Categories for this Technology

Protein Chemistry

Platform Technology

Bioengineering

Intellectual Property

METHODS FOR PROTEIN LIGATION AND USES THEREOF

National Phase Application

WO2018093274

Seeking:

• Partners/collaborators/investors to develop this technology further.

• Out-licensing opportunities.

• Feedback on the opportunity of this technology.

• Advice on what additional data would you like to see to secure interest?

Summary

A novel ‘superglue’ utilising ester bonds to join multiple units together to access many innovative applications.

Problems Addressed

Current protein scaffolding systems are based on larger scaffold domains with unstable structures that often rely on the correct formation of disulphide bonds and post-translational modifications. Clear complications and limitations arise for researchers that require the binding of more than one unit together.

Technology

Ester bond scaffolds as a protein platform technology can join together multiple proteins using modular building blocks as molecular ‘glue’. This will facilitate the engineering of tethered-enzyme clusters, presentation of antigen combinations, or linking of any other functional cargo. The technology provides numerous innovations to the field which include:

1. Ability to tether several antigens to the same structure,

2. Ability to have directed/controlled binding,

3. Flexibility to choose domain structure, combination and sequence of tethered subunits,

4. Avoidance of cross-reactivity and non-specificity with rigid helical linkers and N-terminal tags,

5. Ability to produce the subunits within bacterial systems.

Applications

This novel platform technology opens numerous innovative applications in:

• Vaccine optimisation 

• Drug delivery systems 

• Diagnostics

• Environmental biosensors

• Laboratory tools

• Bio-batteries

• Enzyme resilience

• Hydrogel formation

• Antibiotic production

• Multivalent signal activation

• PET degradation

• Cell capture

• Assembly of nanoparticles for semiconductors

Advantages

• The unique covalent ester bond formation possesses a reversible application achieved by hydrolysis.

• The combination of domains on the higher-ordered structure allows multiple antigens to clip together along a single dominant structure.

• The self-polymerising ability of the scaffold allows directed assembly of desired structures.

• Broad areas of application ranging from drug production and administration to diagnosis of disorders and diseases.

Inventors

Assoc. Professor Chris Squire

Dr Paul Young

Questions about this Technology?

Contact Dr Sandhya Badrinarayanan