Self assembling proteins for producing extended materials

Abstract

Self-assembling fusion proteins and nucleic acids encoding the same are provided. The subject fusion proteins include a first dimer forming oligomerization domain and a second tetramer forming oligomerization domain rigidly linked to each other. Also provided are regular structures made up of a plurality of self-assembled fusion proteins of the subject invention, and methods for producing the same. The subject fusion proteins find use in the preparation of self-assembled nanostructures, e.g., two-dimensional layers and three-dimensional networks, which structures find use in a variety of different applications.

1 . A fusion protein comprising a first oligomerization domain that naturally associates into homodimeric structures and a second oligomerization domain that naturally associates into homotetrameric structures, wherein said first and second oligomerization domains are rigidly linked to each other.  
     
     
         2 . The fusion protein according to  claim 1 , wherein said first and second oligomerization domains are derived from naturally occurring proteins.  
     
     
         3 . The fusion protein according to  claim 1 , wherein said first and second oligomerization domains are rigidly linked to each other by a linking group.  
     
     
         4 . The fusion protein according to  claim 1 , wherein said first and second oligomerization domains have a geometry such that their symmetry axes are non-intersecting.  
     
     
         5 . The fusion protein according to  claim 4 , wherein said first and second oligomerization domains have a geometry such that their symmetry axes are parallel.  
     
     
         6 . The fusion protein according to  claim 4 , wherein said first and second oligomerization domains have a geometry such that their symmetry axes are non-intersecting and perpendicular.  
     
     
         7 . The fusion protein according to  claim 4 , wherein said first and second oligomerization domains have a geometry such that their symmetry axes are non-intersecting and form an angle of 45 degrees.  
     
     
         8 . A fusion protein comprising a first oligomerization domain that naturally associates into homodimeric structures and a second oligomerization domain that naturally associates into homotetrameric structures linked to each other by an alpha helical linking group.  
     
     
         9 . The fusion protein according to  claim 8 , wherein said first and second oligomerization domains have a geometry such that their symmetry axes are non-intersecting.  
     
     
         10 . The fusion protein according to  claim 8 , wherein said first and second oligomerization domains have a geometry such that their symmetry axes are parallel.  
     
     
         11 . The fusion protein according to  claim 8 , wherein said first and second oligomerization domains have a geometry such that their symmetry axes are non-intersecting and perpendicular.  
     
     
         12 . The fusion protein according to  claim 8 , wherein said first and second oligomerization domains have a geometry such that their symmetry axes are non-intersecting and form an angle of 45 degrees.  
     
     
         13 . A regular structure produced by the self-assembly of a plurality of fusion proteins according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         14 . The regular structure according to  claim 13 , wherein said structure is homogenous with respect to its fusion protein components.  
     
     
         15 . The regular structure according to  claim 13 , wherein said regular structure is a two-dimensional layer.  
     
     
         16 . The regular structure according to  claim 13 , wherein said regular structure is a three-dimensional crystalline network.  
     
     
         17 . A method of producing a regular structure, said method comprising: 
 producing a plurality of fusion proteins according to  claim 1;  and    combining said plurality of fusion proteins under conditions sufficient for said regular structure to form.    
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein said conditions are physiologic conditions or other laboratory conditions under which the component oligomerization domains would be stable.  
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein said producing and combining steps occur in the same reaction medium.  
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein said producing and combining steps occur in separate media.  
     
     
         21 . A nucleic acid encoding a fusion protein according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         22 . An expression cassette comprising a transcriptional initiation region functional in an expression host, a nucleic acid having a nucleotide sequence found in the nucleic acid according to  claim 21  under the transcriptional regulation of said transcriptional initiation region, and a transcriptional termination region functional in said expression host.  
     
     
         23 . A cell comprising an expression cassette according to  claim 22  as part of an extrachromosomal element or integrated into the genome of a host cell as a result of introduction of said expression cassette into said host cell.  
     
     
         24 . The cellular progeny of the host cell according to  claim 23 .  
     
     
         25 . A kit comprising a nucleic acid according to  claim 21 .  
     
     
         26 . A fusion protein of at least two oligomerization domains rigidly linked to each other, wherein said fusion protein is capable of self-assembling with additional fusion proteins to produce a regular structure.