De novo design of signal sequences to localize cargo to the 1,2-propanediol utilization microcompartment

Organizing heterologous biosyntheses inside bacterial cells can alleviate common problems owing to toxicity, poor kinetic performance, and cofactor imbalances. A subcellular organelle known as a bacterial microcompartment, such as the 1,2-propanediol utilization microcompartment of Salmonella, is a promising chassis for this strategy. Here we demonstrate de novo design of the N-terminal signal sequences used to direct cargo to these microcompartment organelles. We expand the native repertoire of signal sequences using rational and library-based approaches and show that a canonical leucine-zipper motif can function as a signal sequence for microcompartment localization. Our strategy can be applied to generate new signal sequences localizing arbitrary cargo proteins to the 1,2-propanediol utilization microcompartments.