RESUMO
Alternative splicing performs a central role in expanding genomic coding capacity and proteomic diversity. However, programming of splicing patterns in engineered biological systems remains underused. Synthetic approaches thus far have predominantly focused on controlling expression of a single protein through alternative splicing. Here, we describe a modular and extensible platform for regulating four programmable exons that undergo a mutually exclusive alternative splicing event to generate multiple functionally-distinct proteins. We present an intron framework that enforces the mutual exclusivity of two internal exons and demonstrate a graded series of consensus sequence elements of varying strengths that set the ratio of two mutually exclusive isoforms. We apply this framework to program the DNA-binding domains of modular transcription factors to differentially control downstream gene activation. This splicing platform advances an approach for generating diverse isoforms and can ultimately be applied to program modular proteins and increase coding capacity of synthetic biological systems.
Assuntos
Processamento Alternativo/genética , Regulação da Expressão Gênica/genética , Engenharia Genética/métodos , RNA/genética , Fatores de Transcrição/genética , Motivos de Aminoácidos/genética , Animais , Linhagem Celular , Biologia Computacional , Sequência Consenso/genética , Éxons/genética , Biblioteca Gênica , Genes Reporter/genética , Humanos , Íntrons/genética , Mutagênese Sítio-Dirigida/métodos , Domínios Proteicos/genética , Isoformas de Proteínas/genética , RNA/metabolismo , Fatores de Transcrição/metabolismo , Transcrição GênicaRESUMO
For nearly half a century, contact lenses have been proposed as a means of ocular drug delivery, but achieving controlled drug release has been a significant challenge. We have developed a drug-eluting contact lens designed for prolonged delivery of latanoprost for the treatment of glaucoma, the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. Latanoprost-eluting contact lenses were created by encapsulating latanoprost-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) films in methafilcon by ultraviolet light polymerization. In vitro and in vivo studies showed an early burst of drug release followed by sustained release for one month. Contact lenses containing thicker drug-polymer films demonstrated released a greater amount of drug after the initial burst. In vivo, single contact lenses were able to achieve, for at least one month, latanoprost concentrations in the aqueous humor that were comparable to those achieved with topical latanoprost solution, the current first-line treatment for glaucoma. The lenses appeared safe in cell culture and animal studies. This contact lens design can potentially be used as a treatment for glaucoma and as a platform for other ocular drug delivery applications.
Assuntos
Lentes de Contato , Sistemas de Liberação de Medicamentos , Glaucoma/tratamento farmacológico , Prostaglandinas F Sintéticas/administração & dosagem , Animais , Estabilidade de Medicamentos , Pressão Intraocular/efeitos dos fármacos , Latanoprosta , Prostaglandinas F Sintéticas/farmacologia , Prostaglandinas F Sintéticas/uso terapêutico , CoelhosRESUMO
Mena is an Ena/VASP family actin regulator with roles in cell migration, chemotaxis, cell-cell adhesion, tumor cell invasion, and metastasis. Although enriched in focal adhesions, Mena has no established function within these structures. We find that Mena forms an adhesion-regulated complex with α5ß1 integrin, a fibronectin receptor involved in cell adhesion, motility, fibronectin fibrillogenesis, signaling, and growth factor receptor trafficking. Mena bound directly to the carboxy-terminal portion of the α5 cytoplasmic tail via a 91-residue region containing 13 five-residue "LERER" repeats. In fibroblasts, the Mena-α5 complex was required for "outside-in" α5ß1 functions, including normal phosphorylation of FAK and paxillin and formation of fibrillar adhesions. It also supported fibrillogenesis and cell spreading and controlled cell migration speed. Thus, fibroblasts require Mena for multiple α5ß1-dependent processes involving bidirectional interactions between the extracellular matrix and cytoplasmic focal adhesion proteins.