The family 1 cellulose-binding modules (CBM1) form a groupof small, stable carbohydrate-binding proteins. These modulesare essential for fungal cellulosedegradation. This thesisdescribes both functional studies of the CBM1s as well asprotein engineering of the modules for several objectives. The characteristics and specificity of CBM1s from theTrichoderma reeseiCel7A and Cel6A, along with severalother wild type and mutated CBMs, were studied using bindingexperiments and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Datafrom the binding studies confirmed that the presence of onetryptophan residue on the CBM1 binding face enhances itsbinding to crystalline cellulose. The twoT. reeseiCBM1s as well as the CBM3 from theClostridium thermocellumCipA were investigated by TEMexperiments. All three CBMs were found to bind in lineararrangements along the sides of the fibrils. Further analysesof the bound CBMs indicated that the CBMs bind to the exposedhydrophobic surfaces, the so called (200) crystalline face ofValoniacellulose crystals. The function and specificity of CBM1s as a part of an intactenzyme were studied by replacing the CBM from the exo-actingCel7A by the CBM1 from the endoglucanase Cel7B. Apart fromslightly improved affinity of the hybrid enzyme, the moduleexchange did not significantly influence the function of theCel7A. This indicates that the two CBM1s are analogous in theirbinding properties and function during cellulosehydrolysis. The CBM1 was also used for immobilization studies. Toimprove heterologous expression of a CBM1-lipase fusionprotein, a linker stability study was carried out inPichia pastoris. A proline/threonine rich linker peptidewas found to be stable for protein production in this host. Forwhole bacterial cell immobilization, theT. reeseiCel6A CBM1 was expressed on the surface of thegram-positive bacteria,Staphylococcus carnosus. The engineeredS. carnosuscells were shown to bind cellulosefibers. To exploit the stable CBM1 fold as a starting point forgenerating novel binders, a phage display library wasconstructed. Binding proteins against an amylase as well asagainst a metal ion were selected from the library. Theamylase-binding proteins were found to bind and inhibit thetarget enzyme. The metal binding proteins selected from thelibrary were cloned on the surface of theS. carnosusand clearly enhanced the metal bindingability of the engineered bacteria. <b>Keywords</b>: cellulose-binding, family 1carbohydrate-binding module, phage display, bacterial surfacedisplay, combinatorial protein library, metal binding, proteinengineering,Trichoderma reesei, Staphyloccus carnosus.

Carbohydrate recognition is a ubiquitous principle underlying many fundamental biological processes like fertilization, embryogenesis and viral infections. But how carbohydrate specificity and affinity induce a molecular event is not well understood. One of these examples is bacteriophage P22 that binds and infects three distinct Salmonella enterica (S.) hosts. It recognizes and depolymerizes repetitive carbohydrate structures of O antigen in its host´s outer membrane lipopolysaccharide molecule. This is mediated by tailspikes, mainly β helical appendages on phage P22 short non contractile tail apparatus (podovirus). The O antigen of all three Salmonella enterica hosts is built from tetrasaccharide repeating units consisting of an identical main chain with a distinguished 3,6 dideoxyhexose substituent that is crucial for P22 tailspike recognition: tyvelose in S. Enteritidis, abequose in S. Typhimurium and paratose in S. Paratyphi. In the first study the complexes of P22 tailspike with its host’s O antigen octasaccharide were characterized. S. Paratyphi octasaccharide binds less tightly (ΔΔG≈7 kJ/mol) to the tailspike than the other two hosts. Crystal structure analysis of P22 tailspike co crystallized with S. Paratyphi octasaccharides revealed different interactions than those observed before in tailspike complexes with S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium octasaccharides. These different interactions occur due to a structural rearrangement in the S. Paratyphi octasaccharide. It results in an unfavorable glycosidic bond Φ/Ψ angle combination that also had occurred when the S. Paratyphi octasaccharide conformation was analyzed in an aprotic environment. Contributions of individual protein surface contacts to binding affinity were analyzed showing that conserved structural waters mediate specific recognition of all three different Salmonella host O antigens. Although different O antigen structures possess distinct binding behavior on the tailspike surface, all are recognized and infected by phage P22. Hence, in a second study, binding measurements revealed that multivalent O antigen was able to bind with high avidity to P22 tailspike. Dissociation rates of the polymer were three times slower than for an octasaccharide fragment pointing towards high affinity for O antigen polysaccharide. Furthermore, when phage P22 was incubated with lipopolysaccharide aggregates before plating on S. Typhimurium cells, P22 infectivity became significantly reduced. Therefore, in a third study, the function of carbohydrate recognition on the infection process was characterized. It was shown that large S. Typhimurium lipopolysaccharide aggregates triggered DNA release from the phage capsid in vitro. This provides evidence that phage P22 does not use a second receptor on the Salmonella surface for infection. P22 tailspike binding and cleavage activity modulate DNA egress from the phage capsid. DNA release occurred more slowly when the phage possessed mutant tailspikes with less hydrolytic activity and was not induced if lipopolysaccharides contained tailspike shortened O antigen polymer. Furthermore, the onset of DNA release was delayed by tailspikes with reduced binding affinity. The results suggest a model for P22 infection induced by carbohydrate recognition: tailspikes position the phage on Salmonella enterica and their hydrolytic activity forces a central structural protein of the phage assembly, the plug protein, onto the host´s membrane surface. Upon membrane contact, a conformational change has to occur in the assembly to eject DNA and pilot proteins from the phage to establish infection. Earlier studies had investigated DNA ejection in vitro solely for viruses with long non contractile tails (siphovirus) recognizing protein receptors. Podovirus P22 in this work was therefore the first example for a short tailed phage with an LPS recognition organelle that can trigger DNA ejection in vitro. However, O antigen binding and cleaving tailspikes are widely distributed in the phage biosphere, for example in siphovirus 9NA. Crystal structure analysis of 9NA tailspike revealed a complete similar fold to P22 tailspike although they only share 36 % sequence identity. Moreover, 9NA tailspike possesses similar enzyme activity towards S. Typhimurium O antigen within conserved amino acids. These are responsible for a DNA ejection process from siphovirus 9NA triggered by lipopolysaccharide aggregates. 9NA expelled its DNA 30 times faster than podovirus P22 although the associated conformational change is controlled with a similar high activation barrier. The difference in DNA ejection velocity mirrors different tail morphologies and their efficiency to translate a carbohydrate recognition signal into action. / Kohlenhydraterkennung ist ein fundamentales Prinzip vieler biologischer Prozesse wie z.B. Befruchtung, Embryogenese und virale Infektionen. Wie aber Kohlenhydratspezifität und –affinität in ein molekulares Ereignis übersetzt werden, ist nicht genau verstanden. Ein Beispiel für ein solches Ereignis ist die Infektion des Bakteriophage P22, der drei verschiedene Salmonella enterica (S.) Wirte besitzt. Er erkennt und depolymerisiert die repetitiven Einheiten des O Antigens im Lipopolysaccharid, das sich in der äußeren Membran seines Wirtes befindet. Dieser Schritt wird durch die Tailspikes vermittelt, β helicale Bestandteile des kurzen, nicht kontraktilen Schwanzapparates von P22 (Podovirus). Das O Antigen aller drei Salmonella enterica Wirte besteht aus sich wiederholenden Tetrasacchariden. Sie enthalten die gleiche Hauptkette aber eine spezifische 3,6 Didesoxyhexose Seitenkette, die für die P22 Tailspikeerkennung essentiell ist: Tyvelose in S. Enteritidis, Abequose in S. Typhimurium und Paratose in S. Paratyphi. Im ersten Teil der Arbeit wurde die Komplexbildung von P22 Tailspike mit O Antigen Octasaccharidfragmenten der drei verschiedenen Wirte untersucht. S. Paratyphi Octasaccharide binden mit einer geringeren Affinität (ΔΔG≈7 kJ/mol) an den Tailspike als die beiden anderen Wirte. Die Kristallstrukturanalyse des S. Paratyphi Octasaccharides komplexiert mit P22 Tailspike offenbarten unterschiedliche Interkationen als vorher mit S. Enteritidis und S. Typhimurium Oktasaccharidkomplexen mit Tailspike beobachtet wurden. Diese unterschiedlichen Interaktionen beruhen auf einer strukturellen Änderung in den Φ/Ψ Winkeln der glykosidischen Bindung. Die Beiträge von verschiedenen Proteinoberflächenkontakten zur Affnität wurden untersucht und zeigten, dass konservierte Wasser in der Struktur die spezifische Erkennung aller drei Salmonella Wirte vermittelt. Obwohl die verschiedenen O Antigen Strukturen unterschiedliches Bindungsverhalten auf der Tailspikeoberfläche zeigen, werden alle vom Phagen P22 erkannt und infiziert. Daher wurde in einer zweiten Studie die multivalente Bindung zwischen P22 Tailspike und O Antigen charakterisiert. Die Dissoziationskonstanten des Polymers waren drei Mal langsamer als für das Oktasaccharid allein, was auf eine hohe Affinität des O Antigens schließen lässt. Zusätzlich wurde gezeigt, dass die Aggregate des Lipopolysaccharids in der Lage sind, die Infektiösität vom P22 Phagen zu reduzieren. Ausgehend davon wurde in einer dritten Studie die Bedeutung der Kohlenhydrat Erkennung auf den Infektionsprozess untersucht. Große S. Typhimurium Lipopolysaccharide Aggregate bewirkten die DNA Freisetzung vom P22 Kapsid. Dies deutet darauf, dass der P22 Phage keinen weiteren Rezeptor für die Infektion auf der Oberflächen seines Wirtes verwendet. Zusätzlich moduliert die P22 Tailspike Aktivität den Ausstoss der DNA vom P22 Phagen: Er ist langsamer, wenn der Phage Tailspikes besitzt, die weniger hydrolytisch aktiv sind und wurde nicht induziert, wenn Lipopolysaccharid eingesetzt wurde, dass zuvor mit Tailspike hydrolysiert wurde. Darüber hinaus wurde der Start der DNA Ejektion verzögert, wenn Tailspikes mit verminderter Affinität am Phagen vorhanden waren. Die Ergebnisse führten zu einem Modell für die Infektion von P22: Tailspikes positionieren den Phagen auf Salmonella enterica und ihre Aktivität drückt ein zentrales Strukturprotein des Phagen, das Stöpselprotein, auf die Membranoberfläche. Aufgrund des Membrankontaktes findet eine Konformationsänderung statt die zur Ejektion der Pilotproteine und zur Infektion führt. Vorhergehende Studien haben bisher nur die DNA Ejektion in vitro für Viren mit langen, nicht kontraktilen Schwänzen (Siphoviren) mit Proteinrezeptoren untersucht. In dieser Arbeit wurde das erste Mal die DNA Ejektion für einen Podovirus mit LPS Erkennung in vitro gezeigt. Die O Antigen Erkennung und Spaltung durch Tailspikeproteine gibt es häufig in der Phagenbiosphere, z.B. am Siphovirus 9NA. Die Kristallstrukturanalyse von 9NA Tailspike zeigt eine komplett gleiche Struktur, obwohl beide Proteine nur zu 36% Sequenzidentität besitzen. Zusätzlich hat 9NA Tailspike ähnliche enzymatische Eigenschaften. Diese ist für den DNA Ejektionsprozess im Siphovirus 9NA verantwortlich, der auch durch LPS Agreggate induziert wird. 9NA stößt dabei seine DNA 30 Mal schneller aus als Podovirus P22 obwohl die damit verbundene Konformationsänderung mit einer ähnlich hohen Aktivierungsbarriere kontrolliert wird. Daher spiegeln die Unterschiede in der DNA Ejektionsgeschwindigkeit der verschiedenen Tailmorphologien die Effezienz wieder, mit der die spezifische Kohlenhydraterkennung in ein Signal umgewandelt wird.

Ce mémoire de thèse présente mes travaux sur la détermination de la susceptibilité et de la résistance des intégrases (INs) du virus de l'immunodéficience humaine (VIH) aux inhibiteurs de transfert de brins de l'IN (INSTIs) ainsi que le développement de fragments d'anticorps simple-chaîne (sdAbs) ciblant l'IN du VIH. Tout d'abord, car les études antérieures ont suggéré que les variations significatives de l'IN de souche CRF02_AG pourrait avoir des effets consécutifs sur l'interaction entre l'inhibiteur et l'IN, la susceptibilité de l'IN de souche CRF02_AG du VIH-1 aux dernières INSTIs a été déterminée. Accord avec l'étude in silico, nous avons mis en évidence que l'activité de 3'-processing et de transfert de brin des INs de souche B et de souche CRF02_AG sont comparables. La susceptibilité des INs recombinantes de souche CRF02_AG aux INSTIs utilisés (Raltégravir-RAL, Elevitégravir-EVG et L-731, 988) est similaire à celle de l'IN de souche B, malgré les variations naturelles qui se produisent dans les INs de souche CRF02_AG. Le polymorphisme de l'IN de CRF02_AG n'a pas d'effet significatif sur la susceptibilité aux INSTIs. Dans un second temps, la résistance de l'IN du VIH-2 au RAL, l'unique INSTI approuvé, a été confirmée in vitro avec des enzymes mutées portant des mutations de résistance. Les mutations aux positions 155 et 148 jouent un rôle similaire pour les VIH-1 et VIH-2, en rendant l'IN résistante au RAL. La mutation G140S confère peu de résistance, mais compense le défaut catalytique dû à la mutation Q148R. À l'inverse, Y143C seule ne confère pas de résistance au RAL excepté si la mutation E92Q est également présente. De plus, l'introduction de la mutation Y143C dans le mutant résistant N155H baisse le niveau de résistance de l'enzyme contenant la mutation N155H, ce qui pourrait expliquer l'absence de détection de ces deux mutations ensemble dans un seul génome. Enfin, des anti-VIH sdAbs avec nombreuses propriétés intéressantes ont été sélectionnés pour développer des agents antirétroviraux. Après la sélection de sdAb ciblant l'IN du VIH, nous avons obtenu des qui sdAbs qui reconnaissent spécifiquement une vaste gamme d'INs in vitro, y compris le mutant G140S/Q148R résistant aux INSTIs. Néanmoins, l'activité inhibitrice des sdAbs n'a pas été observée. Les sdAbs ciblant l'IN du VIH peuvent être utilisés pour d'autres applications, telles que des réactifs ciblant des nanocapteurs. À l'avenir, en raison des avantages uniques des sdAbs, le développement de sdAbs anti-IN du VIH qui bloquent la réplication du VIH reste attractive pour l'obtenir des inhibiteurs efficaces de l'IN.

<p>The family 1 cellulose-binding modules (CBM1) form a groupof small, stable carbohydrate-binding proteins. These modulesare essential for fungal cellulosedegradation. This thesisdescribes both functional studies of the CBM1s as well asprotein engineering of the modules for several objectives.</p><p>The characteristics and specificity of CBM1s from the<i>Trichoderma reesei</i>Cel7A and Cel6A, along with severalother wild type and mutated CBMs, were studied using bindingexperiments and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Datafrom the binding studies confirmed that the presence of onetryptophan residue on the CBM1 binding face enhances itsbinding to crystalline cellulose. The two<i>T. reesei</i>CBM1s as well as the CBM3 from the<i>Clostridium thermocellum</i>CipA were investigated by TEMexperiments. All three CBMs were found to bind in lineararrangements along the sides of the fibrils. Further analysesof the bound CBMs indicated that the CBMs bind to the exposedhydrophobic surfaces, the so called (200) crystalline face of<i>Valonia</i>cellulose crystals.</p><p>The function and specificity of CBM1s as a part of an intactenzyme were studied by replacing the CBM from the exo-actingCel7A by the CBM1 from the endoglucanase Cel7B. Apart fromslightly improved affinity of the hybrid enzyme, the moduleexchange did not significantly influence the function of theCel7A. This indicates that the two CBM1s are analogous in theirbinding properties and function during cellulosehydrolysis.</p><p>The CBM1 was also used for immobilization studies. Toimprove heterologous expression of a CBM1-lipase fusionprotein, a linker stability study was carried out in<i>Pichia pastoris</i>. A proline/threonine rich linker peptidewas found to be stable for protein production in this host. Forwhole bacterial cell immobilization, the<i>T. reesei</i>Cel6A CBM1 was expressed on the surface of thegram-positive bacteria,<i>Staphylococcus carnosus</i>. The engineered<i>S. carnosus</i>cells were shown to bind cellulosefibers.</p><p>To exploit the stable CBM1 fold as a starting point forgenerating novel binders, a phage display library wasconstructed. Binding proteins against an amylase as well asagainst a metal ion were selected from the library. Theamylase-binding proteins were found to bind and inhibit thetarget enzyme. The metal binding proteins selected from thelibrary were cloned on the surface of the<i>S. carnosus</i>and clearly enhanced the metal bindingability of the engineered bacteria.</p><p><b>Keywords</b>: cellulose-binding, family 1carbohydrate-binding module, phage display, bacterial surfacedisplay, combinatorial protein library, metal binding, proteinengineering,<i>Trichoderma reesei, Staphyloccus carnosus</i>.</p>

Three epitope-mapping procedures were used to identify B-cell epitopes on Betanodaviruses: neutralisation escape mutant sequence analysis, phage display, and pepscan. Betanodaviruses have emerged as major pathogens of marine fish. These viruses are the aetiological agents of a disease referred to as viral nervous necrosis (VNN), which affects many species of fish that are economically valuable to the aquaculture industry. The identification of betanodavirus B-cell epitopes will facilitate the rational development of vaccines to counter VNN. A panel of mouse monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) was produced using hybridoma methodology for use in each of the epitope mapping procedures. These antibodies were characterised in Western blotting, ELISA, and virus neutralisation tests. Rabbit polyclonal sera, and serum samples from nodavirus-infected fish were also used for pepscan analyses. Attempts to produce betanodavirus neutralisation escape mutants, using plaque assay or limiting dilution based methods, were not successful. Two phage libraries expressing random peptides of seven (Ph.D.7™) or twelve (Ph.D.12™) amino acids in length as fusions to the coat protein were used to identify the ligands recognised by MAbs directed against betanodavirus. Neither of these phage libraries yielded conclusive results. Phage clones containing tandem inserts were obtained after MAb selection from library Ph.D.7™. Extensive screening and nucleotide sequence analysis of MAb-selected clones from library Ph.D.12™) failed to yield a consensus sequence. Pepscan analyses were performed using the recently developed suspension array technology (SAT). This was used to map the recognition sites of MAbs and serum samples onto a panel of overlapping synthetic peptides (12mers) that mimicked the betanodavirus coat protein. The results of pepscan analyses required careful interpretation due to the binding of antibodies and serum samples to multiple peptides. However, three regions of the nodavirus coat protein were identified as containing B-cell epitopes: amino acids 1-50, 141-162, and 181-212. These results are discussed in relation to previous studies of immune responses to betanodaviruses, and to the future development of betanodavirus vaccines and diagnostic reagents.

As a class, protein-based therapeutics offer tremendous advantages over traditional small molecule drugs. Due to their sizes and folding energies, proteins are ideal for catalyzing chemical reactions, and can bind tightly and selectively to extended target surfaces. However, due to their large size, virtually all proteins are unable to spontaneously enter cells, and as a result protein therapeutics are restricted to extracellular targets. We developed a platform for delivery of proteins to intracellular target sites by engineering the surface chemistry of a model protein, green fluorescent protein (GFP). We found that 'supercharged' cationic GFP variants (scGFPs) bind to anionic cell surface molecules and initiate endocytosis, resulting in the efficient delivery of translationally fused cargo to intracellular targets. We discovered that scGFPs, and cationic delivery reagents in general, alter endosomal trafficking in a manner proportional to both their charge and their delivery efficiency, suggesting that avoidance of endosomal maturation is a key step in the endosomal escape of delivered protein cargos. We also developed a method for encapsulation of recombinant proteins by cationic lipid delivery reagents using negatively supercharged GFP. Genetic modification technologies have matured rapidly following the discovery of protein classes with programmable DNA-binding specificities. While site-directed genetic knockout technologies are highly effective, targeted integration and repair remain comparatively inefficient. Site-specific recombinases directly catalyze strand exchange and ligation between DNA molecules, offering an approach to efficient genomic integration. However, most site-specific recombinases are not easily reprogrammable. To address this problem, we developed a genetic selection technique based on the Phage-Assisted Continuous Evolution (PACE) system, to enable the rapid evolution of recombinase proteins towards targets of interest. Using Cre recombinase as a model, the PACE system was optimized, validated, and used to evolve Cre variants with higher activity on their native loxP target site, as well as altered specificity towards a human genomic sequence within the hROSA26 locus. Finally, we developed a method for enhancing the specificity of RNA-guided nucleases by restricting activity to sites of obligate dimeric nuclease assembly. We engineered a FokI nuclease fusion to a catalytically inactivated Cas9 protein that mediates efficient modification with significantly reduced off-target activity.

Les matériaux inorganiques ont des propriétés uniques à l'échelle nanométrique. Ces propriétés ont généré beaucoup d'intérêt pour fabriquer des nouveaux matériaux utilisant des nano-objets comme unité de construction. Nous avons suivi une approche biomimétique pour la fabrication de dispositifs à base de nanoparticules afin d'améliorer les méthodes actuelles de fabrication top-down et bottom-up. Certaines protéines naturelles se lient en effet spécifiquement à des matériaux inorganiques, et déclenchent notamment la croissance de cristaux inorganiques. Une première étape dans cette approche biomimétique est de comprendre comment des protéines se lient spécifiquement à des nanomatériaux inorganiques. Nous avons exploré ce mécanisme de reconnaissance en sélectionnant des anticorps (les protéines de notre système immunitaire spécialisées dans les interactions avec de nombreuses cibles) contre des matériaux inorganiques par la méthode combinatoire biotechnologique appelée "phage display". Cette technique permet d'obtenir la séquence génétique codante des anticorps sélectionnés se liant à leur cible à partir d'une banque aléatoire d'anticorps. L'analyse statistique des séquences des anticorps sélectionnés fournit de nouvelles informations sur les interactions protéines/matériaux inorganiques. Notre principale conclusion est l'identification de l'acide aminé arginine en tant que contributeur majeur dans les interactions protéine/or. L'ingénierie génétique des anticorps permet de fonctionnaliser ces nouvelles sondes de matériaux inorganiques en vue de leur utilisation pour des applications dans le domaine des nanomatériaux. Les anticorps recombinants sélectionnés et leurs dérivés fonctionnalisés peuvent être exprimés par sécrétion à l'aide d'un hôte eucaryote (Dictyostelium discoideum) mis au point au cours de cette thèse.

Notre laboratoire a développé une stratégie d'isolement de fragments d'anticorps recombinants à partir de primates non humains (Macaca fascicularis) immunisés, en utilisant la technologie des phages. Dans le cadre de cette thèse, une comparaison des séquences d'anticorps de macaques (Macaca Mulatta) et d'anticorps humains a toutefois montré que les anticorps des deux espèces présentent des différences qui rendent souhaitable une étape d'humanisation des anticorps de macaques. Cette stratégie a été utilisée dans le cadre du projet Européen AntiBotABE (www.antibotabe.com) et l'étape de criblage a été adaptée pour isoler des scFv neutralisant de façon croisée les toxines botuliques BoNT/B des sous-types B1 et B2, en utilisant séquentiellement l'holotoxine BoNT/B1 et un fragment recombinant représentant la région C-terminale de la chaîne lourde de BoNT/B2. Le meilleur scFv ciblant les régions C-terminales des chaînes lourdes de BoNT/B1 et BoNT/B2, B2-7, a montré une bonne capacité de neutralisation de BoNT/B1 et BoNT/B2 dans le test ex vivo de paralysie hémidiaphragmatique. Les régions charpentes du scFv B2-7 ont un pourcentage d'identité élevé (80 %) avec leurs homologues humains. Des scFv neutralisant BoNT/A1 en ciblant sa chaîne légère ont aussi été isolés, dont le scFv le plus efficace, 2H8, induit une diminution de 50% de l'activité endopeptidasique à une concentration correspondant à un rapport molaire 2H8/BoNT/A1 de 64000. Les régions charpentes de 2H8 ont également un pourcentage d'identité élevée (88%) avec leurs homologues humains. La versatilité de cette stratégie en fait un outil permettant l'isolement de nombreux autres fragments d'anticorps à visée thérapeutique.

Combinatorial protein engineering, taking advantage of large libraries of protein variants and powerful selection technology, is a useful strategy for developing affinity proteins for applications in biotechnology and medicine. In this thesis, two small affinity proteins have been subjected to combinatorial protein engineering to improve or redirect the binding. In two of the projects, a three-helix protein domain based on staphylococcal protein A has been used as scaffold to generate so called Affibody molecules capable of binding to key proteins related to two diseases common among elderly people. In the first project, Affibody molecules were selected using phage display technology for binding to Ab-peptides, believed to play a crucial role in Alzheimer’s disease, in that they can oligomerize and contribute to the formation of neural plaques in the brain. The selected Affibody molecules were found to efficiently capture Ab from spiked human plasma when coupled to an affinity resin. The structure of the complex was determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and demonstrated that the original helix 1 in the two Affibody molecules was unfolded upon binding, forming intermolecular b-sheets that stabilized the Ab peptide as buried in a tunnel-like cavity. Interestingly, the complex structure also revealed that the Affibody molecules were found to homo-dimerize via a disulfide bridge and bind monomeric Ab-peptide with a 2:1 stoichiometry. Furthermore, Affibody molecule-mediated inhibition of Ab fibrillation in vitro, suggested a potential of selected binders for future therapeutic applications. In the second project, two different selection systems were used to isolate Affibody molecules binding to tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF), which is involved in inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Both selection systems, phage display and Gram-positive bacterial display, could successfully generate TNF-binding molecules, with equilibrium dissociation constants (KD) in the picomolar to nanomolar range. Initial characterization of the binding to TNF was evaluated by competitive binding studies between the Affibody molecules and clinically approved TNF antagonists (adaliumumab, infliximab and etanercept) and demonstrated overlapping binding sites with both adaliumumab and etanercept. Furthermore, linkers of different lengths were introduced between Affibody moieties, in dimeric and trimeric constructs that were evaluated for their ability to block the binding between TNF and a recombinant form of its receptor. In the dimeric constructs, a linker length of 20-40 amino acids seemed to have an advantage compared to shorter and longer linkers, and the tested trimeric construct could block the TNF binding at even lower concentration. The results provided valuable information for the design of future Affibody-based molecules that could be investigated in therapeutic or medical imaging applications. In the third project aiming to generate a protein domain with capacity to influence the pharmacokinetics of protein therapeutics, a natural serum albumin-binding domain (ABD) was subjected to an engineering effort aiming at improving the affinity to human serum albumin (HSA), a protein with an exceptional long half-life in serum (19 days). First-generation affinity improved ABD variants were selected using phage display technology from a constructed ABD library. After additional rational engineering of such first generation variants, one variant with a 10,000-fold improved affinity to HSA (KD ≈ 120 fM) was obtained. Furthermore, characterization of this molecule also demonstrated improved affinity to several other serum albumins. When used as a gene fusion partner, this affinity-maturated variant denoted ABD035, should have the potential to extend the half-life of biopharmaceuticals in humans, and several other animal species. / QC 20100722

Para analisar cepas de Salmonella ser. Typhimurium isoladas de processos entéricos e extraintestinais humanos ocorridos no período de 1970 a 2008 de diferentes regiões do país foram selecionadas, com base nos registros contidos no banco de dados do Laboratório de Enterobactérias do IOC/FIOCRUZ, RJ, amostras do fagotipo prevalente 193, visando precipuamente o reconhecimento de clones epidêmicos. Foram selecionadas 553 cepas de Salmonella ser. Typhimurium fagotipo 193 representadas por 91, 65, 70 e 327 amostras referentes as décadas de 70, 80, 90 e ao período de 2000 a 2008, respectivamente. Na análise global da sensibilidade destas cepas, 52% apresentaram um ou mais marcadores de resistência a antibióticos incluídos no perfil ACSSuT. Este perfil de resistência completo foi verificado em 20,9% dos isolados, sendo os 21,9% restantes, sensíveis a todas as drogas testadas, especialmente no período de 2000 a 2008, representadas por 121 amostras (37,0%) em relação as 327 culturas dessa época. O maior percentual de resistência foi observado nas amostras da década de 70 (99%) sendo o perfil ACSSuT detectado em 35,2% dos isolados, ressaltando-se que todas as amostras foram isoladas de processos gastroentéricos ocorridos na cidade de São Paulo. Ao longo das quatro décadas de estudo, descreve-se um ponto de ruptura entre a prevalência de resistência e a suscetibilidade na transição entre as décadas de 80 e 90. Embora o número de isolados de Salmonella ser. Typhimurium fagotipo 193 tenha aumentado no último período considerado, o percentual de mono e multirresistência aos antimicrobianos se situou em nível elevado (63,0%). A análise do polimorfismo obtido após macrorrestrição com a enzima XbaI revelou que cepas isoladas na década de 90 apresentaram elevado percentual de similaridade (&#8805;85%) com cepas isoladas recentemente (período de 2000-2008), sendo agrupadas nos mesmos subclusters. Por outro lado, as cepas da década de 70 inserem-se em subclusters independentes, embora o percentual de similaridade entre tais subclusters e os demais seja &#8805;70%; o mesmo sendo observado para as cepas isoladas durante a década de 80. Em conclusão, este estudo mostrou que a prevalência de isolados humanos de Salmonella ser. Typhimurium fagotipo 193 no Brasil vem progredindo desde a década de 1990, enquanto a detecção do modelo R (ACSSuT) está diminuindo e a avaliação através da PFGE indicou a presença de multiplicidade de perfis de macrorrestrição no fagotipo 193, entretanto com elevados percentuais de similaridade entre si, sugerindo alguma clonalidade, tendo em vista o período entre o isolamento e a análise / To analyze strains of Salmonella ser. Typhimurium isolated from human cases of enteric and extraintestinal occurred during the period 1970 to 2008 of different regions of Brazil were selected, based on records in the database from Enterobacteria Laboratory of IOC / FIOCRUZ, RJ, samples prevalent phage type 193 in order to recognition of epidemic clones. We selected 553 strains of Salmonella ser. Typhimurium phage type 193 represented by 91, 65, 70 and 327 samples concerning the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and the period from 2000 to 2008, respectively. In a global analysis of the sensitivity of these strains, 52% had one or more antibiotic resistance markers included in the profile ACSSuT. This resistance profile was found complete in 20.9% of isolates and the remaining 21.9%, sensitive to all drugs tested, especially in the period 2000 to 2008, represented by 121 samples (37.0%) compared the 327 cultures of that time. The highest percentage of resistance was observed in the samples of the 70 (99%) being the profile ACSSuT detected in 35.2% of isolates, emphasizing that all strains were isolated from gastrointestinal processes occurring in São Paulo city. Over the four decades of study, we describe a breaking point between the prevalence of resistance and susceptibility in the transition between the 1980s and 1990s. Although the number of isolates of Salmonella ser. Typhimurium phage type 193 has increased in the last period, the percentage of mono-and multidrug resistance to antimicrobial agents stood at high level (63.0%). The analysis of polymorphism obtained after macrorestriction with the enzyme XbaI showed that isolates in the 1990s showed a high percentage of similarity (&#8805; 85%) with strains isolated recently (2000-2008) and are grouped in the same subclusters. Moreover, the strains of the 1970s fall into subclusters independent, although the percentage of similarity between such subclusters and the other is &#8805; 70%, the same was observed for the strains isolated during the 1980s. In conclusion, this study showed that the prevalence of human isolates of Salmonella ser. Typhimurium phage type 193 in Brazil has been progressing since the 1990s, while the detection of R model (ACSSuT) is decreasing and evaluation by PFGE indicated the presence of multiple profiles macrorestriction in phage type 193, however with high percentages of similarity, suggesting some clonality in view the period between isolation and analysis