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Computational design of highly signalling-active membrane receptors through solvent-mediated allosteric networks
Open accessPublished version of a preprint
Abstract
Protein catalysis and allostery require the atomic-level orchestration and motion of residues and ligand, solvent and protein effector molecules. However, the ability to design protein activity through precise protein–solvent cooperative interactions has not yet been demonstrated. Here we report the design of 14 membrane receptors that catalyse G protein nucleotide exchange through diverse engineered allosteric pathways mediated by cooperative networks of intraprotein, protein–ligand and –solvent molecule interactions. Consistent with predictions, the designed protein activities correlated well with the level of plasticity of the networks at flexible transmembrane helical interfaces. Several designs displayed considerably enhanced thermostability and activity compared with related natural receptors. The most stable and active variant crystallized in an unforeseen signalling-active conformation, in excellent agreement with the design models. The allosteric network topologies of the best designs bear limited similarity to those of natural receptors and reveal an allosteric interaction space larger than previously inferred from natural proteins. The approach should prove useful for engineering proteins with novel complex protein binding, catalytic and signalling activities.
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Metadata
- Authors
- Chen, K.-Y. M., Lai, J. K., Rudden, L. S. P., Wang, J., Russell, A. M., Conners, K., Rutter, M. E., Condon, B., Tung, F., Kodandapani, L., Chau, B., Zhao, X., Benach, J., Baker, K., Hembre, E. J., & Barth, P.
- Affiliations
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (CH)
- Baylor College of Medicine (US)
- AbbVie (United States) (US)
- Eli Lilly (United States) (US)
- Corresponding author
- Barth, P.
- Venue
- Nature Chemistry
- Published
- 2025-01-23
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 429-438
- ISSN
- 1755-4330 (ISSN-L)
- 1755-4349
- PMC
- PMC11882447
- OpenAlex
- W4406768741
- Cited by
- 14
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 5
- FWCI
- 4.21
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Locations
- Nature Chemistry (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Research Square (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of General Medical Sciences
- Eli Lilly and Company
- Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Receptor Mechanisms and Signaling
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Protein Structure and Dynamics
- Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Organic Chemistry › Chemical Synthesis and Analysis
- Keywords
- cell surface receptors, G protein-coupled receptors, allosteric networks, protein-solvent interactions, protein design, thermal stability, protein-ligand interactions
- MeSH terms
- Allosteric Regulation, Humans, Ligands, Models, Molecular, Receptors, Cell Surface, Solvents, Protein Engineering, Signal Transduction
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