EAGER: Evolution of Beta Roll Peptides to Create Allosterically-Regulated Binding Domains Using Bacterial Cell Surface Display

Columbia University, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

1161160/ Banta The overall goal of this innovative and high risk NSF EAGER award, funded by the Biotechnology, Biochemical and Biomass Engineering Program and by the Biosensing Program, is to use directed evolution to modify novel calcium-regulated beta roll peptides so that they can bind to protein targets with built-in allosteric recognition. The beta roll peptide has a cork-screw structure that reversibly forms in the presence of calcium. This domain has not evolved to bind to other proteins, but structurally it resembles the leucine rich repeat and ankyrin repeat proteins, which have both evolved, and been engineered, for biomolecular recognition. The researchers have begun to use directed evolution to create new beta roll peptides that bind to a model protein target, and the built-in allosteric regulation of the scaffold will enable the binding interface to be formed depending on the calcium concentration. This will be the first example of the directed evolution of an intrinsically disordered peptide for biomolecular recognition. These peptides can then be used in sensing or other molecular engineering applications.