protein superglues to mimic cell-cell interactions. Biomaterials 180:253–264
Wriggers W, Chakravarty S, Jennings PA (2005) Control of protein functional dynamics by peptide linkers. Biopolymers 80:736–746
van Rosmalen M, Krom M, Merkx M (2017) Tuning the flexibility of glycine-serine linkers to allow rational design of multidomain proteins. Biochemistry 56:6565–6574
Buldun CM (2017) Synthetic biology engineering to catalyse unbreakable linkage between peptide building blocks. DPhil Thesis, University of Oxford
Oesterle S, Roberts TM, Widmer LA et al (2017) Sequence-based prediction of permissive stretches for internal protein tagging and knockdown. BMC Biol 15:100
Salis HM (2011) The ribosome binding site calculator. Methods Enzymol 498:19–42
O’ Callaghan CA, Byford MF, Wyer JR et al (1999) BirA enzyme: production and application in the study of membrane receptor–ligand interactions by site-specific biotinylation. Anal Biochem 266:9–15
Zhang WB, Sun F, Tirrell DA et al (2013) Controlling macromolecular topology with genetically encoded SpyTag-SpyCatcher chemistry. J Am Chem Soc 135:13988–13997
Ke N, Landgraf D, Paulsson J et al (2016) Visualization of periplasmic and cytoplasmic proteins with a self-labeling protein tag. J Bacteriol 198:1035–1043
Acknowledgments
Can M. Buldun and Irsyad N.A. Khairil Anuar contributed equally to this work.
Funding for C.M.B. was provided by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Corpus Christi College Oxford. Funding for I.N.A.K.A. was provided by Yayasan Khazanah, Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, and St. John’s College Oxford. M.H. was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC, BB/S007369/1).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature
About this protocol
Cite this protocol
Buldun, C.M., Khairil Anuar, I.N.A., Howarth, M. (2021). SnoopLigase-Mediated Peptide–Peptide Conjugation and Purification. In: Ryadnov, M. (eds) Polypeptide Materials. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2208. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-0928-6_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-0928-6_2
Published:
Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-0716-0927-9
Online ISBN: 978-1-0716-0928-6
eBook Packages: Springer Protocols