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Fluorescent protein biomaterials have important applications such as bioimaging in pharmacological studies. Self-assembly of proteins, especially into fibrils, is known to produce fluorescence in the blue band. Capable of self-assembly into nanofibers, we have shown we can modulate its aggregation into mesofibers by encapsulation of a small hydrophobic molecule. Conversely, azobenzenes are hydrophobic small molecules that are virtually non-fluorescent in solution due to their highly efficient photoisomerization. However, they demonstrate fluorogenic properties upon confinement in nanoscale assemblies by reducing the non-radiative photoisomerization. Here, we report the fluorescence of a hybrid protein-small molecule system in which azobenzene is confined in our protein assembly leading to fiber thickening and increased fluorescence. We show our engineered protein Q encapsulates AzoCholine, bearing a photoswitchable azobenzene moiety, in the hydrophobic pore to produce fluorescent mesofibers. This study further investigates the photocontrol of protein conformation as well as fluorescence of an azobenze-containing biomaterial. 

The majority of bioactive molecules act on membrane proteins or intracellular targets and therefore needs to partition into or cross biological membranes. Natural products often exhibit lipid modifications to facilitate critical molecule–membrane interactions, and in many cases their bioactivity is markedly reduced upon removal of a lipid group. However, despite its importance in nature, lipid-conjugation of small molecules is not commonly used in chemical biology and medicinal chemistry, and the effect of such conjugation has not been systematically studied. To understand the composition of lipids found in natural products, we carried out a chemoinformatic characterization of the “natural product lipidome”. According to this analysis, lipidated natural products predominantly contain saturated medium-chain lipids (MCLs), which are significantly shorter than the long-chain lipids (LCLs) found in membranes and lipidated proteins. To study the usefulness of such modifications in probe design, we systematically explored the effect of lipid conjugation on five different small molecule chemotypes and find that permeability, cellular retention, subcellular localization, and bioactivity can be significantly modulated depending on the type of lipid tail used. We demonstrate that MCL conjugation can render molecules cell-permeable and modulate their bioactivity. With all explored chemotypes, MCL-conjugates consistently exhibited superior uptake or bioactivity compared to LCL-conjugates and either comparable or superior uptake or bioactivity to short-chain lipid (SCL)-conjugates. Together, our findings suggest that conjugation of small molecules with MCLs could be a powerful strategy for the design of probes and drugs. 

A dipolar cycloaddition and ruthenium-catalyzed oxidation enables comparatively efficient synthesis of a potent neurotoxin. 

Serotonin receptors play central roles in neuromodulation and are critical drug targets for psychiatric disorders. Optical control of serotonin receptor subtypes has the potential to greatly enhance our understanding of the spatiotemporal dynamics of receptor function. While other neuromodulatory receptors have been successfully rendered photoswitchable, reversible photocontrol of serotonin receptors has not been achieved, representing a major gap in GPCR photopharmacology. Herein, we develop the first tools that allow for such control.Azo5HT‐2shows light‐dependent 5‐HT_2AR agonism, with greater activity in thecis‐form. Based on docking and test compound analysis, we also develop photoswitchable orthogonal, remotely‐tethered ligands (PORTLs). TheseBG‐Azo5HTs provide rapid, reversible, and repeatable optical control following conjugation to SNAP‐tagged 5‐HT_2AR. Overall, this study provides a foundation for the broad extension of photopharmacology to the serotonin receptor family.

 

Serotonin receptors play central roles in neuromodulation and are critical drug targets for psychiatric disorders. Optical control of serotonin receptor subtypes has the potential to greatly enhance our understanding of the spatiotemporal dynamics of receptor function. While other neuromodulatory receptors have been successfully rendered photoswitchable, reversible photocontrol of serotonin receptors has not been achieved, representing a major gap in GPCR photopharmacology. Herein, we develop the first tools that allow for such control.Azo5HT‐2shows light‐dependent 5‐HT_2AR agonism, with greater activity in thecis‐form. Based on docking and test compound analysis, we also develop photoswitchable orthogonal, remotely‐tethered ligands (PORTLs). TheseBG‐Azo5HTs provide rapid, reversible, and repeatable optical control following conjugation to SNAP‐tagged 5‐HT_2AR. Overall, this study provides a foundation for the broad extension of photopharmacology to the serotonin receptor family.