Design and Synthesis of Collagen-binding Anti-microbial Proteins

Abstract

The Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is a virus that commonly infects the skin, and mucous membrane of the mouth, genitalia, and the eye. HSV-1 is the strain that is most commonly associated with corneal infections, and it is the most frequent cause of corneal blindness in North America [1]. Currently no cure is available, and many limitations are characterized by the currently available synthetic antiviral drugs, which suggest the need for other potential drug alternatives and delivery strategies. Anti-microbial peptides are naturally occurring peptides that are potent killers of a broad range of micro-organisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses [2]. AMPs are known to be a key component of the innate immune response at the human ocular surface. The human cathelicidin-derived AMP, LL-37, expressed in human corneal epithelial cells provides a wide range of protection against viral pathogens such as HSV-1 [3]. My thesis research addressed the design and recombinant production of hybrid AMP sequences containing LL-37 with the potential ability to form chemical or physical associations with a Collagen scaffold material, such as those used in current artificial cornea constructs to address the need for alternative anti-viral drugs. Three fusion proteins were tested, and compared for feasible design anti-microbial peptide expression and purification in E. coli. It was illustrated that the thioredoxin and SUMO fusion systems are good candidates for successful recombinant production of active designed peptides. The point-mutated LL-37 sequence was successfully expressed and purified using the thioredoxin fusion system. It was demonstrated that this modified LL-37 was effective against HSV-1 infection. The SUMO system was used to express the bio-functional LL-37 containing a collagen-binding sequence. Further work is required to address issues regarding recombinant AMP production, such as increasing enzymatic cleavage efficacy, and minimizing proteolytic degradation or modification.