Simultaneous detection of distinct ubiquitin chain topologies by 19F NMR.

The dynamic interplay between ubiquitin (Ub) chain construction and destruction is critical for the regulation of many cellular pathways. To understand these processes, it would be ideal to simultaneously detect different Ub chains as they are created and destroyed in the cell. This objective cannot be achieved with existing detection strategies.

Split-protein systems: beyond binary protein-protein interactions.

It has been estimated that 650,000 protein-protein interactions exist in the human interactome (Stumpf et al., 2008), a subset of all possible macromolecular partnerships that dictate life. Thus there is a continued need for the development of sensitive and user-friendly methods for cataloguing biomacromolecules in complex environments and for detecting their interactions, modifications, and cellular location.

A comprehensive panel of turn-on caspase biosensors for investigating caspase specificity and caspase activation pathways.

Caspases play a central role in apoptosis, differentiation, and proliferation, and represent important therapeutic targets for treating cancer and inflammatory disorders. Toward the goal of developing new tools to probe caspase substrate cleavage specificity as well as to systematically interrogate caspase activation pathways, we have constructed and investigated a comprehensive panel of caspase biosensors with a split-luciferase enabled bioluminescent read out. We first interrogated the panel of caspase biosensors for substrate cleavage specificity of caspase 1-10 in widely utilized in vitro translation systems, namely, rabbit reticulocyte lysate (RRL) and wheat germ extract (WGE).

An autoinhibited coiled-coil design strategy for split-protein protease sensors.

Proteases are widely studied as they are integral players in cell-cycle control and apoptosis. We report a new approach for the design of a family of genetically encoded turn-on protease biosensors. In our design, an autoinhibited coiled-coil switch is turned on upon proteolytic cleavage, which results in the complementation of split-protein reporters.