A Recombinant Collagen-mRNA Platform for Controllable Protein Synthesis

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Molecular Biology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Current messenger RNA (mRNA) therapies face challenges with stability and efficient protein production.
• Collagen-based biomaterials are explored for tissue regeneration but lack integration with active protein synthesis.
• A need exists for controllable and efficient in vitro protein synthesis platforms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel collagen-messenger RNA (mRNA) platform for controllable protein production.
• To engineer a collagen scaffold that enhances mRNA translation and minimizes degradation.
• To demonstrate the feasibility of this platform for both prokaryotic and eukaryotic protein synthesis.

Main Methods:

• A recombinant collagen mimic was engineered with genetically inserted cysteines to optimize ribosome binding and translation.
• Enhanced green fluorescence protein (eGFP) mRNA was bound to the collagen scaffold and translated using cell-free Escherichia coli ribosomes.
• Luciferase mRNA was translated on the collagen scaffold using eukaryotic cell extracts.

Main Results:

• Successful translation of eGFP mRNA on the collagen scaffold by E. coli ribosomes was achieved.
• The system demonstrated controllable protein synthesis by regulating expression time and level.
• Luciferase mRNA translation was also successful in eukaryotic cell extracts, validating the platform's versatility.

Conclusions:

• A novel collagen-mRNA platform enables controllable and efficient protein synthesis.
• The engineered collagen scaffold enhances mRNA translation and stability, overcoming limitations of current mRNA technologies.
• This platform shows potential for advanced therapeutic protein production and biomaterial applications.