Tapping a bacterial enzymatic pathway for the preparation and manipulation of synthetic nanomaterials

J Am Chem Soc. 2014 Dec 17;136(50):17378-81. doi: 10.1021/ja509827s. Epub 2014 Dec 3.

Abstract

We present a spherical micelle generated in a three-step sequence in which a farnesyl-pantetheine conjugate is phosphorylated, adenylated, and phosphorylated once more to generate a farnesyl-CoA amphiphile that self-assembles into spherical micelles. A sphere-to-fibril morphological switch is achieved by enzymatically transferring the farnesyl group of the farnesyl-CoA micelle onto a peptide via phosphopantetheinyl transferase to generate a peptide amphiphile. Each step in the sequence is followed with characterization by HPLC, MS, TEM, and DLS. This system offers an entry into cofactor-mediated peptide decoration by extending the principles of bioresponsive polymeric materials to sequential enzyme cascades.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Bacteria / enzymology*
  • Farnesol / chemistry
  • Micelles
  • Molecular Structure
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Pantetheine / chemistry

Substances

  • Micelles
  • Farnesol
  • Pantetheine