Covalent bicyclization of protein complexes yields durable quaternary structures.

Proteins are essential biomolecules and central to biotechnological applications. In many cases, assembly into higher-order structures is a prerequisite for protein function. Under conditions relevant for applications, protein integrity is often challenged, resulting in disassembly, aggregation, and loss of function. The stabilization of quaternary structure has proven challenging, particularly for trimeric and higher-order complexes, given the complexity of involved inter- and intramolecular interaction networks. Here, we describe the chemical bicyclization of homotrimeric protein complexes, thereby increasing protein resistance toward thermal and chemical stress. This approach involves the structure-based selection of cross-linking sites, their variation to cysteine, and a subsequent reaction with a triselectrophilic agent to form a protein assembly with bicyclic topology. Besides overall increased stability, we observe resistance toward aggregation and greatly prolonged shelf life. This bicyclization strategy gives rise to unprecedented protein chain topologies and can enable new biotechnological and biomedical applications.

N-Methyl deuterated rhodamines for protein labelling in sensitive fluorescence microscopy.

Rhodamine fluorophores are setting benchmarks in fluorescence microscopy. Herein, we report the deuterium (d12) congeners of tetramethyl(silicon)rhodamine, obtained by isotopic labelling of the four methyl groups, show improved photophysical parameters (i.e. brightness, lifetimes) and reduced chemical bleaching. We explore this finding for SNAP- and Halo-tag labelling in live cells, and highlight enhanced properties in several applications, such as fluorescence activated cell sorting, fluorescence lifetime microscopy, stimulated emission depletion nanoscopy and single-molecule Förster-resonance energy transfer. We finally extend this idea to other dye families and envision deuteration as a generalizable concept to improve existing and to develop new chemical biology probes.

Re-evaluation of the hCMEC/D3 based in vitro BBB model for ABC transporter studies.

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) represents one of the biggest hurdles for CNS related drug delivery, preventing permeation of most molecules, and therefore poses a major challenge for researchers in finding effective treatments for CNS diseases. The low permeability of molecules through the BBB is linked on one hand to the extreme tightness by tight junction (TJ) formation limiting the paracellular transport, and on the other hand to the presence of ATP-driven efflux pumps which actively transport unwanted compounds out of the brain. In this study we evaluated the applicability of the immortalized human cell line hCMEC/D3 for ABC transporter studies, focusing on the most expressed ABC transporters at the human BBB: P-glycoprotein (PGP, ABCB1), multidrug resistance protein 4 (MRP4, ABCC4) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP, ABCG2). Therefore, a two-step screening method was applied, consisting of a regular uptake assay (96-well format) and bidirectional transport studies, using a transwell system as in vitro simulation of the human BBB. In conclusion, the hCMEC/D3 based in vitro BBB model is well suited to screen drug candidates for ABC transporter interactions on the basis of a regular uptake assay, but in terms of transcellular permeability studies the cell line is limited by a lack of sufficient junctional tightness.

Interrogating surface versus intracellular transmembrane receptor populations using cell-impermeable SNAP-tag substrates.

Employing self-labelling protein tags for the attachment of fluorescent dyes has become a routine and powerful technique in optical microscopy to visualize and track fused proteins. However, membrane permeability of the dyes and the associated background signals can interfere with the analysis of extracellular labelling sites. Here we describe a novel approach to improve extracellular labelling by functionalizing the SNAP-tag substrate benzyl guanine ("BG") with a charged sulfonate ("SBG"). This chemical manipulation can be applied to any SNAP-tag substrate, improves solubility, reduces non-specific staining and renders the bioconjugation handle impermeable while leaving its cargo untouched. We report SBG-conjugated fluorophores across the visible spectrum, which cleanly label SNAP-fused proteins in the plasma membrane of living cells. We demonstrate the utility of SBG-conjugated fluorophores to interrogate class A, B and C G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) using a range of imaging approaches including nanoscopic superresolution imaging, analysis of GPCR trafficking from intra- and extracellular pools, in vivo labelling in mouse brain and analysis of receptor stoichiometry using single molecule pull down.