@article{Hosseinzadeh2021,

title = {Anchor extension: a structure-guided approach to design cyclic peptides targeting enzyme active sites},

author = {Hosseinzadeh, Parisa

and Watson, Paris R.

and Craven, Timothy W.

and Li, Xinting

and Rettie, Stephen

and Pardo-Avila, Fátima

and Bera, Asim K.

and Mulligan, Vikram Khipple

and Lu, Peilong

and Ford, Alexander S.

and Weitzner, Brian D.

and Stewart, Lance J.

and Moyer, Adam P.

and Di Piazza, Maddalena

and Whalen, Joshua G.

and Greisen, Per Jr.

and Christianson, David W.

and Baker, David},

url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-23609-8, Nature Communications

https://www.bakerlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Hosseinzadeh_etal_NatureComms2021_AnchorExtention.pdf, Download PDF},

doi = {10.1038/s41467-021-23609-8},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-06-07},

urldate = {2021-06-07},

journal = {Nature Communications},

abstract = {Despite recent success in computational design of structured cyclic peptides, de novo design of cyclic peptides that bind to any protein functional site remains difficult. To address this challenge, we develop a computational “anchor extension” methodology for targeting protein interfaces by extending a peptide chain around a non-canonical amino acid residue anchor. To test our approach using a well characterized model system, we design cyclic peptides that inhibit histone deacetylases 2 and 6 (HDAC2 and HDAC6) with enhanced potency compared to the original anchor (IC50 values of 9.1 and 4.4 nM for the best binders compared to 5.4 and 0.6 µM for the anchor, respectively). The HDAC6 inhibitor is among the most potent reported so far. These results highlight the potential for de novo design of high-affinity protein-peptide interfaces, as well as the challenges that remain.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Divine2021,

title = {Designed proteins assemble antibodies into modular nanocages},

author = {Divine, Robby and Dang, Ha V. and Ueda, George and Fallas, Jorge A. and Vulovic, Ivan and Sheffler, William and Saini, Shally and Zhao, Yan Ting and Raj, Infencia Xavier and Morawski, Peter A. and Jennewein, Madeleine F. and Homad, Leah J. and Wan, Yu-Hsin and Tooley, Marti R. and Seeger, Franziska and Etemadi, Ali and Fahning, Mitchell L. and Lazarovits, James and Roederer, Alex and Walls, Alexandra C. and Stewart, Lance and Mazloomi, Mohammadali and King, Neil P. and Campbell, Daniel J. and McGuire, Andrew T. and Stamatatos, Leonidas and Ruohola-Baker, Hannele and Mathieu, Julie and Veesler, David and Baker, David},

url = {https://science.sciencemag.org/content/372/6537/eabd9994.full.pdf, Science

https://www.bakerlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Divine_etal_Science2021_Antibody_nanocages.pdf, Download PDF},

doi = {10.1126/science.abd9994},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-04-02},

urldate = {2021-04-02},

journal = {Science},

volume = {372},

number = {6537},

abstract = {Antibodies are broadly used in therapies and as research tools because they can be generated against a wide range of targets. Efficacy can often be increased by clustering antibodies in multivalent assemblies. Divine et al. designed antibody nanocages from two components: One is an antibody-binding homo-oligomic protein and the other is the antibody itself. Computationally designed proteins drive the assembly of antibody nanocages in a range of architectures, allowing control of the symmetry and the antibody valency. The multivalent display enhances antibody-dependent signaling, and nanocages displaying antibodies against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein effectively neutralize pseudovirus.Science, this issue p. eabd9994INTRODUCTIONAntibodies that bind tightly to targets of interest play central roles in biological research and medicine. Clusters of antibodies, typically generated by fusing antibodies to polymers or genetically linking antibody fragments together, can enhance signaling. Currently lacking are approaches for making antibody assemblies with a range of precisely specified architectures and valencies.RATIONALEWe set out to computationally design proteins that assemble antibodies into precise architectures with different valencies and symmetries. We developed an approach to designing proteins that position antibodies or Fc-fusions on the twofold symmetry axes of regular dihedral and polyhedral architectures. We hypothesized that such designs could robustly drive arbitrary antibodies into homogeneous and structurally well-defined nanocages and that such assemblies could have pronounced effects on cell signaling.RESULTSAntibody cage (AbC){textendash}forming designs were created by rigidly fusing antibody constant domain{textendash}binding modules to cyclic oligomers through helical spacer domains such that the symmetry axes of the dimeric antibody and cyclic oligomer are at orientations that generate different dihedral or polyhedral (e.g., tetrahedral, octahedral, or icosahedral) architectures. The junction regions between the connected building blocks were optimized to fold to the designed structures. Synthetic genes encoding the designs were expressed in bacterial cultures; of 48 structurally characterized designs, eight assemblies matched the design models. Successful designs encompass D2 dihedral (three designs), T32 tetrahedral (two designs), O42 octahedral (one design), and I52 icosahedral (two designs) architectures; these contain 2, 6, 12, or 30 antibodies, respectively.We investigated the effects of AbCs on cell signaling. AbCs formed with a death receptor{textendash}targeting antibody induced apoptosis of tumor cell lines that were unaffected by the soluble antibody or the native ligand. Angiopoietin pathway signaling, CD40 signaling, and T cell proliferation were all enhanced by assembling Fc-fusions or antibodies in AbCs. AbC formation also enhanced in vitro viral neutralization of a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pseudovirus.CONCLUSIONWe have designed multiple antibody cage{textendash}forming proteins that precisely cluster any protein A{textendash}binding antibody into nanocages with controlled valency and geometry. AbCs can be formed with 2, 6, 12, or 30 antibodies simply by mixing the antibody with the corresponding designed protein, without the need for any covalent modification of the antibody. Incorporating receptor binding or virus-neutralizing antibodies into AbCs enhanced their biological activity across a range of cell systems. We expect that our rapid and robust approach for assembling antibodies into homogeneous and ordered nanocages without the need for covalent modification will have broad utility in research and medicine.Designed proteins assemble antibodies into large symmetric architectures.Designed antibody-clustering proteins (light gray) assemble antibodies (purple) into diverse nanocage architectures (top). Antibody nanocages enhance cell signaling compared with free antibodies (bottom).IMAGE: IAN HAYDON, INSTITUTE FOR PROTEIN DESIGNMultivalent display of receptor-engaging antibodies or ligands can enhance their activity. Instead of achieving multivalency by attachment to preexisting scaffolds, here we unite form and function by the computational design of nanocages in which one structural component is an antibody or Fc-ligand fusion and the second is a designed antibody-binding homo-oligomer that drives nanocage assembly. Structures of eight nanocages determined by electron microscopy spanning dihedral, tetrahedral, octahedral, and icosahedral architectures with 2, 6, 12, and 30 antibodies per nanocage, respectively, closely match the corresponding computational models. Antibody nanocages targeting cell surface receptors enhance signaling compared with free antibodies or Fc-fusions in death receptor 5 (DR5){textendash}mediated apoptosis, angiopoietin-1 receptor (Tie2){textendash}mediated angiogenesis, CD40 activation, and T cell proliferation. Nanocage assembly also increases severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pseudovirus neutralization by α-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies and Fc{textendash}angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) fusion proteins.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Mulligan2021,

title = {Computationally designed peptide macrocycle inhibitors of New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase 1},

author = {Mulligan, Vikram Khipple and Workman, Sean and Sun, Tianjun and Rettie, Stephen and Li, Xinting and Worrall, Liam J. and Craven, Timothy W. and King, Dustin T. and Hosseinzadeh, Parisa and Watkins, Andrew M. and Renfrew, P. Douglas and Guffy, Sharon and Labonte, Jason W. and Moretti, Rocco and Bonneau, Richard and Strynadka, Natalie C. J. and Baker, David},

url = {https://www.pnas.org/content/118/12/e2012800118.full, PNAS

https://www.bakerlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Mulligen_etal_PNAS2021_Macrocycle_inhibitors.pdf, Download PDF},

doi = {10.1073/pnas.2012800118},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-03-23},

urldate = {2021-03-23},

journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences},

volume = {118},

number = {12},

abstract = {The rise of antibiotic resistance calls for new therapeutics targeting resistance factors such as the New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase 1 (NDM-1), a bacterial enzyme that degrades β-lactam antibiotics. We present structure-guided computational methods for designing peptide macrocycles built from mixtures of L- and D-amino acids that are able to bind to and inhibit targets of therapeutic interest. Our methods explicitly consider the propensity of a peptide to favor a binding-competent conformation, which we found to predict rank order of experimentally observed IC50 values across seven designed NDM-1- inhibiting peptides. We were able to determine X-ray crystal structures of three of the designed inhibitors in complex with NDM-1, and in all three the conformation of the peptide is very close to the computationally designed model. In two of the three structures, the binding mode with NDM-1 is also very similar to the design model, while in the third, we observed an alternative binding mode likely arising from internal symmetry in the shape of the design combined with flexibility of the target. Although challenges remain in robustly predicting target backbone changes, binding mode, and the effects of mutations on binding affinity, our methods for designing ordered, binding-competent macrocycles should have broad applicability to a wide range of therapeutic targets.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Basanta2020,

title = {An enumerative algorithm for de novo design of proteins with diverse pocket structures},

author = {Basanta, Benjamin and Bick, Matthew J. and Bera, Asim K. and Norn, Christoffer and Chow, Cameron M. and Carter, Lauren P. and Goreshnik, Inna and Dimaio, Frank and Baker, David},

url = {https://www.pnas.org/content/117/36/22135

https://www.bakerlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Basanta_etal_2020_PNAS_enumerative-algorithm-for-de-novo-design-of-proteins-with-diverse-pocket-structures.pdf},

doi = {10.1073/pnas.2005412117},

isbn = {0027-8424},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-08-11},

journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences},

volume = {117},

number = {36},

pages = {22135–22145},

abstract = {Reengineering naturally occurring proteins to have new functions has had considerable impact on industrial and biomedical applications, but is limited by the finite number of known proteins. A promise of de novo protein design is to generate a larger and more diverse set of protein structures than is currently available. This vision has not yet been realized for small-molecule binder or enzyme design due to the complexity of pocket-containing structures. Here we present an algorithm that systematically generates NTF2-like protein structures with diverse pocket geometries. The scaffold sets, the insights gained from detailed structural characterization, and the computational method for generating unlimited numbers of structures should contribute to a new generation of de novo small-molecule binding proteins and catalysts.To create new enzymes and biosensors from scratch, precise control over the structure of small-molecule binding sites is of paramount importance, but systematically designing arbitrary protein pocket shapes and sizes remains an outstanding challenge. Using the NTF2-like structural superfamily as a model system, we developed an enumerative algorithm for creating a virtually unlimited number of de novo proteins supporting diverse pocket structures. The enumerative algorithm was tested and refined through feedback from two rounds of large-scale experimental testing, involving in total the assembly of synthetic genes encoding 7,896 designs and assessment of their stability on yeast cell surface, detailed biophysical characterization of 64 designs, and crystal structures of 5 designs. The refined algorithm generates proteins that remain folded at high temperatures and exhibit more pocket diversity than naturally occurring NTF2-like proteins. We expect this approach to transform the design of small-molecule sensors and enzymes by enabling the creation of binding and active site geometries much more optimal for specific design challenges than is accessible by repurposing the limited number of naturally occurring NTF2-like proteins.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Chen2020,

title = {De novo design of protein logic gates},

author = {Chen, Zibo and Kibler, Ryan D. and Hunt, Andrew and Busch, Florian and Pearl, Jocelynn and Jia, Mengxuan and VanAernum, Zachary L. and Wicky, Basile I. M. and Dods, Galen and Liao, Hanna and Wilken, Matthew S. and Ciarlo, Christie and Green, Shon and El-Samad, Hana and Stamatoyannopoulos, John and Wysocki, Vicki H. and Jewett, Michael C. and Boyken, Scott E. and Baker, David},

url = {https://science.sciencemag.org/content/368/6486/78

https://www.bakerlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Chen2020_DeNovoProteinLogicGates.pdf},

doi = {10.1126/science.aay2790},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-03-04},

journal = {Science},

volume = {368},

number = {6486},

pages = {78-84},

abstract = {The design of modular protein logic for regulating protein function at the posttranscriptional level is a challenge for synthetic biology. Here, we describe the design of two-input AND, OR, NAND, NOR, XNOR, and NOT gates built from de novo–designed proteins. These gates regulate the association of arbitrary protein units ranging from split enzymes to transcriptional machinery in vitro, in yeast and in primary human T cells, where they control the expression of the TIM3 gene related to T cell exhaustion. Designed binding interaction cooperativity, confirmed by native mass spectrometry, makes the gates largely insensitive to stoichiometric imbalances in the inputs, and the modularity of the approach enables ready extension to three-input OR, AND, and disjunctive normal form gates. The modularity and cooperativity of the control elements, coupled with the ability to de novo design an essentially unlimited number of protein components, should enable the design of sophisticated posttranslational control logic over a wide range of biological functions.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Weitzner2019,

title = {A computational method for design of connected catalytic networks in proteins},

author = {Brian D. Weitzner, Yakov Kipnis, A. Gerard Daniel, Donald Hilvert, David Baker},

url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/pro.3757

https://www.bakerlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Weitzner_et_al-2019-Protein_Science-1.pdf},

doi = {DOI10.1002/pro .3757},

year  = {2019},

date = {2019-10-23},

journal = {Protein Science},

abstract = {Computational design of new active sites has generally proceeded by geometrically defining interactions between the reaction transition state(s) and surrounding side-chain functional groups which maximize transition-state stabilization, and then searching for sites in protein scaffolds where the specified side-chain–transition-state interactions can be realized. A limitation of this approach is that the interactions between the side chains themselves are not constrained. An extensive connected hydrogen bond network involving the catalytic residues was observed in a designed retroaldolase following directed evolution. Such connected networks could increase catalytic activity by preorganizing active site residues in catalytically competent orientations, and enabling concerted interactions between side chains during catalysis, for example proton shuffling. We developed a method for designing active sites in which the catalytic side chains, in addition to making interactions with the transition state, are also involved in extensive hydrogen bond networks. Because of the added constraint of hydrogen-bond connectivity between the catalytic side chains, to find solutions, a wider range of interactions between these side chains and the transition state must be considered. Our new method starts from a ChemDraw-like 2D representation of the transition state with hydrogen-bond donors, acceptors, and covalent interaction sites indicated, and all placements of side-chain functional groups that make the indicated interactions with the transition state, and are fully connected in a single hydrogen-bond network are systematically enumerated. The RosettaMatch method can then be used to identify realizations of these fully-connected active sites in protein scaffolds. The method generates many fully-connected active site solutions for a set of model reactions that are promising starting points for the design of fully-preorganized enzyme catalysts.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Romero2018,

title = {Simple yet functional phosphate-loop proteins},

author = {Romero Romero, Maria Luisa and Yang, Fan and Lin, Yu-Ru and Toth-Petroczy, Agnes and Berezovsky, Igor N. and Goncearenco, Alexander and Yang, Wen and Wellner, Alon and Kumar-Deshmukh, Fanindra and Sharon, Michal and Baker, David and Varani, Gabriele and Tawfik, Dan S.},

url = {https://www.bakerlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Romero2018.pdfhttps://www.pnas.org/content/115/51/E11943

},

doi = {10.1073/pnas.1812400115},

issn = {0027-8424},

year  = {2018},

date = {2018-11-18},

journal = {PNAS},

volume = {115},

number = {51},

pages = {E11943--E11950},

abstract = {The complexity of modern proteins makes the understanding of how proteins evolved from simple beginnings a daunting challenge. The Walker-A motif is a phosphate-binding loop (P-loop) found in possibly the most ancient and abundant protein class, so-called P-loop NTPases. By combining phylogenetic analysis and computational protein design, we have generated simple proteins, of only 55 residues, that contain the P-loop and thereby confer binding of a range of phosphate-containing ligands{textemdash}and even more avidly, RNA and single-strand DNA. Our results show that biochemical function can be implemented in small and simple proteins; they intriguingly suggest that the P-loop emerged as a polynucleotide binder and catalysis of phosphoryl transfer evolved later upon acquisition of higher sequence and structural complexity.Abundant and essential motifs, such as phosphate-binding loops (P-loops), are presumed to be the seeds of modern enzymes. The Walker-A P-loop is absolutely essential in modern NTPase enzymes, in mediating binding, and transfer of the terminal phosphate groups of NTPs. However, NTPase function depends on many additional active-site residues placed throughout the protein{textquoteright}s scaffold. Can motifs such as P-loops confer function in a simpler context? We applied a phylogenetic analysis that yielded a sequence logo of the putative ancestral Walker-A P-loop element: a β-strand connected to an α-helix via the P-loop. Computational design incorporated this element into de novo designed β-α repeat proteins with relatively few sequence modifications. We obtained soluble, stable proteins that unlike modern P-loop NTPases bound ATP in a magnesium-independent manner. Foremost, these simple P-loop proteins avidly bound polynucleotides, RNA, and single-strand DNA, and mutations in the P-loop{textquoteright}s key residues abolished binding. Binding appears to be facilitated by the structural plasticity of these proteins, including quaternary structure polymorphism that promotes a combined action of multiple P-loops. Accordingly, oligomerization enabled a 55-aa protein carrying a single P-loop to confer avid polynucleotide binding. Overall, our results show that the P-loop Walker-A motif can be implemented in small and simple β-α repeat proteins, primarily as a polynucleotide binding motif.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Lau2018,

title = {Discovery and engineering of enhanced SUMO protease enzymes},

author = {Yue-Ting K. Lau, and Vladimir Baytshtok, and Tessa A. Howard, and Brooke M. Fiala, and JayLee M. Johnson, and Lauren P. Carter, and David Baker, and Christopher D. Lima, and Christopher D. Bahl},

url = {http://www.jbc.org/content/293/34/13224.short

https://www.bakerlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Lau2018.pdf},

doi = {10.1074/jbc.RA118.004146},

year  = {2018},

date = {2018-07-05},

journal = {The Journal of Biological Chemistry},

volume = {293},

pages = {13224-13233},

abstract = {Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) is commonly used as a protein fusion domain to facilitate expression and purification of recombinant proteins, and a SUMO-specific protease is then used to remove SUMO from these proteins. Although this protease is highly specific, its limited solubility and stability hamper its utility as an in vitro reagent. Here, we report improved SUMO protease enzymes obtained via two approaches. First, we developed a computational method and used it to re-engineer WT Ulp1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae to improve protein solubility. Second, we discovered an improved SUMO protease via genomic mining of the thermophilic fungus Chaetomium thermophilum, as proteins from thermophilic organisms are commonly employed as reagent enzymes. Following expression in Escherichia coli, we found that these re-engineered enzymes can be more thermostable and up to 12 times more soluble, all while retaining WT-or-better levels of SUMO protease activity. The computational method we developed to design solubility-enhancing substitutions is based on the RosettaScripts application for the macromolecular modeling suite Rosetta, and it is broadly applicable for the improvement of solution properties of other proteins. Moreover, we determined the X-ray crystal structure of a SUMO protease from C. thermophilum to 1.44 Å resolution. This structure revealed that this enzyme exhibits structural and functional conservation with the S. cerevisiae SUMO protease, despite exhibiting only 28% sequence identity. In summary, by re-engineering the Ulp1 protease and discovering a SUMO protease from C. thermophilum, we have obtained proteases that are more soluble, more thermostable, and more efficient than the current commercially available Ulp1 enzyme.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Lu1042,

title = {Accurate computational design of multipass transmembrane proteins},

author = {Lu, Peilong and Min, Duyoung and DiMaio, Frank and Wei, Kathy Y. and Vahey, Michael D. and Boyken, Scott E. and Chen, Zibo and Fallas, Jorge A. and Ueda, George and Sheffler, William and Mulligan, Vikram Khipple and Xu, Wenqing and Bowie, James U. and Baker, David},

url = {http://science.sciencemag.org/content/359/6379/1042

https://www.bakerlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Lu_Science_2018.pdf},

doi = {10.1126/science.aaq1739},

issn = {0036-8075},

year  = {2018},

date = {2018-03-02},

journal = {Science},

volume = {359},

number = {6379},

pages = {1042--1046},

abstract = {In recent years, soluble protein design has achieved successes such as artificial enzymes and large protein cages. Membrane proteins present a considerable design challenge, but here too there have been advances, including the design of a zinc-transporting tetramer. Lu et al. report the design of stable transmembrane monomers, homodimers, trimers, and tetramers with up to eight membrane-spanning regions in an oligomer. The designed proteins adopted the target oligomerization state and localized to the predicted cellular membranes, and crystal structures of the designed dimer and tetramer reflected the design models.Science, this issue p. 1042The computational design of transmembrane proteins with more than one membrane-spanning region remains a major challenge. We report the design of transmembrane monomers, homodimers, trimers, and tetramers with 76 to 215 residue subunits containing two to four membrane-spanning regions and up to 860 total residues that adopt the target oligomerization state in detergent solution. The designed proteins localize to the plasma membrane in bacteria and in mammalian cells, and magnetic tweezer unfolding experiments in the membrane indicate that they are very stable. Crystal structures of the designed dimer and tetramer{textemdash}a rocket-shaped structure with a wide cytoplasmic base that funnels into eight transmembrane helices{textemdash}are very close to the design models. Our results pave the way for the design of multispan membrane proteins with new functions.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Marcos2017,

title = {Principles for designing proteins with cavities formed by curved β sheets},

author = {Marcos, Enrique* and Basanta, Benjamin* and Chidyausiku, Tamuka M. and Tang, Yuefeng and Oberdorfer, Gustav and Liu, Gaohua and Swapna, G. V. T. and Guan, Rongjin and Silva, Daniel-Adriano and Dou, Jiayi and Pereira, Jose Henrique and Xiao, Rong and Sankaran, Banumathi and Zwart, Peter H. and Montelione, Gaetano T. and Baker, David},

url = {https://www.bakerlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Marcos_Science_2017.pdf

http://science.sciencemag.org/content/355/6321/201},

doi = {10.1126/science.aah7389},

issn = {0036-8075},

year  = {2017},

date = {2017-01-01},

journal = {Science},

volume = {355},

number = {6321},

pages = {201--206},

publisher = {American Association for the Advancement of Science},

abstract = {In de novo protein design, creating custom-tailored binding sites is a particular challenge because these sites often involve nonideal backbone structures. For example, curved b sheets are a common ligand binding motif. Marcos et al. investigated the principles that drive β-sheet curvature by studying the geometry of β sheets in natural proteins and folding simulations. In a step toward custom design of enzyme catalysts, they used these principles to control β-sheet geometry and design proteins with differently shaped cavities.Science, this issue p. 201Active sites and ligand-binding cavities in native proteins are often formed by curved β sheets, and the ability to control β-sheet curvature would allow design of binding proteins with cavities customized to specific ligands. Toward this end, we investigated the mechanisms controlling β-sheet curvature by studying the geometry of β sheets in naturally occurring protein structures and folding simulations. The principles emerging from this analysis were used to design, de novo, a series of proteins with curved β sheets topped with α helices. Nuclear magnetic resonance and crystal structures of the designs closely match the computational models, showing that β-sheet curvature can be controlled with atomic-level accuracy. Our approach enables the design of proteins with cavities and provides a route to custom design ligand-binding and catalytic sites.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Bale2016,

title = {Accurate design of megadalton-scale two-component icosahedral protein complexes},

author = {Jacob B. Bale and Shane Gonen and Yuxi Liu and William Sheffler and Daniel Ellis and Chantz Thomas and Duilio Cascio and Todd O. Yeates and Tamir Gonen and Neil P. King and David Baker},

url = {https://www.bakerlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Bale_Science_2016.pdf},

doi = {10.1126/science.aaf8818},

year  = {2016},

date = {2016-07-22},

journal = {Science},

volume = {353},

number = {6297},

pages = {389-394},

abstract = {Nature provides many examples of self- and co-assembling protein-based molecular machines, including icosahedral protein cages that serve as scaffolds, enzymes, and compartments for essential biochemical reactions and icosahedral virus capsids, which encapsidate and protect viral genomes and mediate entry into host cells. Inspired by these natural materials, we report the computational design and experimental characterization of co-assembling, two-component, 120-subunit icosahedral protein nanostructures with molecular weights (1.8 to 2.8 megadaltons) and dimensions (24 to 40 nanometers in diameter) comparable to those of small viral capsids. Electron microscopy, small-angle x-ray scattering, and x-ray crystallography show that 10 designs spanning three distinct icosahedral architectures form materials closely matching the design models. In vitro assembly of icosahedral complexes from independently purified components occurs rapidly, at rates comparable to those of viral capsids, and enables controlled packaging of molecular cargo through charge complementarity. The ability to design megadalton-scale materials with atomic-level accuracy and controllable assembly opens the door to a new generation of genetically programmable protein-based molecular machines.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{L2015,

title = {Rational design of α-helical tandem repeat proteins with closed architectures},

author = {L Doyle and J Hallinan and J Bolduc and F Parmeggiani and D Baker and BL Stoddard and P Bradley},

url = {https://www.bakerlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Doyle_Nature_2015.pdf},

doi = {10.1038/nature16191},

year  = {2015},

date = {2015-12-24},

journal = {Nature},

volume = {528(7583)},

pages = {585-8},

abstract = {Tandem repeat proteins, which are formed by repetition of modular units of protein sequence and structure, play important biological roles as macromolecular binding and scaffolding domains, enzymes, and building blocks for the assembly of fibrous materials. The modular nature of repeat proteins enables the rapid construction and diversification of extended binding surfaces by duplication and recombination of simple building blocks. The overall architecture of tandem repeat protein structures--which is dictated by the internal geometry and local packing of the repeat building blocks--is highly diverse, ranging from extended, super-helical folds that bind peptide, DNA, and RNA partners, to closed and compact conformations with internal cavities suitable for small molecule binding and catalysis. Here we report the development and validation of computational methods for de novo design of tandem repeat protein architectures driven purely by geometric criteria defining the inter-repeat geometry, without reference to the sequences and structures of existing repeat protein families. We have applied these methods to design a series of closed α-solenoid repeat structures (α-toroids) in which the inter-repeat packing geometry is constrained so as to juxtapose the amino (N) and carboxy (C) termini; several of these designed structures have been validated by X-ray crystallography. Unlike previous approaches to tandem repeat protein engineering, our design procedure does not rely on template sequence or structural information taken from natural repeat proteins and hence can produce structures unlike those seen in nature. As an example, we have successfully designed and validated closed α-solenoid repeats with a left-handed helical architecture that--to our knowledge--is not yet present in the protein structure database.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{M2015,

title = {Catalytic efficiencies of directly evolved phosphotriesterase variants with structurally different organophosphorus compounds in vitro},

author = {M Goldsmith and S Eckstein and Y Ashani and P Jr Greisen and H Leader and JL Sussman and N Aggarwal and S Ovchinnikov and DS Tawfik and D Baker and H Thiermann and F Worek},

url = {https://www.bakerlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Goldsmith_ArchToxicol_2015.pdf},

doi = {10.1007/s00204-015-1626-2},

year  = {2015},

date = {2015-11-26},

journal = {Archives of Toxicology},

abstract = {The nearly 200,000 fatalities following exposure to organophosphorus (OP) pesticides each year and the omnipresent danger of a terroristic attack with OP nerve agents emphasize the demand for the development of effective OP antidotes. Standard treatments for intoxicated patients with a combination of atropine and an oxime are limited in their efficacy. Thus, research focuses on developing catalytic bioscavengers as an alternative approach using OP-hydrolyzing enzymes such as Brevundimonas diminuta phosphotriesterase (PTE). Recently, a PTE mutant dubbed C23 was engineered, exhibiting reversed stereoselectivity and high catalytic efficiency (k cat/K M) for the hydrolysis of the toxic enantiomers of VX, CVX, and VR. Additionally, C23's ability to prevent systemic toxicity of VX using a low protein dose has been shown in vivo. In this study, the catalytic efficiencies of V-agent hydrolysis by two newly selected PTE variants were determined. Moreover, in order to establish trends in sequence-activity relationships along the pathway of PTE's laboratory evolution, we examined k cat/K M values of several variants with a number of V-type and G-type nerve agents as well as with different OP pesticides. Although none of the new PTE variants exhibited k cat/K M values >107 M-1 min-1 with V-type nerve agents, which is required for effective prophylaxis, they were improved with VR relative to previously evolved variants. The new variants detoxify a broad spectrum of OPs and provide insight into OP hydrolysis and sequence-activity relationships.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{PS2015,

title = {De novo design of a four-fold symmetric TIM-barrel protein with atomic-level accuracy},

author = {PS Huang and K Feldmeier and F Parmeggiani and DA Fernandez Velasco and B Höcker and D Baker},

url = {https://www.bakerlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Huang_NatChemBio_2015.pdf},

doi = {10.1038/nchembio.1966},

year  = {2015},

date = {2015-11-23},

journal = {Nature Chemical Biology},

volume = {12(1)},

pages = {29-34},

abstract = {Despite efforts for over 25 years, de novo protein design has not succeeded in achieving the TIM-barrel fold. Here we describe the computational design of four-fold symmetrical (β/α)8 barrels guided by geometrical and chemical principles. Experimental characterization of 33 designs revealed the importance of side chain-backbone hydrogen bonds for defining the strand register between repeat units. The X-ray crystal structure of a designed thermostable 184-residue protein is nearly identical to that of the designed TIM-barrel model. PSI-BLAST searches do not identify sequence similarities to known TIM-barrel proteins, and sensitive profile-profile searches indicate that the design sequence is distant from other naturally occurring TIM-barrel superfamilies, suggesting that Nature has sampled only a subset of the sequence space available to the TIM-barrel fold. The ability to design TIM barrels de novo opens new possibilities for custom-made enzymes. },

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{617,

title = {Engineering of Kuma030: a gliadin peptidase that rapidly degrades immunogenic gliadin peptides in gastric conditions.},

author = { Clancey Wolf and Justin B Siegel and Christine Tinberg and Alessandra Camarca and Carmen Gianfrani and Shirley Paski and Rongjin Guan and Gaetano T Montelione and David Baker and Ingrid S Pultz},

url = {http://www.bakerlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Wolf_JACS_2015.pdf},

doi = {10.1021/jacs.5b08325},

issn = {1520-5126},

year  = {2015},

date = {2015-09-01},

journal = {Journal of the American Chemical Society},

abstract = {Celiac disease is characterized by intestinal inflammation triggered by gliadin, a component of dietary gluten. Oral administration of proteases that can rapidly degrade gliadin in the gastric compartment has been proposed as a treatment for celiac disease; however, no protease has been shown to specifically reduce the immunogenic gliadin content, in gastric conditions, to below the threshold shown to be toxic for celiac patients. Here, we used the Rosetta Molecular Modeling Suite to redesign the active site of the acid-active gliadin endopeptidase KumaMax. The resulting protease, Kuma030, specifically recognizes tripeptide sequences that are found throughout the immunogenic regions of gliadin, as well as in homologous proteins in barley and rye. Indeed, treatment of gliadin with Kuma030 eliminates the ability of gliadin to stimulate a T cell response. Kuma030 is capable of degrading >99% of the immunogenic gliadin fraction in laboratory-simulated gastric digestions with minutes, to a level below the toxic threshold for celiac patients, suggesting great potential for this enzyme as an oral therapeutic for celiac disease.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{565,

title = {Computational protein design enables a novel one-carbon assimilation pathway},

author = { Justin B Siegel and Amanda Lee Smith and Sean Poust and Adam J Wargacki and Arren Bar-Even and Catherine Louw and Betty W Shen and Christopher B Eiben and Huu M Tran and Elad Noor and Jasmine L Gallaher and Jacob Bale and Yasuo Yoshikuni and Michael H Gelb and Jay D Keasling and Barry L Stoddard and Mary E Lidstrom and David Baker},

url = {http://www.bakerlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/siegel15A.pdf},

doi = {10.1073/pnas.1500545112},

issn = {1091-6490},

year  = {2015},

date = {2015-03-01},

journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},

abstract = {We describe a computationally designed enzyme, formolase (FLS), which catalyzes the carboligation of three one-carbon formaldehyde molecules into one three-carbon dihydroxyacetone molecule. The existence of FLS enables the design of a new carbon fixation pathway, the formolase pathway, consisting of a small number of thermodynamically favorable chemical transformations that convert formate into a three-carbon sugar in central metabolism. The formolase pathway is predicted to use carbon more efficiently and with less backward flux than any naturally occurring one-carbon assimilation pathway. When supplemented with enzymes carrying out the other steps in the pathway, FLS converts formate into dihydroxyacetone phosphate and other central metabolites in vitro. These results demonstrate how modern protein engineering and design tools can facilitate the construction of a completely new biosynthetic pathway.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{610,

title = {Intrinsic disorder drives N-terminal ubiquitination by Ube2w},

author = { Vinayak Vittal and Lei Shi and Dawn M Wenzel and K Matthew Scaglione and Emily D Duncan and Venkatesha Basrur and Kojo S J Elenitoba-Johnson and David Baker and Henry L Paulson and Peter S Brzovic and Rachel E Klevit},

url = {http://www.bakerlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/intrinsicdisorderdrives_Baker2015.pdf},

doi = {10.1038/nchembio.1700},

issn = {1552-4469},

year  = {2015},

date = {2015-01-01},

journal = {Nature Chemical Biology},

volume = {11},

pages = {83-9},

abstract = {Ubiquitination of the αN-terminus of protein substrates has been reported sporadically since the early 1980s. However, the identity of an enzyme responsible for this unique ubiquitin (Ub) modification has only recently been elucidated. We show the Ub-conjugating enzyme (E2) Ube2w uses a unique mechanism to facilitate the specific ubiquitination of the α-amino group of its substrates that involves recognition of backbone atoms of intrinsically disordered N termini. We present the NMR-based solution ensemble of full-length Ube2w that reveals a structural architecture unlike that of any other E2 in which its C terminus is partly disordered and flexible to accommodate variable substrate N termini. Flexibility of the substrate is critical for recognition by Ube2w, and either point mutations in or the removal of the flexible C terminus of Ube2w inhibits substrate binding and modification. Mechanistic insights reported here provide guiding principles for future efforts to define the N-terminal ubiquitome in cells.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{619,

title = {Computational design of a red fluorophore ligase for site-specific protein labeling in living cells.},

author = { Daniel S Liu and Lucas G Niv'on and Florian Richter and Peter J Goldman and Thomas J Deerinck and Jennifer Z Yao and Douglas Richardson and William S Phipps and Anne Z Ye and Mark H Ellisman and Catherine L Drennan and David Baker and Alice Y Ting},

url = {http://www.bakerlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Liu_computational_PNAS_2014.pdf},

doi = {10.1073/pnas.1404736111},

issn = {1091-6490},

year  = {2014},

date = {2014-10-01},

journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},

volume = {111},

pages = {E4551-9},

abstract = {Chemical fluorophores offer tremendous size and photophysical advantages over fluorescent proteins but are much more challenging to target to specific cellular proteins. Here, we used Rosetta-based computation to design a fluorophore ligase that accepts the red dye resorufin, starting from Escherichia coli lipoic acid ligase. X-ray crystallography showed that the design closely matched the experimental structure. Resorufin ligase catalyzed the site-specific and covalent attachment of resorufin to various cellular proteins genetically fused to a 13-aa recognition peptide in multiple mammalian cell lines and in primary cultured neurons. We used resorufin ligase to perform superresolution imaging of the intermediate filament protein vimentin by stimulated emission depletion and electron microscopies. This work illustrates the power of Rosetta for major redesign of enzyme specificity and introduces a tool for minimally invasive, highly specific imaging of cellular proteins by both conventional and superresolution microscopies.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{621,

title = {De novo-designed enzymes as small-molecule-regulated fluorescence imaging tags and fluorescent reporters.},

author = { Yu Liu and Xin Zhang and Yun Lei Tan and Gira Bhabha and Damian C Ekiert and Yakov Kipnis and Sinisa Bjelic and David Baker and Jeffery W Kelly},

url = {http://www.bakerlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Liu_JACS_2014.pdf},

doi = {10.1021/ja5056356},

issn = {1520-5126},

year  = {2014},

date = {2014-09-01},

journal = {Journal of the American Chemical Society},

volume = {136},

pages = {13102-5},

abstract = {Enzyme-based tags attached to a protein-of-interest (POI) that react with a small molecule, rendering the conjugate fluorescent, are very useful for studying the POI in living cells. These tags are typically based on endogenous enzymes, so protein engineering is required to ensure that the small-molecule probe does not react with the endogenous enzyme in the cell of interest. Here we demonstrate that de novo-designed enzymes can be used as tags to attach to POIs. The inherent bioorthogonality of the de novo-designed enzyme-small-molecule probe reaction circumvents the need for protein engineering, since these enzyme activities are not present in living organisms. Herein, we transform a family of de novo-designed retroaldolases into variable-molecular-weight tags exhibiting fluorescence imaging, reporter, and electrophoresis applications that are regulated by tailored, reactive small-molecule fluorophores.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{623,

title = {Impact of scaffold rigidity on the design and evolution of an artificial Diels-Alderase.},

author = { Nathalie Preiswerk and Tobias Beck and Jessica D Schulz and Peter Milovn'ik and Clemens Mayer and Justin B Siegel and David Baker and Donald Hilvert},

url = {http://www.bakerlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Preiswerk_PNAS_2014.pdf},

doi = {10.1073/pnas.1401073111},

issn = {1091-6490},

year  = {2014},

date = {2014-06-01},

journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},

volume = {111},

pages = {8013-8},

abstract = {By combining targeted mutagenesis, computational refinement, and directed evolution, a modestly active, computationally designed Diels-Alderase was converted into the most proficient biocatalyst for [4+2] cycloadditions known. The high stereoselectivity and minimal product inhibition of the evolved enzyme enabled preparative scale synthesis of a single product diastereomer. X-ray crystallography of the enzyme-product complex shows that the molecular changes introduced over the course of optimization, including addition of a lid structure, gradually reshaped the pocket for more effective substrate preorganization and transition state stabilization. The good overall agreement between the experimental structure and the original design model with respect to the orientations of both the bound product and the catalytic side chains contrasts with other computationally designed enzymes. Because design accuracy appears to correlate with scaffold rigidity, improved control over backbone conformation will likely be the key to future efforts to design more efficient enzymes for diverse chemical reactions.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}