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Updated: Oct 21, 2025

Direct Protein Delivery to Mammalian Cells Using Cell-permeable Cys2-His2 Zinc-finger Domains
Published on: March 25, 2015
Artificial Protein Cage Delivers Active Protein Cargos to the Cell Interior
Antonina Naskalska1, Kinga Borzęcka-Solarz1, Jan Różycki1
1Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Krakow, Poland.
Abstract:
Artificial protein cages have potential as programmable, protective carriers of fragile macromolecules to cells. While natural cages and VLPs have been extensively exploited, the use of artificial cages to deliver active proteins to cells has not yet been shown. TRAP-cage is an artificial protein cage with an unusual geometry and extremely high stability, which can be triggered to break apart in the presence of cellular reducing agents. Here, we demonstrate that TRAP-cage can be filled with a protein cargo and decorated with a cell-penetrating peptide, allowing it to enter cells. Tracking of both the TRAP-cage and the cargo shows that the protein of interest can be successfully delivered intracellularly in the active form. These results provide a valuable proof of concept for the further development of TRAP-cage as a delivery platform.
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