Search PubMed⌕ Search

PubMed · 11849955

Engineered allosteric ribozymes as biosensor components.

Abstract

RNA and DNA molecules can be engineered to function as molecular switches that trigger catalytic events when a specific target molecule becomes bound. Recent studies on the underlying biochemical properties of these constructs indicate that a significant untapped potential exists for the practical application of allosteric nucleic acids. Engineered molecular switches can be used to report the presence of specific analytes in complex mixtures, making possible the creation of new types of biosensor devices and genetic control elements.

Explore related subjects

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Ronald R Breaker. 2002. Engineered allosteric ribozymes as biosensor components.. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0958-1669(02)00281-1

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related citations

Design and optimization of a kinase-controlled allosteric switch.

Post-translational control enables rapid and precise regulation of cell behavior. Despite these advantages, general strategies to build phosphorylation-based synthetic circuits are limited. Here we reasoned that engineered allostery, a technique that has been applied to design light- and chemically gated protein switches, could also be used to engineer phosphorylation-controlled protein switches (phospho-switches). Using an allosterically controllable Gal4 transcription factor as a scaffold, we show that a classic kinase Förster resonance energy transfer biosensor architecture can be used as a starting point for phospho-switch design. We optimize all features of the phospho-switch to develop an ERK-controlled transcription factor with a 20-fold phosphorylation-dependent change in transcriptional output. The resulting synthetic ERK-responsive transcription factor responds with comparable sensitivity to the c-fos promoter and reveals spatial ERK signaling patterns in mammalian developmental organoids. We further show that our switch architecture can be generalized to other input kinases and allosterically controlled targets. This work provides a general platform for a new generation of kinase-responsive tools for biosensing and synthetic biology applications.

Allosteric Regulation↗

Identification and characterization of a novel allosteric modulator (SoRI-6238) of the serotonin transporter.

In the present study we describe a novel agent, SoRI-6238 (ethyl 5-amino-3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,2-dihydropyrido[3,4-b]pyrazin-7-ylcarbamate) that partially inhibits 5-HT transporter (SERT) binding and allosterically modulates SERT function. Membranes were prepared from rat brain. SoRI-6238 partially inhibited SERT binding to brain membranes with a plateau at about 40% of control. SoRI-6238 fully inhibited norepinephrine transporter (NET) and dopamine transporter (DAT) binding with IC(50) values of 12.1 microM and 5.8 microM, respectively. The apparent K(d) of [(125)I]RTI-55 binding to SERT increased, then reached a plateau with increasing concentrations of SoRI-6238. SoRI-6238 fully inhibited [(3)H]5-HT uptake, acting to decrease the V(max) (noncompetitive inhibition). In kinetic experiments, SoRI-6238 slowed the dissociation of [(125)I]RTI-55 from SERT and slowed the initial association rate. We conclude that SoRI-6238 partially inhibits SERT binding and function, most likely via an allosteric mechanism.

Allosteric Regulation↗

A novel glycine site-specific N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist prevents activation of the NMDA/NO/CGMP pathway by ammonia.

Intrastriatal administration of ammonium ions ("ammonia") via a microdialysis probe overactivates N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, which results in cGMP accumulation in the microdialysates. Co-administration of a potent glycine site-specific NMDA receptor antagonist CGP 78608 ([(1S)-1-[[(7-bromo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-2,3-dioxo-5-quinoxalinyl)methyl]amino]ethyl]phosphonate) significantly reduced (at 20 nM) or abolished (at 100 nM) ammonia-dependent cGMP synthesis. Since NMDA receptor activation is an important causative factor in ammonia neurotoxicity, the present results suggest the glycine site of the receptor to be a potential valuable target for protective intervention.

Allosteric Regulation↗