Enzyme-mediated polymerization inside engineered protein cages

Abstract

Engineered variants of the capsid-forming enzyme lumazine synthase, AaLS, were used as nanoreactors for an enzyme-mediated polymerization. Oxidation of 3,3-diaminobenzidine (DAB) by the engineered ascorbate peroxidase APEX2 encapsulated in AaLS capsids resulted in templated formation of polyDAB-capsid nanoparticles of homogeneous size and shape.