Abstract: The present invention provides for a fusion protein comprising (1) a bacterial microcompartment (BMC) shell protein comprising one or more subunit, and (2) a first component of a specific-binding pair, operably linked to the BMC shell protein such that the first component faces (i) a lumen (inside) side, or (ii) outside of a BMC shell formed incorporating the fusion protein and the fusion protein does not disrupt or prevent the folding of the BMC shell protein or the ability of the BMC shell protein to integrate with other BMC shell proteins into a BMC shell; wherein the first component is capable of forming a stable or irreversible interaction with a second component of the specific-binding pair.

Abstract: To produce a bacterial microcompartment shell, or a designed shell based on naturally occurring bacterial microcompartment shells in a new host organism, a synthetic operon is constructed that contains the desired shell protein genes and translation efficiency is controlled by host specific ribosomal binding sites. Proteins or other molecules can be encapsulated in the microcompartment shells by various methods described herein. The constructs can also be used to express self-assembling sheets comprised of shell proteins.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a fusion protein comprising (1) a bacterial microcompartment (BMC) shell protein comprising one or more subunit, and (2) a first component of a specific-binding pair, operably linked to the BMC shell protein such that the first component faces (i) a lumen (inside) side, or (ii) outside of a BMC shell formed incorporating the fusion protein and the fusion protein does not disrupt or prevent the folding of the BMC shell protein or the ability of the BMC shell protein to integrate with other BMC shell proteins into a BMC shell; wherein the first component is capable of forming a stable or irreversible interaction with a second component of the specific-binding pair.

Abstract: The present disclosure is related to a BMC fusion protein that is capable of in vitro assembly, comprising a constituent BMC shell protein subunit and a sterically hindering protein domain that is cleavable. The BMC fusion protein is capable of in vitro assembly triggered by removal of the fused sterically hindering domain. The present disclosure is also related to a means to produce BMC shells in vitro, triggered by removal of a fused sterically hindering domain from one or more constituent BMC shell protein subunits. The BMC fusion protein enables encapsulation of broad classes of materials and biophysical studies of shell assembly, encapsulation, and permeability that would otherwise be unavailable from BMCs assembled in vivo.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a fusion protein comprising (1) a bacterial microcompartment (BMC) shell protein comprising one or more subunit, and (2) a first component of a specific-binding pair, operably linked to the BMC shell protein such that the first component faces (i) a lumen (inside) side, or (ii) outside of a BMC shell formed incorporating the fusion protein and the fusion protein does not disrupt or prevent the folding of the BMC shell protein or the ability of the BMC shell protein to integrate with other BMC shell proteins into a BMC shell; wherein the first component is capable of forming a stable or irreversible interaction with a second component of the specific-binding pair.

Abstract: The present disclosure is related to a BMC fusion protein that is capable of in vitro assembly, comprising a constituent BMC shell protein subunit and a sterically hindering protein domain that is cleavable. The BMC fusion protein is capable of in vitro assembly triggered by removal of the fused sterically hindering domain. The present disclosure is also related to a means to produce BMC shells in vitro, triggered by removal of a fused sterically hindering domain from one or more constituent BMC shell protein subunits. The BMC fusion protein enables encapsulation of broad classes of materials and biophysical studies of shell assembly, encapsulation, and permeability that would otherwise be unavailable from BMCs assembled in vivo.

Abstract: To produce a bacterial microcompartment shell, or a designed shell based on naturally occurring bacterial microcompartment shells in a new host organism, a synthetic operon is constructed that contains the desired shell protein genes and translation efficiency is controlled by host specific ribosomal binding sites. Proteins or other molecules can be encapsulated in the microcompartment shells by various methods described herein. The constructs can also be used to express self-assembling sheets comprised of shell proteins.