Evolution of multiple, mutually orthogonal prolyl-tRNA synthetase/tRNA pairs for unnatural amino acid mutagenesis in Escherichia coli

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Sep 11;109(37):14841-6. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1212454109. Epub 2012 Aug 27.

Abstract

The site-specific incorporation of unnatural amino acids (UAAs) into proteins in living cells relies on an engineered tRNA/aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (tRNA/aaRS) pair, orthogonal to the host cell, to deliver the UAA of choice in response to a unique nonsense or frameshift codon. Here we report the generation of mutually orthogonal prolyl-tRNA/prolyl-tRNA synthase (ProRS) pairs derived from an archaebacterial ancestor for use in Escherichia coli. By reprogramming the anticodon-binding pocket of Pyrococcus horikoshii ProRS (PhProRS), we were able to identify synthetase variants that recognize engineered Archaeoglobus fulgidus prolyl-tRNAs (Af-tRNA(Pro)) with three different anticodons: CUA, AGGG, and CUAG. Several of these evolved PhProRSs show specificity toward a particular anticodon variant of Af-tRNA(Pro), whereas others are promiscuous. Further evolution of the Af-tRNA(Pro) led to a variant exhibiting significantly improved amber suppression efficiency. Availability of a prolyl-tRNA/aaRS pair should enable site-specific incorporation of proline analogs and other N-modified UAAs into proteins in E. coli. The evolution of mutually orthogonal prolyl-tRNA/ProRS pairs demonstrates the plasticity of the tRNA-aaRS interface and should facilitate the incorporation of multiple, distinct UAAs into proteins.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acids / metabolism*
  • Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases / genetics*
  • Archaeoglobus fulgidus / genetics*
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Escherichia coli
  • Evolution, Molecular*
  • Gene Library
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed / methods
  • Plasmids / genetics
  • Protein Engineering / methods*
  • Pyrococcus horikoshii / genetics*
  • RNA, Transfer / genetics*
  • RNA, Transfer / metabolism

Substances

  • Amino Acids
  • RNA, Transfer
  • Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases
  • prolyl T RNA synthetase