Objective
Chemical protein synthesis is an indispensable method in chemical and synthetic biology. However, at the present moment, it is laborious and involves multiple optimization and purification steps. High-throughput approaches for total synthesis of combinatorial libraries of custom-modified protein variants are needed. To change the situation, the work will be carried out in two directions: (1) implementation of microfluidic techniques for automation, miniaturization and multiplexing of experimental steps involved in the total synthesis of proteins, and (2) design and synthesis of novel catalytic proteins for efficient enzyme-assisted peptide ligations under denatured conditions. This innovative research technology will allow robust chemical synthesis of protein libraries with (100–10,000)-compounds with natural and unnatural modifications, bearing variety of post-translational modifications and also protein-like biopolymers. In this project, the new methodology will be validated by chemical synthesis of library of phosphorylated analogues of high mobility group protein A (HMGA), which is involved in gene-transcription and cancer development. Other potential future applications include protein design, biological problems where post-translational modifications play a crucial role (ranging from the ‘histone code’ hypothesis to understanding long-term memory) and functional annotation of newly discovered genes.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Topic(s)
Funding Scheme
ERC-STG - Starting GrantHost institution
67000 Strasbourg
France
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Beneficiaries (2)
67000 Strasbourg
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
67081 Strasbourg
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