Developing genetically engineered encapsulin protein cage nanoparticles as a targeted delivery nanoplatform.

Protein cage nanoparticles are excellent candidates for use as multifunctional delivery nanoplatforms because they are built from biomaterials and have a well-defined structure. A novel protein cage nanoparticle, encapsulin, isolated from thermophilic bacteria Thermotoga maritima, is prepared and developed as a versatile template for targeted delivery nanoplatforms through both chemical and genetic engineering. It is pivotal for multifunctional delivery nanoplatforms to have functional plasticity and versatility to acquire targeting ligands, diagnostic probes, and drugs simultaneously. Encapsulin is genetically engineered to have unusual heat stability and to acquire multiple functionalities in a precisely controlled manner. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell binding peptide (SP94-peptide, SFSIIHTPILPL) is chosen as a targeting ligand and displayed on the surface of engineered encapsulin (Encap_loophis42C123) through either chemical conjugation or genetic insertion. The effective and selective targeted d...