Overview
Since the target of our project is to synthesize the Iron Oxide Nanoparticles using biological method and
achieve specific targeting towards the breast cancer cell, we designed four different plasmid expressing
the carefully selected scFv domain of anti-HER2 antibody and the specific functional domain to enable the
purification and conjugation of the antibody, specific
bacteria strain was selected to ensure the proper folding of the antibody.
For the future work, when the coating composition of the iron oxide nanoparticles is better
determined and the synthetic mechanism of IONPs is better understood, designs of the plasmid can be
further optimized to enabling the expression termial of antibody to be the same site as IONPs, along with
addition of functional groups in the plasmid design, self assembly of the antibody and IONPs may become
possible, which will greatly improve the efficiency for large scale prodection.
Design and Build
![](https://static.igem.wiki/teams/4702/wiki/engineering/e-coli-2.png)
E. coli Strain Adoption
Antibodies were required to achieve our goal to target cancer cells. We managed to synthesize antibodies in E. coli by constructing, inducing external plasmids to express desired antibodies and took advantage of its low cost, simplicity, and high yield. However, it was not easy to validly express an eukaryotic gene in a prokaryotic cell due to its simpler inner cell structure, lacking of endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus, which were crucial to processing protein. These deficiencies might lead to incorrect structural features of antibodies. Besides, in wild type strain of E. coli, the reducing cytoplasm would cause the formation of inclusion bodies, a kind of abnormal structure. Considering that oxidizing environment was important to form disulfide bond, which was indispensable for the biological activity of antibodies. To ensure antibody validity, we therefore adopted SHuffle strain of E. coli, whose cytoplasm was semi-oxidizing, facilitating successful expression of biologically active antibodies in E. coli.
![](https://static.igem.wiki/teams/4702/wiki/engineering/antibody-type-adoption.png)
Antibody Type Adoption
In consideration of relatively small size of our iron-oxide nanoparticles, to ensure the binding efficiency between antibodies and nanoparticles, full-length recombinant antibodies might not be a decent option because of their large size, which had the potential to lead to steric hinderance, and furthermore to restrict the binding efficiency. Single-chain variable fragments (scFv) was composed of variable regions of heavy (VH) and light (VL) chains of immunoglobulins, linked via a flexible short peptide linker. Its lack of Fc domain enabled itself to possess a smaller size, which reduced the possibility of steric hinderance issue to happen. Besides, due to scFv's structural simplicity compared to full-length recombinant antibodies, the probability of incorrect folding dramatically decreased since slight changes would be applied on the scFv, since we were aiming to link it on our iron-oxide nanoparticles.
![](https://static.igem.wiki/teams/4702/wiki/engineering/plasmid-contruction.jpg)
General Idea for Plasmid Construction
To fulfill successful expression of antibodies, plasmid construction was a crucial part. Focusing on
breast
cancer, we selected HER2 as our targeting site. The pGLO plasmid we used had been verified to be able to
express protein since the expressed green-fluorescent protein (GFP) was visible to naked human eyes.
It was plausible that our antibodies could also be expressed since we only altered the protein-coding
region. Therefore, we replaced the original protein coding gene with anti-HER2 scFv coding gene. The
coding gene was derived by protein-DNA sequence conversion optimization, in frame with 6x His-tag to
detect and also purify the expressed protein.
![](https://static.igem.wiki/teams/4702/wiki/engineering/layout-1-three-vector-design-by-mal-linking.jpg)
Specific Design in Plasmid Construction for NHS-PEG-Maleimide Conjugation
Beyond the elaborate design above, several other designs for better fit of NHS-PEG-Maleimide conjugation
using the thiol group were also prepared.
In the first one, three codons coding cysteine were added between the end of anti-HER2 scFv gene and the
head
of His-tag coding gene. The intention of the addition of the cysteine at this position was to provide a
free thiol group for maleimide-modified iron-oxide nanoparticles to bind, while without the interference
of biological activity of anti-HER2 scFv and capacity of being purified of His-tag. The cloning of this
modified anti-HER2 scFv gene was achieved through seamless cloning technology.
The second one was to move the added cysteine to the end of the His-tag, which might have the
effect to
enhance the binding activity of thiol group on the cysteine.
![](https://static.igem.wiki/teams/4702/wiki/engineering/20231010204848.jpg)
Specific Design in Plasmid Construction for Streptavidin-Biotin Conjugation
As the Streptavidin-Biotin linkage is a very strong interaction in nature, we also had a vector design
trying to utilize this binding effect.
By combining the scFv, streptavidin, and His tag into a single
plasmid, we can leverage the advantages of each component to enhance our research and development efforts.
The scFv provides us with a highly specific and versatile antibody fragment, capable of recognizing
various targets of interest. Streptavidin, on the other hand, offers a strong and stable interaction with
biotinylated nanoparticles, allowing for efficient targeting and delivery. Lastly, the His tag serves as a
well-established purification tag, enabling rapid and reliable protein purification using affinity
chromatography.
Test
![](https://static.igem.wiki/teams/4702/wiki/result-for-notebook/engineering/engineering-test.jpg)
Test Results of Our Plasmids
We introduced our plasmids into E. coli respectively and induced them to express the protein. The
results showed that except for the scFV-streptavidin-his protein was found to be in the inclusion body,
all other types of the protein was successfully expressed and purified and gave a satisfying concentration
around 1-5 mg/ml after solution displacement to storage buffer.
Then, We conducted the experiment of linking the antibody to the chemically synthesized Iron Oxide
Nanoparticles, comparing to the chemically synthesized Iron Oxide Nanoparticles without antibody addition,
the cytotoxicity of the group with antibody linkage treatment was higher than the group without the
linkage process, indirectly indicating partial bioactivity of the scFv protein.
And the detailed result of our experiment could be found in our
result page, especially the cytotoxicity test result and protein purification result.
Future
![](https://static.igem.wiki/teams/4702/wiki/result-for-notebook/e310b35721f23d15526cc50af17868d.png)
Future from Our Tests and Other Prospects
For the results of our tests, one thing we could do for the alternative of the scFv-streptavidin-his
design is to remove the streptavidin in the design but using chemical method to link the biotin to the
antibody, and then link the biotinylated antibody to the avidin linked iron oxide nanoparticles.
One promising direction for future work is to optimize the design of plasmids to enable the expression
terminal of antibodies to be located at the same site as the IONPs. This strategic modification would
facilitate the self-assembly of antibodies and IONPs if the process is made possible in the future,
potentially leading to more efficient and targeted
delivery systems. By incorporating functional groups into the plasmid design, we could enhance
the binding affinity between the antibodies and IONPs, thereby improving the overall performance of the
nanocomplex.
The successful self-assembly of antibodies and IONPs holds great potential for large-scale production.
With this advancement, we could streamline the manufacturing process and significantly increase
the efficiency of nanoparticle production. Additionally, the ability to self-assemble the components may
offer new opportunities for tailoring the properties of the nanocomplex, such as controlling the release
kinetics of drugs or enabling specific interactions with biological targets.
The present development in biologically synthesized IONPs offers promising avenues for future research. By
further refining the coating composition, understanding the synthetic mechanism, and optimizing plasmid
design, scientists are paving the way for improved efficiency, stability, and functionality of these
nanoparticles. Ultimately, these advancements hold great potential for revolutionizing various fields,
including targeted drug delivery, biomedical imaging, and therapeutics.