Virus-like particles (VLPs) are promising scaffolds for biomaterials as well as diagnostic and therapeutic applications. However, there are some key challenges to be solved, such as the ability to engineer alternate sizes for varied use cases. To this end, we created a library of MS2 VLP variants at two key residues in the coat protein which have been implicated as important to controlling VLP size and geometry. By adapting a method for systematic mutagenesis coupled with size-based selections and high-throughput sequencing as a readout, we developed a quantitative assessment of two residues in MS2 coat protein that govern the size shift in MS2 VLPs. We then applied the strategy to the equivalent residues in Qβ VLPs, an MS2 homolog, and demonstrate that the analogous pair of residues are also able to impact Qβ VLP size and shape. These results underscore the power of fitness landscapes in identifying critical features for assembly.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.virol.2023.01.002 | DOI Listing |
Sci Rep
December 2024
Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, 272 Rama VI Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, primarily targets lung tissue, leading to pneumonia and lung injury. The spike protein of this virus binds to the common receptor on susceptible tissues and cells called the angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) of the angiotensin (ANG) system. In this study, we produced chimeric Macrobrachium rosenbergii nodavirus virus-like particles, presenting a short peptide ligand (ACE2tp), based on angiotensin-II (ANG II), on their outer surfaces to allow them to specifically bind to ACE2-overexpressing cells called ACE2tp-MrNV-VLPs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProtein Sci
January 2025
Department of Physical Chemistry, Institute of Biotechnology, and Unit of Excellence in Chemistry Applied to Biomedicine and Environment, School of Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
The ubiquitin E2 variant domain of TSG101 (TSG101-UEV) plays a pivotal role in protein sorting and virus budding by recognizing PTAP motifs within ubiquitinated proteins. Disruption of TSG101-UEV/PTAP interactions has emerged as a promising strategy for the development of host-oriented broad-spectrum antivirals with low susceptibility to resistance. TSG101 is a challenging target characterized by an extended and flat binding interface, low affinity for PTAP ligands, and complex binding energetics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiotechnol Bioeng
December 2024
Institute of Process Engineering in Life Sciences, Section IV: Biomolecular Separation Engineering, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany.
Virus-like particles (VLPs) are a versatile technology for the targeted delivery of genetic material through packaging and potential surface modifications for directed delivery or immunological issues. Although VLP production is relatively simple as they can be recombinantly produced using microorganisms such as Escherichia coli, their current downstream processing often relies on individually developed purification strategies. Integrating size-selective separation techniques may allow standardized platform processing across VLP purification.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVaccine
December 2024
Mucosal Immunoogy Laboratory, Biomedicine Research Unit, Faculty of Higher Studies Iztacala, National Autonomous University of Mexico. Avenida de los Barrios 1, Los Reyes Iztacala, Tlalnepantla, Estado de México 54090, Mexico. Electronic address:
The development of a protective HIV vaccine remains a challenge given the high antigenic diversity and mutational rate of the virus, which leads to viral escape and establishment of reservoirs in the host. Modern antigen design can guide immune responses towards conserved sites, consensus sequences or normally subdominant epitopes, thus enabling the development of broadly neutralizing antibodies and polyfunctional lymphocyte responses. Conventional epitope vaccines can often be impaired by low immunogenicity, a limitation that may be overcome by using a carrier system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExpert Rev Vaccines
December 2024
Guangzhou Patronus Biotech Co, Ltd, Guangzhou, China.
Background: LYB001 is a recombinant protein COVID-19 vaccine displaying a receptor-binding domain (RBD) in a highly immunogenic array on virus-like particles (VLPs). This study assessed the immunogenicity and safety of LYB001 as a booster.
Research Design And Methods: In this randomized, active-controlled, double-blinded, phase 3 trial, participants aged ≥18 years received a booster with LYB001 or ZF2001 (Recombinant COVID-19 Vaccine).
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