Template-directed covalent conjugation of DNA to native antibodies, transferrin and other metal-binding proteins

Nat Chem. 2014 Sep;6(9):804-9. doi: 10.1038/nchem.2003. Epub 2014 Jul 20.

Abstract

DNA-protein conjugates are important in bioanalytical chemistry, molecular diagnostics and bionanotechnology, as the DNA provides a unique handle to identify, functionalize or otherwise manipulate proteins. To maintain protein activity, conjugation of a single DNA handle to a specific location on the protein is often needed. However, preparing such high-quality site-specific conjugates often requires genetically engineered proteins, which is a laborious and technically challenging approach. Here we demonstrate a simpler method to create site-selective DNA-protein conjugates. Using a guiding DNA strand modified with a metal-binding functionality, we directed a second DNA strand to the vicinity of a metal-binding site of His6-tagged or wild-type metal-binding proteins, such as serotransferrin, where it subsequently reacted with lysine residues at that site. This method, DNA-templated protein conjugation, facilitates the production of site-selective protein conjugates, and also conjugation to IgG1 antibodies via a histidine cluster in the constant domain.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Antibodies / chemistry*
  • Carrier Proteins / chemistry*
  • DNA / chemistry*
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Histidine / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Metals / metabolism*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Transferrin / chemistry*

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Metals
  • Transferrin
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Histidine
  • DNA