ATP‐Responsive Nanoparticles Covered with Biomolecular Machine “Chaperonin GroEL”

Abstract

Herein, we report an ATP‐responsive nanoparticle (GroELNP) whose surface is fully covered with the biomolecular machine “chaperonin protein GroEL”. GroELNP was synthesized by DNA hybridization between a gold NP with DNA strands on its surface and GroEL carrying complementary DNA strands at its apical domains. The unique structure of GroELNP was visualized by transmission electron microscopy including under cryogenic conditions. The immobilized GroEL units retain their machine‐like function and enable GroELNP to capture denatured green fluorescent protein and release it in response to ATP. Interestingly, the ATPase activity of GroELNP per GroEL was 4.8 and 4.0 times greater than those of precursor cysGroEL and its DNA‐functionalized analogue, respectively. Finally, we confirmed that GroELNP could be iteratively extended to double‐layered (GroEL)2 ${{^{({\rm GroEL}){_{2}}}}}$ NP.