Photo-Degradable Protein-Polymer Hybrid Shells for Caging Living Cells.

There is growing demand for the precise remote control of cellular functions in various fields. Herein, a method for caging mammalian cells by coating with photodegradable protein-polymer hybrid shells to photo-control their functions without genetic engineering is reported. A layer-by-layer assembly of photocleavable synthetic materials through biotin-streptavidin (SA) binding was employed for cell coating.

Intracellular controlled release prolongs the time period of siRNA-based gene suppression.

RNA interference (RNAi) is a gene silencing process by inhibiting a target messenger RNA (mRNA) in the sequence-specific manner in the cell cytoplasm. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) cleaves the target mRNA. However, siRNA is not generally internalized into cells in the native state.

Protein cell-surface display through in situ enzymatic modification of proteins with a poly(Ethylene glycol)-lipid.

Cell-surface display of functional proteins is a powerful and useful tool for regulating and reinforcing cellular functions. Direct incorporation of site-specifically lipidated proteins from the extracellular medium is more rapid, easily controllable and reliable in displaying active proteins than expression through gene transfer. However, undesirable amphiphilic reagents such as organic co-solvents and detergents were required for suppressing aggregation of ordinary lipidated proteins in solution.