Research

Developing Proximity Labeling Enzymes

Proximity labeling is one of the chemical biology tools that utilizes enzymatic chemical reactions to label local proteins or RNAs in living cells. We are interested in developing novel proximity labeling enzymes to enable broader applications and enhance the specificity and efficiency of biomolecular mapping in various cellular environments. For instance, we have developed LaccID, an engineered ancestral laccase, which enables non-toxic cell surface-specific proximity labeling.

Light- or Other Stimulus-Activated Enzymes

Enzymes, which catalyze a wide range of chemical reactions, serve as biocatalysts in various biological tools, for example, Proximity labeling enzymes, Luciferases, Peroxidases, Proteases, and Nucleases. However, the inability to control the activity of many of these enzymes may limit their usefulness. Therefore, we aim to incorporate a controllable unit into these enzymes, allowing us to regulate their activity using light, small molecules or other stimulation. For instance, we have developed LOV-Turbo, a light-regulated version of promiscuous biotin ligase, which is a single-chain proximity labeling enzyme with reversible control.