Synthetic mucins in epithelial models to probe virus-mucin interactions

项目摘要 粘蛋白糖蛋白是粘液和上皮细胞糖萼的基本成分。粘蛋白是 从水母到人类的生物都是如此，在水合、润滑、营养吸收、 和宿主对病原体的防御粘蛋白糖基化受复杂的酶促途径调节 流动，导致不同组织和物种之间的异质和可变聚糖模式， 对饮食和疾病的反应。克雷默实验室正在开发合成粘蛋白，或synMUCs， 利用天然粘蛋白的化学和生物物理性质，但具有分子可调结构。 糖基化的氨基酸N-羧基氰基丙烯酸酯的聚合提供了高分子量多肽， 天然肽和聚糖键。与短肽、多糖或传统聚合物相比 synMUC带有连接的糖，是迄今为止最真实的粘蛋白模拟物。将应用synMUC 在糖萼和分泌粘液的工程模型中。这些模型将在未来得到广泛的应用， 上皮生物学的研究与癌症，药物输送，免疫和感染的应用。由于粘蛋白是 在细胞防御的第一线，不同的病毒已经进化出了粘附其聚糖的策略， 它们，甚至用它们进入宿主细胞进行复制。病毒-粘蛋白结合可对病毒 扩散、组织特异性和复制，但由于粘蛋白的异质性而缺乏分子细节。我们将 化学酶修饰我们的synMUC以展示病毒结合唾液酸聚糖。病毒结合偏好 对于不同密度和不同肽骨架组成的各种唾液酸结构， 定义了将利用携带唾液酸的synMUCs来探测糖萼中的粘蛋白与粘液中的粘蛋白如何相互作用。 调节粘附、细胞进入和复制、组织向性和病毒基因进化。这些知识将使 了解病毒生命周期的基本方面，并可能有助于通过发展改善人类健康 新的抗病毒疗法和疾病传播预防策略。此外，科学公民 和辅导是一个优先事项，并积极参与支持公平，多样性和包容性， 在STEM中代表性不足的群体将是项目期间及以后的重点。

PROJECT SUMMARY Mucin glycoproteins are the essential component of mucus and the epithelial cellular glycocalyx. Mucins are essential for life in creatures from jellyfish to humans and play roles in hydration, lubrication, nutrient absorption, and host defense against pathogens. Mucin glycosylation is regulated by complex enzymatic pathways subject to flux, resulting in heterogeneous and variable glycan patterns that vary between tissues and species, and that evolve in response to diet and disease. The Kramer Lab is developing synthetic mucins, or synMUCs, that harness the chemical and biophysical properties of native mucins but have molecularly tunable structures. Polymerization of glycosylated amino acid N-carboxyanhydrides affords high molecular weight polypeptides with the native peptide and glycan linkages. Compared to short peptides, polysaccharides, or traditional polymers bearing attached sugars, synMUCs are the most authentic mucin mimics to date. The synMUCs will be applied in engineered models of the glycocalyx and secreted mucus. These models will find broad future application in studies of epithelial biology with application in cancer, drug delivery, immunity, and infection. Since mucins are on the front lines of cellular defense, diverse viruses have evolved strategies to adhere to their glycans, alter them, and even use them to enter host cells for replication. Virus-mucin binding can have outcomes on viral diffusion, tissue specificity, and replication but molecular details are lacking due to mucin heterogeneity. We will chemoenzymatically modify our synMUCs to display virus-binding sialic acid glycans. Viral binding preferences for various sialic acid structures in different densities and from varied peptide backbone compositions will be defined. The sialic-acid-bearing-synMUCs will be utilized to probe how mucins in the glycocalyx vs mucus regulate adhesion, cell entry and replication, tissue tropism and viral gene evolution. This knowledge will shed light on fundamental aspects of the viral life cycle and may assist in improving human health though development of new antiviral therapeutics and disease transmission prevention strategies. Additionally, scientific citizenship and mentoring are a priority and active involvement in supporting equity, diversity and inclusion of underrepresented groups in STEM will be a focus for the duration of the project and beyond.