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<title>bioRxiv Subject Collection: Synthetic Biology</title>
<link>https://biorxiv.org</link>
<description>
This feed contains articles for bioRxiv Subject Collection "Synthetic Biology"
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<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.21.726655v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A generalizable system for antigenic peptide targeting across HLA-I allotypes 
]]>
</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.21.726655v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
T cell receptors (TCRs) and TCR-mimicking antibodies recognize peptide antigens in the context of specific Human Leucocyte Antigen (HLA-I) allotypes, and the extreme polymorphism of the HLA locus limits the breadth of immunotherapy development. Key barriers include divergent molecular surfaces on HLA proteins and differences in the peptide structure. As a result, existing modalities cannot confer therapeutic coverage across patients of divergent genetic backgrounds. Here, we develop an approach which combines a peptide conformational prediction tool, PepPred, with a cross-HLA binding protein engineering system, TRACeR-I1, to outline a generalized framework for developing binders (xTRACeRs) with compatibility across HLA allotypes while maintaining high levels of specificity towards the peptide antigen. We use our system to develop and validate xTRACeRs against clinically relevant, established peptide antigens presented across common alleles within five HLA-A/B/C supertypes2. Cryo-EM structures of xTRACeR-pHLA complexes for an oncofetal antigen from PRAME and a neuroblastoma-specific peptide from PHOX2B reveal effective mechanisms to navigate polymorphic HLA surface residues, and extensive interactions with the peptide. We implemented these two xTRACeRs as Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cells and demonstrated their potent killing efficacy and specificity. Overcoming restriction across HLA supertypes lifts a key barrier in HLA-targeted immunotherapy by expanding patient coverage.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Blackson, W., Small, E. L., Sun, S. M., Shinde, O., Pantula, R., Wang, S. J., Rotsides, P., Du, H., Sun, Y., Hwang, D., Wang, C. S., Lu, T., Laskawy, E., Kapoor, R., Want, M. Y., June, C. H., Young, R. M., Maris, J. M., Huang, P.-S., Sgourakis, N. G. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.21.726655</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A generalizable system for antigenic peptide targeting across HLA-I allotypes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.21.726912v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
High-throughput engineering of ligand-activated splicing ribozyme through domain insertion 
]]>
</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.21.726912v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Domain insertion is an established method to engineer ligand-mediated control of activity in protein scaffolds. Whether this strategy can be systematically applied to large, structured RNAs remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of engineering ligand-activated splicing ribozymes (LASRs) from group I catalytic introns. Using domain-insertion profiling coupled with high-throughput screening, we mapped the nucleotide-resolution landscape of aptamer insertion across the ribozyme and identified sites that support robust ligand-dependent control. We showed LASRs function across multiple kingdoms of life, including diverse species of bacteria and even fungi, and can be used to regulate various genetic outputs. Finally, we integrated LASRs with a genetic recorder that writes information into ribosomal RNA, enabling sequencing-based recovery of intracellular chemical signals from microbial consortia. This work establishes LASRs as an RNA-based inducible control platform for sensing diverse chemical inputs, regulating the expression of diverse genes of interest, and recording intracellular information.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Staubus, A., Ramamurthy, E., Gupta, A., Furnish, M., Khakhar, A., Chappell, J. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.21.726912</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[High-throughput engineering of ligand-activated splicing ribozyme through domain insertion]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.21.726877v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
An Enhanced Split Intein-Mediated Ligation (SIML) Platform for Rapid Discovery and Functional Screening of Circular Bacteriocins 
]]>
</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.21.726877v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Bacteriocins are ribosomally synthesized antimicrobial peptides with promising applications in biotechnology, particularly in food preservation and animal and human health. Circular bacteriocins are especially attractive due to their head-to-tail cyclized structure, which confers enhanced stability and antimicrobial potency relative to linear peptides. Here, we report an in vitro cell-free protein synthesis system coupled with an enhanced Split Intein-Mediated Ligation platform (IV-CFPS/SIML) for the efficient synthesis of circular bacteriocins through systematic evaluation of cyclization sites and alternative split inteins. Using enterocin AS-48 as a model, we systematically evaluated multiple serine-based cyclization sites in combination with three split inteins, NpuDnaE, Gp41-1, and SspGyrB, to identify configurations supporting efficient splicing and high antimicrobial activity. Gp41-1 emerged as the most effective intein and was subsequently applied to the production of garvicin ML, amylocyclicin, and 27 naturally occurring sequence variants, demonstrating that cyclization site selection, intein identity, and minor sequence variations strongly influence antimicrobial potency and target range. Finally, SIML expression cassettes encoded in pUC-derived vectors enabled in vivo production and functional expression of selected circular bacteriocins in recombinant Escherichia coli. Collectively, these results establish SIML as a versatile platform for in vitro and in vivo production, screening, and functional characterization of known and putative circular bacteriocins.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Sevillano, E., el Bakkoury, M., Lafuente, I., Pena, N., Collado, C., Cintas, L. M., Munoz Atienza, E., Gabant, P., Hernandez, P. E., Borrero del Pino, J. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-22</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.21.726877</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[An Enhanced Split Intein-Mediated Ligation (SIML) Platform for Rapid Discovery and Functional Screening of Circular Bacteriocins]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-22</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.20.726626v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
3D bioprinting of engineered living materials in support slurries for complex free-standing structures 
]]>
</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.20.726626v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
The combination of synthetic biology and additive manufacturing has driven major changes in production of biomaterials, especially through the use of three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting to create engineered living materials. However, current fabrication methods can be limited by prohibitive hardware costs and the inability to maintain structural fidelity in complex, free-form living architectures. This work demonstrates how to build a low-cost, open-source 3D bioprinting platform that can make complicated bacterial structures with complex geometry and high dimensional accuracy. A commercially available, conventional fused deposition modeling 3D printer was modified to create a bioprinting system that is simple to build. The modified bioprinter, which costs around $450, is less expensive than many commercial bioprinters. This 3D-printing technology uses slurry-based support bath methods featuring low-cost gelatin and agarose microparticles, resulting in structures with a high aspect ratio (>8:1) and feature sizes as small as 260 m. The optimization of critical printing settings, including the ability of the bio-ink to retract during non-print movements, resulted in a reduction of unwanted bacterial deposition by nearly two orders of magnitude. Long-term viability experiments showed that bacteria in the bioprints could survive for at least 28 days with nutrient supplementation. Additionally, 3D-printed engineered biofilms revealed that incubation conditions and extracellular matrix composition significantly impacted the mechanical properties of printed constructs, with tradeoffs between matrix production and mechanical integrity. This study showcases an accessible 3D bioprinting platform for advanced bioprinting technologies, enabling development of engineered living materials with potential applications in synthetic biology, biotechnology, and tissue engineering.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Gona, R. S., Cai, H., Olland, M., Gangan, M. S., Bennett, D. T., Mehta, U. O., Silberstein, M. N., Meyer, A. S. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.20.726626</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[3D bioprinting of engineered living materials in support slurries for complex free-standing structures]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.21.726778v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Clinical Campylobacter jejuni isolates: genomes and genetic tools 
]]>
</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.21.726778v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Campylobacter jejuni is a major cause of food-borne gastroenteritis and is responsible for substantial mortality and economic losses in meat and dairy production. Detecting C. jejuni in contaminated food samples remains difficult because current assays are culture-based, slow, and can yield false positives. As a result, contamination may not be identified for several days, limiting detection at the point of production. Developing improved assays has also been challenging because Campylobacter genetics and the biology of clinical isolates remain poorly understood. Here, we expand the C. jejuni genetic toolbox by sequencing two strains, HC1 and RM1164, derived from patient and food samples. We identified two cryptic plasmids in HC1, one potentially capable of conjugation and another conferring tetracycline resistance. We also engineered a mobilizable plasmid carrying an OriT sequence that can be transferred from Escherichia coli donor strains to C. jejuni RM1164 by conjugation. Together, these clinical isolates and the plasmid system expand the genetic tools available for C. jejuni.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Nasrollahi, V., Foo, G. W., Jaafar, T., Elzagallaai, A. A., Rieder, M. J., Karas, B. J. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.21.726778</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Clinical Campylobacter jejuni isolates: genomes and genetic tools]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.21.726110v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Synthetic Platform for Antibody Junctional Diversification Beyond Natural Constraints 
]]>
</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.21.726110v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Antibody junctional diversity in jawed vertebrates arose from RAG transposon domestication, generating CDR3-focused V(D)J recombination with lymphocyte specificity-a constrained system limiting engineered antibody diversity. To overcome these limitations, we developed ARESEC (Antibody Reprogram and Expression System in Engineered Cells), a synthetic platform that enables programmable V(D)J recombination in non-lymphoid HEK293T cells. Through engineered recombination signal sequences (RSS) and optimized RAG1/2 expression, ARESEC enables RSS-guided DNA recombination across all three complementarity-determining regions (CDR1/2/3). Co-expression of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) enhanced junctional sequence diversity by 41.5-86.3% across 3 CDRs. The platform enables native IgG production by coupling mammalian surface display with FACS-based functional screening. Using clinical-grade antibodies (Nivolumab and Durvalumab) as high-affinity starting scaffolds, we achieved further efficient affinity maturation through focused CDR diversification (library complexity >103). From these diversification libraries, we identified optimized variants including the anti-PD-L1 Dur1 with 2.01-fold enhanced binding, demonstrating the system's capacity for rapid antibody optimization from minimal diversity sampling. Collectively, ARESEC establishes a synthetic paradigm that transcends natural V(D)J constraints, generating multi-CDR diversification in non-lymphoid cells to enable rapid discovery of affinity-matured antibodies, effectively bridging immune evolution with modern antibody engineering demands.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Liu, W., Yang, J., Zhang, Y., Xue, X. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.21.726110</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Synthetic Platform for Antibody Junctional Diversification Beyond Natural Constraints]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.20.726739v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
AI-assisted improvement of Aspergillus oryzae β-galactosidase using an Ensemble of Protein Language Models 
]]>
</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.20.726739v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
{beta}-galactosidases (BGs) are essential enzymes widely used in the food industry, particularly in the production of lactose-free products. Among them, the BG from Aspergillus oryzae is of industrial relevance due to its activity at acidic pH and moderate thermal tolerance. However, enhancing its catalytic performance remains a key challenge. Traditional enzyme engineering methods are time-consuming and resource-intensive, limiting their scalability. Recent advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly those based on Natural Language Processing, offer a promising alternative by enabling efficient exploration of protein sequence space and prediction of beneficial mutations. In this study, we introduce an ensemble-based, zero-shot Protein Language Model pipeline that reconciles predictions from six independent models (ESM2 and the five ESM1v variants) combined with a diversity-aware candidate selection strategy. Applied to the BG from A. oryzae, this approach identified beneficial mutations leading to novel enzyme variants with up to a four-fold increase in catalytic efficiency on oNPGal, a two-fold increase on lactose, and, independently, a T338I variant with markedly enhanced thermostability ({approx}80% residual activity after 24 h at 60 {degrees}C), all without requiring supervised fine-tuning on experimental fitness data. Our results demonstrate that consensus across an ensemble of PLMs can efficiently enrich beneficial substitutions in industrially relevant enzymes and substantially reduce the number of wet-lab candidates that need to be screened.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Trapote Fernandez, A., Fernandez, A., Mendez-Liter, J. A., Prieto, A., Barriuso, J., Osorio, F. G. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-21</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.20.726739</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[AI-assisted improvement of Aspergillus oryzae β-galactosidase using an Ensemble of Protein Language Models]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-21</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.19.726096v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Quantitative Engineering and Investigation of Synthetic Sponge RNAs in E. coli 
]]>
</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.19.726096v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Sponge RNAs (spRNAs) play an important regulatory role in bacterial small RNA (sRNA) networks, but their engineering and quantitative systems-level properties are unexplored. Here, we design, build, and quantitatively characterise synthetic spRNA-based gene circuits in E. coli. We establish multiple design strategies for synthetic spRNAs, engineering the first synthetic spRNAs. We show that these synthetic spRNAs can reversibly de-repress sRNA-regulated gene expression, demonstrate tuneable control of gene expression, and extend these designs to multi-target regulation. Through the use of time-resolved continuous-culture characterisation in Chi.Bio together with absolute fluorescent protein quantification, we generated a quantitative dynamical dataset for model fitting and mechanistic analysis. Sequential model development showed that recapitulating the observed circuit dynamics required incorporation of Hfq-mediated resource competition, often overlooked in models of sRNA-based synthetic gene circuits. The extended model captured promoter, sRNA, and sponge circuit behaviour and was used to investigate quantitative properties of spRNA-mediated regulation, the first such quantitative investigation of spRNA-based regulation. Model-based quantitative investigations further suggest that spRNAs can tune response functions, modulate thresholds and leakiness, alter response times, improve disturbance rejection in some regimes, increase effective specificity, and buffer regulatory output against sRNA mutation. Together, these results establish synthetic spRNAs as a new post-transcriptional tool for bacterial synthetic biology and provide a quantitative framework for understanding natural and engineered spRNA-mediated regulation.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Stacey, S. B., Sechkar, K., Corrao, M., Steel, H., Papachristodoulou, A. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-20</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.19.726096</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Quantitative Engineering and Investigation of Synthetic Sponge RNAs in E. coli]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-20</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.18.726002v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Mechanism-informed rules tunably balance novelty and feasibility of predicted enzymatic reactions 
]]>
</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.18.726002v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Enzymes catalyze reactions with remarkable specificity and can unlock recalcitrant feedstocks that are dilute, complex, and variable in their constituent molecules. While characterized enzymatic reactions cover a wide range of chemistries, there are an undetermined number of cryptic activities for every known one. These cryptic activities can be elicited through rational design, adaptive laboratory evolution, and increasingly, generative models of proteins. However, prior to tuning a catalyst one must efficiently predict viable novel reactions. In this work we leverage the growing amount of mechanistic enzyme information, specifically the Mechanism and Catalytic Site Atlas, to construct a set of reaction rules that can meet this demand. By explicitly utilizing mechanistic information, the rule sets developed here more accurately identify molecular structures required for catalysis compared to existing curated and heuristically constructed rules. The 899 Distilled rules are constructed directly from characterized mechanisms and cover 62.5% of reactions from Rhea. The Learned rule set is generated from a classifier trained on mechanistic data, allowing full coverage of Rhea and precise identification of mechanism-required atoms (ROC-AUC = 0.98). Additionally, our Learned rules exhibit a more favorable tradeoff between novelty and feasibility and provide users with fine-grained control over this tradeoff. The rules are compatible with all SMARTS-based reaction network expansion and retrosynthesis software.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Pate, S. C., Tyo, K. E., Broadbelt, L. J. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.18.726002</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Mechanism-informed rules tunably balance novelty and feasibility of predicted enzymatic reactions]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.18.725961v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A Spectrum of Possibilities: A Systematic Evaluation of Fluorescent Proteins in Cyanobacteria 
]]>
</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.18.725961v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Fluorescent reporters cover a wide range of applications in both basic and applied research. Whether a study involves microscopic imaging to study (co)-localization of proteins, FRET, biosensing, or quantifying gene expression, fluorophores are attractive reporter candidates due to their relatively straightforward in vivo readout. For microbiological applications, a wide variety of fluorescent proteins with varying excitation and emission wavelengths, brightness levels, and maturation times are available. Careful consideration is required when selecting from this large suite of proteins, especially when choosing multiple fluorophores. This is further complicated in phototrophic organisms, which exhibit strong autofluorescence, especially towards the red part of the spectrum, effectively eliminating common candidates such as mCherry. In this study, the specific properties and performance of a selection of fluorescent proteins are systematically evaluated against the background of photosynthetic pigment-derived autofluorescence in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Specific readouts of different combinations of fluorescent proteins are also analyzed using high-throughput methods, namely plate reader fluorescent scans and single-cell flow cytometry to quantify fluorescence. The ultimate goal is to assess each fluorescent protein with regard to: 1.) Its ability to be discerned from cyanobacterial autofluorescence. 2.) Its compatibility with other fluorophores in this context. 3.) Its overall suitability in cyanobacterial research. Several highly suitable fluorescent proteins for use in cyanobacteria are identified, including mTagBFP2, mNeonGreen and mScarlet-I and suitable combinations, covering nearly the whole spectrum of visible light. This study expands the knowledge and toolset for current and future researchers and uncovers a whole spectrum of possibilities for fluorescent protein selection in cyanobacterial cell biology.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Hasenklever, D., Boecker, J., Grankin, A., Sener, F., Axmann, I. M., Behle, A. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-19</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.18.725961</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A Spectrum of Possibilities: A Systematic Evaluation of Fluorescent Proteins in Cyanobacteria]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-19</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.16.725679v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Ratiometric transcriptional activation by protein degradation 
]]>
</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.16.725679v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cells can respond to alterations in the abundances of specific proteins through transcriptional outputs. Synthetic approaches inspired by native post-transcriptional circuits that convert protein abundance changes into programmable gene expression would be transformative. Here, we discover and describe design principles that effectively convert protein degradation into transcriptional outputs in live cells. We define ratiometric transcriptional activation, where control over the ratio between a transcriptional inhibitor-protein of interest fusion and transcription factor enables detection of abundance changes with high sensitivity at scale. We show that ratiometric transcriptional activation can be implemented in single cells using triply orthogonal circuits or in multicellular pools, operating independently of mechanism of protein downregulation and enabling simultaneous detection of multiple protein downregulation events through outputs such as cell survival, fluorescent protein expression, or barcode sequencing. These circuits can be applied to oncogenic targets and enable discovery of new molecular glue degraders.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Gray, M. A., Randal, K. L., Co, J. A., Tang, M. T., Xue, A. Z., Chen, S. W., Razumkov, H., Omran, Q. Q., Solow-Cordero, D. E., Yu, J., Robinson, S. A., Starnbach, C. A., Gray, N. S., Corsello, S. M., Banik, S. M. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.16.725679</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Ratiometric transcriptional activation by protein degradation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.17.725789v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Repurposing native non-homologous end joining for multicopy random integration in Wickerhamomyces ciferrii 
]]>
</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.17.725789v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Wickerhamomyces ciferrii is a non-model diploid yeast that naturally produces tetraacetyl phytosphingosine (TAPS), a sphingoid base used in cosmetic and dermatological applications. However, its strong preference for non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) over homologous recombination (HR) limits conventional genome editing, while disruption of LIG4, a core NHEJ gene, compromises cellular fitness. Here, we repurposed native NHEJ activity to develop a homology-independent multicopy genome integration platform for W. ciferrii. The platform combines three optimized donor-design features: telomeric end-shielding with two tandem copies of an 11 bp repeat to improve linear donor persistence, a defective URA5 auxotrophic marker to enrich multicopy integrants, and 5'-phosphorylated donor termini to enhance transformant recovery and integration output. These features were consolidated into the platform vector pTdmVU5. As a metabolic engineering demonstration, multicopy integration of LCB1 and LCB2, encoding the two subunits of serine palmitoyltransferase, increased TAPS titer by 2.7-fold. This work converts the native NHEJ bias of W. ciferrii from a barrier to precise genome editing into a practical tool for pathway amplification and establishes a framework for engineering NHEJ-dominant non-model yeasts.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Lee, S.-R., Seo, Y., Lee, P. C. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-18</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.17.725789</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Repurposing native non-homologous end joining for multicopy random integration in Wickerhamomyces ciferrii]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-18</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.15.725531v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Bioengineered algal lipids enriched in structured medium- and long-chain triacylglycerols, linoleate, and sn-2 palmitate for human milk fat substitutes 
]]>
</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.15.725531v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Human milk fat (HMF) contains triacylglycerol (TAG) as its primary component, providing over 50% of the calories for infant nutrition, along with structural and bioactive lipids that are important for immune and nervous system development. Palmitic acid, comprising 20-25% of the fatty acid complement of HMF, is predominantly esterified to the sn-2 position on the glycerol backbone. This regiospecific positioning facilitates absorption as 2-palmitoyl-monoacylglycerol after hydrolysis of the fatty acids at sn-1 and sn-2 by gut lipases. Other features of HMF include enrichment in structured medium- and long-chain triglycerides (MLCTs), and variation in the ratio of oleic acid to linoleic acid with maternal diet and geography. We have engineered Auxenochlorella, an oleaginous green alga, for biosynthesis of an MLCT- and sn-2 palmitate-enriched HMF substitute for infant formula, matching the regioisomeric composition and proportions of the most abundant fatty acids in HMF.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Lin, J. Y.-T., Duenas, M. A., Kosina, S. M., Iavarone, A. T., Khoo, K., Nicora, C. D., Purvine, S. O., Northen, T. R., Moseley, J. L., Merchant, S. S. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.15.725531</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Bioengineered algal lipids enriched in structured medium- and long-chain triacylglycerols, linoleate, and sn-2 palmitate for human milk fat substitutes]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.15.725538v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Genetic code expansion enables programmable covalent protein design 
]]>
</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.15.725538v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Covalent chemistry has transformed small-molecule drug discovery, yet analogous strategies for proteins remain largely inaccessible because covalent warheads cannot be readily integrated into biologics. Conventional genetic code expansion requires engineering a dedicated aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase for each new amino acid, rendering broad warhead screening impractical. Here we introduce AminoX, a platform that bypasses this limitation through direct tRNA acylation, enabling site-specific incorporation of chemically diverse non-standard amino acids (nsAAs), including covalent warhead nsAAs compatible with scalable biologic manufacturing and multifunctional nsAAs. Using a pooled mRNA display workflow, we screened more than 2,000 warhead-position combinations in machine learning-designed de novo miniproteins targeting CTLA-4, enabling parallel interrogation of covalent chemistry, linker geometry, and incorporation site. We confirmed covalent engagement on cells together with enhanced functional blockade. Finally, we demonstrate multifunctional nsAAs that combine covalent warheads with fluorogenic reporters for real-time detection of target engagement, as well as dual nsAA incorporation for macrocyclization and fluorescent imaging of covalent binding on cell surfaces. By uniting synthetic biology, chemical biology, generative protein design, and high-throughput functional selection, AminoX compresses covalent protein engineering timelines by orders of magnitude, accelerating the development of next-generation therapeutics, biosensors, and chemical probes.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ de Puig, H., Kuru, E., Moret, M., Flores, A., Karunakaran, S., Sayfullina, D., Rout, S., Escobedo-Lucea, C., Collins, J. J., Church, G. M. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.15.725538</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Genetic code expansion enables programmable covalent protein design]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.15.725566v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Heterologous expression of lyngbyatoxin biosynthetic genes in Aspergillus oryzae reveals transcriptional barriers but enables LtxC-mediated biotransformation 
]]>
</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.15.725566v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Cyanobacterial natural products are a rich source of bioactive compounds, yet their heterologous production remains challenging. This study investigates the feasibility of expressing the lyngbyatoxin A (LTXA) biosynthetic gene cluster in a fungal host. The lyngbyatoxin biosynthetic genes (ltxA, ltxB, ltxC) were individually cloned and expressed in Aspergillus oryzae NSAR1 under the control of an inducible promoter. Metabolite production was assessed using LC- MS, and transcriptional analysis was performed by RT-PCR. Codon-optimized constructs and precursor feeding experiments were employed to evaluate pathway functionality. No production of LTXA or pathway intermediates was detected upon co-expression of ltxA-C despite confirmed transcription of ltxB and ltxC. RT-PCR analysis revealed truncation of the ltxA transcript, suggesting incompatibility with fungal transcriptional or splicing machinery. In contrast, expression of a codon-optimized ltxC enabled biotransformation of indolactam V to LTXA in A. oryzae, confirming functional expression of the prenyltransferase. These results highlight transcriptional limitations as a key barrier to heterologous expression of cyanobacterial NRPS pathways in fungal hosts, while demonstrating that downstream tailoring enzymes can remain functional. This work provides insights for future engineering of fungal platforms for cyanobacterial natural product biosynthesis.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Jayasundara, S., Ali, T., Adeyemi, B., Krishnamoorthy, B., Henard, C. A., Chapman, K. D., Skellam, E. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-16</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.15.725566</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Heterologous expression of lyngbyatoxin biosynthetic genes in Aspergillus oryzae reveals transcriptional barriers but enables LtxC-mediated biotransformation]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-16</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.15.725315v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Run or glide: muscles are indifferent while the tendon takes the strain 
]]>
</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.15.725315v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Conventional diagonal stride skiing traditionally includes a glide phase, characterised by a period of relatively passive gliding on one ski. While the glide phase may take advantage of low ski-snow friction, it does not exhibit the same whole-cycle mechanical energy fluctuations seen in running or walking on foot. A new sub-technique, known as running style, substantially reduces the glide phase and may alter the role of elastic tissues, making the movement pattern more similar to uphill running on foot in its temporal organisation.

We examined knee extensor and plantar flexor muscle-tendon behaviour in eight competitive skiers performing conventional diagonal and running techniques on a treadmill inclined at 10{degrees}. Using synchronised ultrasonography, 3D kinematics, ski forces and EMG, we quantified gastrocnemius medialis and vastus lateralis fascicle and muscle-tendon unit (MTU) dynamics in both the running (RUN) and conventional (CON) styles.

Shorter glide and total cycle durations during RUN shifted MTU peak length and velocity earlier during the kick phase. Fascicles in both muscles operated at similar velocities across techniques, showing MTU-fascicle decoupling. Vastus lateralis fascicles shortened at higher absolute peak velocities than gastrocnemius in both conditions, while normalised velocities were similar. RUN increased preactivation and advanced EMG timing, while integrated EMG during the kick was lower compared to CON.

These findings suggest that, despite large shifts in external mechanics between glide-based and more running-like skiing, elastic tissues may help stabilise fascicle behaviour and preserve a similar contractile strategy across muscles and techniques.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Gloersen, O., Lundervold, A., Werkhausen, A. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.15.725315</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Run or glide: muscles are indifferent while the tendon takes the strain]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.15.724826v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
HaloTag Ligand and HaloTag Protein engineering for a binary fluorescent turn-on probe 
]]>
</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.15.724826v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Protein labelling by covalent attachment of a specific substrate to a self-labelling protein tag has become a regular in the life sciences. Herein, we report the design of a two-component labelling system, comprised of a non-fluorescent difluorinated xanthene, called F2X, and a HaloTag mutant engineered for targeted reactivity towards F2X. Upon primary covalent locking of the ligand at the canonical aspartate residue, two proximal lysine residues located at the protein surface can undergo nucleophilic aromatic substitution with the F2X core, building a fluorescent rhodamine via triple-covalent fusion. We used a generalizable in silico pipeline for heuristic conformational sampling of covalent protein-ligand complexes to find suitable mutation sites, culminating in the curation of 7 double-lysine HaloTag mutants for targeted in vitro testing. Reaction with the best-performing mutant, HTPL161K_Q165K, is characterized by full protein mass spectrometry, fluorescence polarization fluorescence lifetime, and fluorescence anisotropy and rationalized by computational modelling. We showcase the system in single molecule microscopy, where obviation of post-labelling purification is a prime advantage when targeting recombinant proteins that may not be expressed in larger quantities, and employ F2X in living cells with reduced photobleaching. Lastly, a cell-impermeable version was obtained by means of sulfonation, exclusively targeting extracellularly exposed HTPKK fused to the neuromodulatory G protein-coupled receptor metabotropic glutamate receptor 2.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Gatin-Fraudet, B., Pabst, U., Olesen, C. H., Baciu, B. C., Birke, R., Milles, S., Broichhagen, J. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.15.724826</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[HaloTag Ligand and HaloTag Protein engineering for a binary fluorescent turn-on probe]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.14.725278v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Bacteriophage P22 virus-like particles as nanoscale protein scaffolds for plant synthetic biology 
]]>
</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.14.725278v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Advancing the utility of plant synthetic biology requires the continued development of protein engineering tools. Self-assembling protein compartments, such as virus-like particles (VLPs), provide versatile scaffolds for synthetic biology. However, few plant-expressed VLPs have demonstrated broad amenability to protein engineering, restricting their applications to specific contexts. Here, the Salmonella typhimurium bacteriophage P22 VLP is explored as a novel protein scaffold for plant synthetic biology, demonstrating its application in a eukaryote for the first time. Through transient expression in the biofactory plant Nicotiana benthamiana, the capacity for P22 VLPs to correctly assemble and selectively encapsulate recombinant protein cargo is demonstrated. The durability of this protein scaffold is explored, through co-encapsulation of multiple cargo protein species and by encapsulation through direct fusion to the P22 coat protein. Finally, the ability to simultaneously program cargo encapsulation and external protein display on P22 VLPs in vivo is demonstrated through SpyTag/SpyCatcher-mediated protein conjugation. This work demonstrates the broad utility of P22 VLPs as nanoscale protein scaffolds for plant synthetic biology.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Harding, M. D., Jackson, M. A., Gilding, E. K., Craik, D. J., Sainsbury, F., Lawrence, N. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-15</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.14.725278</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Bacteriophage P22 virus-like particles as nanoscale protein scaffolds for plant synthetic biology]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-15</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.13.724746v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Covalent tumor anchoring spatially orchestrates antitumor immunity 
]]>
</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.13.724746v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Protein immunotherapies can elicit potent tumor rejection, but reversible target engagement, incomplete tumor retention, and systemic leakage often erode spatial control. Here, we develop covalently anchored tumor immunotherapeutic proteins (CATIPs), a modular platform that uses proximity-enabled covalent chemistry to immobilize immune cues on tumor-cell surfaces after intratumoral administration. CATIPs combine tumor-targeting nanobodies with payloads for T cell engagement, co-stimulation, and cytokine support. In human PBMC-reconstituted NSG mice, CATIPs completely eradicated treated EGFR-positive tumors, outperforming matched non-covalent proteins while limiting redistribution, systemic T cell activation, cytokine release, xGVHD-associated morbidity, and on-target, off tumor toxicity. In immunocompetent melanoma models, CATIPs remodeled the tumor microenvironment, expanded antigen-specific CD8+ T cells, induced antigen-restricted abscopal control, and generated durable protection against local and metastatic rechallenge. CATIP-engineered tumor cells further functioned as whole-cell vaccines. Thus, covalent tumor anchoring converts local protein delivery into tumor-surface immune programming, enabling systemic, tumor-specific, durable antitumor immunity while limiting systemic immunopathology.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Li, Q., Chen, H., Zhang, P., Cao, L., Yu, B., Wang, L. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.13.724746</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Covalent tumor anchoring spatially orchestrates antitumor immunity]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.12.724401v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Engineering high-titer lentiviral vectors for robust expression of RNA-based gene circuits 
]]>
</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.12.724401v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Lentiviral vectors enable efficient delivery of genetic cargoes for gene and cell therapies. With their [~]10-kb packaging limit, lentiviral vectors can encode multiple transcription units, supporting delivery of compact gene circuits. RNA-based devices offer highly compact control including ligand-responsive induction and closed-loop regulation. However, RNA devices such as ribozymes and splicing switches may interfere with vector production via activity on the single-stranded RNA genome. Here, we examine the impact of gene syntax and genetic parts to define design strategies for two-gene vectors encoding RNA devices. We find that titer decreases with genetic parts that interfere with transcription or processing of the viral transcript during production. Compared to initial vectors, our best-performing design boosts titer more than 30-fold, enabling fine-scale tuning of expression to optimize cell-fate conversion within a nonmonotonic landscape. Together, this work illuminates principles for constructing two-gene lentiviral vectors with both high titer and robust expression, enhancing efficacy for downstream applications.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Love, K. S., Lende-Dorn, B. A., Galloway, K. E. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-14</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.12.724401</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Engineering high-titer lentiviral vectors for robust expression of RNA-based gene circuits]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-14</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.13.724834v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Engineering orthogonal quorum sensing circuits using LuxR-type systems in yeast consortia 
]]>
</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.13.724834v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Engineered microbial communities hold significant biotechnological potential because their collective metabolism can produce functions beyond those achievable by individual strains. However, multicellular synthetic gene circuits require orthogonal communication systems that enable precise, programmable signaling between cells. Quorum sensing (QS), where cells both produce and detect small diffusible signal molecules, offers a natural framework for such intercellular communication. However, the construction of complex multicellular circuits for applications such as biobased production is currently hampered by the limited number of orthogonal QS channels available in yeast. Here, we expand the QS toolkit in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by characterizing four LuxR-type biosensors based on EsaR, LasR, TraR and RpaR, alongside the previously established LuxR biosensor. We functionally expressed acyl-CoA-dependent HSL synthases in yeast, producing a diverse range of aliphatic and aromatic HSL signals. LuxR and RpaR, were compatible with in vivo ligand production and established as orthogonal QS signaling pair with synthases MesI and RpaI, respectively. Co-culture experiments demonstrated QS-dependent intercellular signaling, with 3.9-fold and 6.4-fold induction relative to monocultures. Together, these results establish a modular and extensible platform for orthogonal intercellular communication in yeast, enabling the construction of multicellular synthetic gene circuits.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ van Aalst, A. C. A., Holtz, M., Poborsky, M., Crocoll, C., Damgaard Jensen, E., Krogh Jensen, M. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-13</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.13.724834</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Engineering orthogonal quorum sensing circuits using LuxR-type systems in yeast consortia]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-13</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.12.724256v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Post-translational modification fidelity of recombinant human lactopontin expressed in Kluyveromyces lactis 
]]>
</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.12.724256v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Recombinant human lactopontin (rhLPN), an equivalent of human milk lactopontin, is of increasing interest for human nutrition applications due to its roles in mineral binding, gastrointestinal function and immune modulation. These properties depend strongly on post-translational modifications, particularly phosphorylation and glycosylation. Here, we report the production of rhLPN in Kluyveromyces lactis at laboratory and pilot scale and present a comprehensive molecular comparison with native human lactopontin (nhLPN) isolated from human milk. Mass spectrometry-based peptide mapping confirmed the primary structure and identified extensive phosphorylation, consistent with the native protein. Middle-up analyses demonstrated closely matched phosphoform distributions between rhLPN and nhLPN, while glycosylation profiling revealed a defined population of low-complexity O-glycoforms localized to the N-terminus. Functional assessment demonstrated substantially greater iron binding by phosphorylated rhLPN compared with dephosphorylated and non-phosphorylated forms. Similar phosphorylation-dependent behaviour was observed for bovine lactopontin, supporting a conserved role for phosphorylation in mineral interaction. Across five 750 L pilot scale batches, both phosphorylation and glycoform distributions were highly consistent, indicating robust process reproducibility. Together, these results demonstrate that rhLPN produced in K. lactis recapitulates key structural and functional attributes of nhLPN, supporting its suitability as a scalable ingredient for nutrition applications.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Excell, J., Giardina, A., Sakamoto-Rablah, E., Royle, K., Nunn, D. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.12.724256</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Post-translational modification fidelity of recombinant human lactopontin expressed in Kluyveromyces lactis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.12.724672v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Programmable synthetic cytokine receptors polarize macrophages to user-defined functional states 
]]>
</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.12.724672v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Technology that precisely controls macrophage polarization to distinct functional states would deepen our understanding of macrophage biology and enable development of new macrophage cell therapies. Here, we use a synthetic cytokine receptor (SCR) platform with programmable signaling domains to control primary human macrophage polarization. SCRs containing signaling motifs from the interferon-gamma (IFN-{gamma}) or Interleukin-10 (IL-10) receptors mimic key features of pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory polarization, respectively. Random recombination of nine distinct signaling motifs to create new SCR signaling domain generates a diverse landscape of synthetic macrophage states with varied expression of inflammatory markers (CD80, CD40) and anti-inflammatory markers (CD163, CD206), and varied phagocytic capacity. SCRs programmed with multiple YLxQ motifs increase macrophage phagocytosis of E. coli and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-macrophage phagocytosis of cancer cells in mice, reducing tumor burden by 30-fold. The motif-dependent polarization is well-described by a two-state model, enabling quantitative prediction of macrophage polarization state from SCR signaling domain composition. Leveraging this model, we design an SCR that simultaneously enhances phagocytosis and maintains a macrophage pro-inflammatory state. Together, these findings establish a framework to synthetically program macrophage polarization states with potential applications in cancer immunotherapy and other disease contexts.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Lunger, J. C., Sant'Anna, L. E., Salcido-Alcantar, A., Arroyo Hornero, R., Cho, W., Vaughan-Jackson, A., Gu, M., Liu, J. Y., Beckett, A. N., Parrilla-Garcia, J., Ramakrishna, S., Bassik, M. C., Daniels, K. G. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.12.724672</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Programmable synthetic cytokine receptors polarize macrophages to user-defined functional states]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.11.724322v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Engineered gut symbionts mediate cross-phylum antagonism to suppress uropathogenic Escherichia coli colonization 
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</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.11.724322v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections globally and create a large burden on the healthcare system. Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) account for the majority of UTIs and increase the risk of recurrence. The standard treatment is antibiotics and, with the rise of multi-drug resistant UPEC lineages, there is a need for alternative treatments and prevention. Colicins, bacteriocins targeting and produced by E. coli, have previously been shown to inhibit the growth of pathogenic E. coli and are a promising alternative. Here, we engineer commensal Bacteroidaceae to secrete colicins via outer membrane vesicle (OMV) targeting signal peptides to suppress E. coli in the mouse gut. Secreted colicins were assessed for their ability to kill primary clinical isolate UPEC strains, including epidemic multi-drug resistant ST131 strains, along with other pathogenic and type strains. Specifically, secreted colicin E7, from Phocaeicola vulgatus fully eliminated of several UPEC strains in culture. In mice, P. vulgatus secreting colicin E7 prevented the extended colonization of two clinical UPEC strains and restored microbiome diversity. Together, this work shows the viability of secreted, heterologous antimicrobials from P. vulgatus as prophylactic treatment against the colonization of pathogenic E. coli utilizing cross-phylum antagonism in the gut.

Significance StatementRecurrent urinary tract infections can be driven by intestinal reservoirs of uropathogenic Escherichia coli that are difficult to eliminate and increasingly recalcitrant to conventional antibiotic therapy. Here, we show that engineered gut symbionts from the Bacteroidaceae family can secrete targeted protein antibiotics to selectively kill these uropathogenic E. coli. Leveraging outer membrane vesicle-based secretion, we demonstrate that bacteriocin secretion can prevent gut colonization by clinically relevant pathogens, while preserving overall microbiome diversity. This work establishes a strategy for programmable, cross-phylum antimicrobial delivery within the gut microbiome, providing a potential alternative to conventional antibiotics for preventing recurrent infections and other enteric diseases.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Fuerte-Stone, J., Ghali, J., Valaitis, S., Mimee, M. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.11.724322</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Engineered gut symbionts mediate cross-phylum antagonism to suppress uropathogenic Escherichia coli colonization]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.11.724305v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
DNA Staples: An oligonucleotide library for data storage and computing 
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</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.11.724305v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
DNA offers exceptional information density and stability, making it a promising medium for long-term data storage. However, the high cost of DNA synthesis and data retrieval remain key barriers to large-scale deployment. In this paper, we present DNA staples, a multipurpose library of short single-stranded DNA sequences that enables the encoding of arbitrary digital data by enzymatic assembly. Flexible encoding schemes allow the same presynthesized strand library to be used across applications, significantly reducing synthesis requirements while supporting diverse data representations. Using a restricted library also confers inherent error correction. In addition to storage, the library enables creation of computational DNA modules that perform highly parallel operations directly on stored data. This framework provides a cost-efficient approach to molecular data storage and supports integrated storage-computation at the DNA level.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Wernhart, K. S., Orlando, M., Schroeder, F., Barisic, I. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-12</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.11.724305</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[DNA Staples: An oligonucleotide library for data storage and computing]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-12</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.09.724044v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
A two-step selection method for in vitro evolution of translational proteins 
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</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.09.724044v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Improving the reconstituted translation system is a key requirement for bottom-up synthetic biology. Here, we developed a two-step in vitro evolutionary method that can be used for improving translational proteins. In this method, two distinct conditions were sequentially applied while maintaining genotype-phenotype linkage in water-in-oil droplets. Using this method, we performed in vitro evolution of four translation factors, IleRS, PheRS, EF-G, and EF-Tu, and identified mutations that modestly enhanced translation activity in in vitro expression assays. One of the EF-G mutations (P610S) increased activity per protein approximately 2-fold for the recombinant protein purified from E. coli. This selection method is useful for improving translational proteins for bottom-up synthetic biology.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Sakurai, A., Shoji, K., Ichihashi, N. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.09.724044</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[A two-step selection method for in vitro evolution of translational proteins]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.08.723852v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Complete biosynthesis of penicillin G in Nicotiana benthamiana 
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</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.08.723852v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Commercial penicillin production has relied on microbial fermentation for more than 80 years. Here, we engineered the plant, Nicotiana benthamiana, to produce penicillin G in its leaves by transient expression of up to seven fungal biosynthetic genes. Remarkably, all recombinant proteins localize to the analogous subcellular compartments without engineering signal peptide sequences or post-translational modification sites. Although non-ribosomal peptide synthetases occur widely in fungi and bacteria to produce a plethora of specialized metabolites, their evolutionary distribution does not extend to plants. Our results now open a new metabolic frontier for natural product synthesis, and offer possibilities to address global health concerns through an alternative biotechnology platform for fungal-derived pharmaceutical production.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Rawoof, A., Lin, Y. T., Rajendran, S., Antoine, G., Jayasundara, S., Cai, Y., Singh, D., Whitehead, P., Dornberger, H., Mall, S., Alonso, A. P., Carroll, M. C., Skellam, E., Chapman, K. D. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-10</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.08.723852</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Complete biosynthesis of penicillin G in Nicotiana benthamiana]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-10</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.08.723366v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Phage-assisted continuous evolution of enzymes for noncanonical tyrosine biosynthesis 
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</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.08.723366v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Genetic code expansion introduces new-to-nature chemical moieties into ribosomally synthesized proteins. In practice, the scope of functional groups that can be accessed using this method is often limited by noncanonical amino acid (ncAA) availability. Producing ncAAs directly in cells can circumvent poor ncAA uptake or commercial unavailability, but limited enzymes suitable for this application exist. In vitro evolution campaigns have been remarkably successful in yielding synthetically useful "ncAA synthases." However, these enzymes are optimized for preparative-scale synthesis and their activities often do not translate well to cellular biosynthesis. Thus, expanding strategies to engineer enzymes specifically for ncAA production within cells will benefit further implementation of genetic code expansion. Here, we use phage-assisted noncontinuous and continuous evolution to evolve enzymes for improved synthesis of non-canonical tyrosine derivatives in E. coli. Using simple serial passaging, we uncovered mutations that doubled the production of an expensive ncAA, 3-methoxytyrosine, by tyrosine phenol lyase, and furthermore evolved variants that enable 3-iodotyrosine biosynthesis, a transformation the parent enzyme is unable to catalyze. Additionally, we evolved a recently reported tyrosine synthase for improved production of 3-halogenated tyrosines, identifying variants that exhibit high activity even at low substrate concentrations owing to a [~]8-fold reduction in KM. Our results demonstrate that phage assisted evolution can be used to rapidly improve the activity of enzymes for ncAA production in cells.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Andon, J. S., Behera, A., Deb, D., Weeks, A. M., Buller, A. R., Wang, T. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-09</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.08.723366</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Phage-assisted continuous evolution of enzymes for noncanonical tyrosine biosynthesis]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-09</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.06.723344v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
Noise analysis of derivative-action biomolecular topologies 
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</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.06.723344v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Temporal gradient sensing is a fundamental capability observed across diverse natural biological systems, contributing to the coordination of their functions. Harnessing this ability is also of significant interest in synthetic biology, particularly for sensing and control applications. In this work, we focus on a biomolecular topology that exemplifies a broader class of signal-differentiating architectures, while introducing a structural variant of it. We examine their behavior under both nominal and non-ideal conditions, accounting for stochastic noise arising from different sources. Our investigation includes scenarios where these topologies operate independently, as well as when embedded within minimal regulatory architectures based on negative as well as positive feedback. We analyze the stability of the resulting macroscopic dynamics--a prerequisite for practical deployment--and quantify stochastic fluctuations in system output, providing comparisons with the corresponding input/unregulated process. Importantly, our results demonstrate that signal differentiation can be effectively implemented in a biomolecular setting without incurring deleterious noise amplification--a major concern in the utilization of derivative action across disciplines.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Alexis, E., Espinel-Rios, S., Laurenti, L., Cardelli, L., Kevrekidis, I. G., Rowley, C. W., Avalos, J. L. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.06.723344</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[Noise analysis of derivative-action biomolecular topologies]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
<item rdf:about="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.07.723299v1?rss=1">
<title>
<![CDATA[
FASTOP - Fast editing toolkit for top expression sites in yeast 
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</title>
<link>
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.07.723299v1?rss=1
</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a workhorse chassis for producing added food and agricultural compounds. However, building multi-enzymatic pathways for these chemicals often requires iterative genomic integration, underscoring the need for efficient, rapid genome-editing tools that can reliably target transcriptionally active chromosomal regions. In this study, to accelerate strain construction, we established a genome-editing toolkit to rapidly engineer eight loci, highly expressed hot-spots, but nonessential genomic sites suitable for stable pathway assembly. Our approach integrates three key design features: (i) selectable markers to enable rapid screening of edited cells, (ii) extended homology arms that leverage the yeast homology-directed repair machinery for robust genomic integration, and (iii) co-delivery of Cas9 and guide RNAs to promote efficient double-stranded DNA breaks at specific integration sites. The sequence independence of FASTOP relies on the release of integration cassettes from integrative vectors, mediated by restriction digestion at two flanking multiple-cutting sites in the integration module to minimize the risk of introducing sequence errors during PCR amplification of the integration cassettes. Following the introduction of a fluorescent reporter cassette, we observed high integration efficiencies across the target sites. We then integrated the biosynthetic pathway of plant-derived flavonoid naringenin into the hot-spots of the yeast genome using the FASTOP toolkit. Our results demonstrated that upon expressing the five essential genes in simple shake flask culture, naringenin production reached 505.7 mg/L, representing a significant (69-fold) increase over previously reported titers for comparable minimal heterologous pathways in S. cerevisiae. Together, the FATSOP toolkit provides a user-friendly platform for reliably modifying hot-spot loci to rapidly construct multi-enzymatic metabolic pathways in S. cerevisiae, while achieving high production levels for high-value food-relevant metabolites.
]]></description>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[ Borah, M., Gautron, N., Courdavault, V., Naseri, G. ]]></dc:creator>
<dc:date>2026-05-08</dc:date>
<dc:identifier>doi:10.64898/2026.05.07.723299</dc:identifier>
<dc:title><![CDATA[FASTOP - Fast editing toolkit for top expression sites in yeast]]></dc:title>
<dc:publisher>Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</dc:publisher>
<prism:publicationDate>2026-05-08</prism:publicationDate>
<prism:section></prism:section>
</item>
</rdf:RDF>
