Lanthanide protein biosensors with a single ion-binding site
Rising demand for rare earth elements, including lanthanides (Lns), has intensified environmental pressures and supply-chain vulnerabilities, motivating the development of bio-based methods for their extraction and separation. However, the lack of high-throughput assays for analysing the selectivity of lanthanide-binding proteins remains a key bottleneck in engineering bio-based Ln-extraction…
The growing demand for rare earth elements, such as lanthanides (Lns), has led to increased environmental concerns and supply-chain uncertainties. This has driven the creation of bio-based methods for extracting and separating these elements. However, a major challenge in developing these systems is the absence of efficient assays to evaluate the selectivity of lanthanide-binding proteins.
In this study, researchers have developed high-throughput assays utilizing Ln-responsive protein biosensors. These {beta}-lactamase-based biosensors feature receptors with a single Ln-binding site, sourced either from lanmodulin or a protein designed by AI called RF2. The researchers established colorimetric assays capable of measuring both the activity and selectivity of these biosensors in vitro and within the periplasm of E. coli.
Furthermore, they demonstrated that E. coli cells expressing these biosensors display altered survival in the presence of {beta}-lactam antibiotics, depending on the lanthanide concentration. These platforms facilitate the screening of numerous lanthanide biosensors and binding proteins on a large scale.
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