Studying Biomolecular Protein Complexes via Origami and 3D-Printed Models

Area of Science:

• Biophysics
• Structural Biology
• Biomolecular Engineering

Background:

• Understanding the structure-activity relationship of biomolecular complexes is limited by their size, complexity, and dynamic nature.
• Current microscopic tools and simulations struggle to capture long-term dynamic responses of these complexes.
• New approaches are needed to complement existing methods for studying biomolecular structures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and apply a novel approach for comparing hierarchical structures of biomolecular complexes and origami models.
• To investigate the structural and mechanical properties of bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) by analogy with origami.
• To construct and test a physical model of BMCs using 3D printing and finite element analysis.

Main Methods:

• Comparison of bacterial microcompartment (BMC) protein assembly with origami models, including the 'flasher' unit cell.
• Construction of a scaled-up physical origami model analogous to the BMC structure.
• Utilizing computer-aided design, 3D printing, finite element analysis, and physical experiments to study the model's mechanical response.

Main Results:

• The study successfully created an origami model analogous to the BMC structure.
• Finite element analysis and physical experiments revealed the mechanical behavior of the icosahedral structure.
• Identified that rotating chiral elements within the icosahedron allow for expansion, potentially enabling gate-like functions.

Conclusions:

• The comparison between BMCs and origami provides a new method for studying complex biomolecular structures.
• The mechanical properties of the 3D-printed origami model offer insights into BMC functionality.
• The research suggests a mechanism for transmembrane passage in BMCs based on the dynamic response of their icosahedral structure.