Bioengineering a Light-Responsive Encapsulin Nanoreactor: A Potential Tool for In Vitro Photodynamic Therapy

• DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c21141
• Publication Date: 2021-02-15T19:50:31Z
• Authors: Dennis Diaz; Xavier Vidal; Anwar Sunna; Andrew Care
• Keywords: Nanoreactor; Bioorthogonal Chemistry

Encapsulins, a prokaryotic class of self-assembling protein nanocompartments, are being re-engineered to serve as "nanoreactors" for the augmentation or creation key biochemical reactions. However, approaches that allow encapsulin nanoreactors be functionally activated with spatial and temporal precision lacking. We report construction light-responsive nanoreactor "on demand" production reactive oxygen species (ROS). Herein, encapsulins were loaded fluorescent flavoprotein mini-singlet generator (miniSOG), biological photosensitizer is by blue light generate ROS, primarily singlet (1O2). established nanocompartments stably encased miniSOG in response able mediate photoconversion molecular into ROS. Using an vitro model lung cancer, we showed ROS generated triggered photosensitized oxidation reactions which exerted toxic effect on tumor cells, suggesting utility photodynamic therapy. This thus represents platform light-controlled initiation and/or modulation ROS-driven processes biomedicine biotechnology.