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Post-translational insertion of boron in proteins to probe and modulate function

Abstract:
Boron is absent in proteins, yet is a micronutrient. It possesses unique bonding that could expand biological function including modes of Lewis acidity not available to typical elements of life. Here we show that post-translational Cβ–Bγ bond formation provides mild, direct, site-selective access to the minimally sized residue boronoalanine (Bal) in proteins. Precise anchoring of boron within complex biomolecular systems allows dative bond-mediated, site-dependent protein Lewis acid–base-pairing (LABP) by Bal. Dynamic protein-LABP creates tunable inter- and intramolecular ligand–host interactions, while reactive protein-LABP reveals reactively accessible sites through migratory boron-to-oxygen Cβ–Oγ covalent bond formation. These modes of dative bonding can also generate de novo function, such as control of thermo- and proteolytic stability in a target protein, or observation of transient structural features via chemical exchange. These results indicate that controlled insertion of boron facilitates stability modulation, structure determination, de novo binding activities and redox-responsive ‘mutation’.
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Publisher copy:
10.1038/s41589-021-00883-7

Authors

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Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0003-2951-1368


Publisher:
Springer Nature
Journal:
Nature Chemical Biology More from this journal
Volume:
17
Issue:
12
Pages:
1245-1261
Place of publication:
United States
Publication date:
2021-11-01
Acceptance date:
2021-08-25
DOI:
EISSN:
1552-4469
ISSN:
1552-4450
Pmid:
34725511


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
1207857
Local pid:
pubs:1207857
Deposit date:
2021-11-19
ARK identifier:

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