Cell surface peptide display systems are large and diverse libraries of peptides (7-15 amino acids) which are presented by a display scaffold hosted by a phage (virus), bacteria, or yeast cell. This allows high affinity binders to a given target of interest to be rapidly screened for, and quickly identified. Peptide display systems have traditionally been utilized in conjunction with small, organic-based targets, such as protein toxins or carbon nanotubes. However, there is increased interest in expanding this technology for use with inorganic targets, such as metals, involved in biofabrication, hybrid material assembly and corrosion prevention. While most current peptide display systems employ viruses to host the display scaffold, we have recently shown that a bacterial host, Escherichia coli, displaying peptides in the ubiquitous, membrane protein scaffold eCPX can also provide specific peptide binders to an organic target. Recently, we have extended the use of this bacterial peptide display system for the biodiscovery of metal oxide binding 15-mer peptides for the first time. We will present the process of biopanning for novel affinity peptide binders with various macroscopic inorganic targets, including metal oxides and plastics. Furthermore, we have augmented our understanding of peptide-inorganic interactions through computational simulation and analysis of peptide conformational fluctuations, as the exact binding mechanism is currently not well-understood. Using our aluminum affinity peptide, DBAD1, computational analysis revealed it maintained a helical core structure that facilitated the presentation of multiple hydroxyl- and sulfoxyl-groups along the same face of the peptide for interaction with the aluminum surface. It is possible that other such sequence-dependent, structure-function relationships exist between high affinity peptides and their target material, and these results will also be presented.

Biodiscovery of novel material binding peptides using bacterial display technology

247th National Meeting (2014)

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