Recurrent challenges in producing,
purifying, and applying novel proteins
are hindering your innovation
Troubleshoot at once 80% of challenging expressions
Protein purification in minutes, no beads or chromatography
Pack enzyme cascades inside protecting microreactors
To streamline
your protein expression and handling,
we developed the ProteoShell Technology
The ProteoShell Technology, explained
From expression to application, problematic proteins hurdle your work. Most of the issues they pose arise from the messy interaction of proteins with their surroundings, and could be prevented if we could arrange them in storage containers right upon expression. In addition, protein containers easy to separate and handle could become versatile protein carriers for purification and application steps. Production cells lack bespoke organelles to store and manage proteins, and for this reason we created the ProteoShell.
Express approx. 80% of your challenging proteins - in one shot
Our system captures recombinant proteins inside protein-made sleeves immediately upon expression. The protection granted by these packages -the ProteoShells- greatly mitigates expression issues including aggregation and formation of inclusion bodies, toxicity, and degradation. ProteoShell-encased proteins are also active in vivo and are useful in strain engineering applications.
Successful cases of application of the ProteoShell System include amyloid proteins, toxic proteases, DNA-binding proteins, intrinsically disordered proteins, monotopic membrane proteins, supercharged proteins, severed protein domains, unstable protein mutants, and intein-fused protein fragments.
Protein purification in minutes - without beads or chromatography
Almost all ​ProteoShells look alike on the outside regardless of the proteins they contain. For this reason, you can purify them all with our proprietary purification technology - fast, simple, and inexpensive. ProteoShells are harvested from cell lysate as a solid, which is subsequently washed and redissolved. Relying exclusively on buffers and filtration/centrifugation steps, the procedure fits applications at any scale, from microwell to bioreactor.
Countless protein applications - inside and outside
When required, the large pores of the ProteoShells elicit proteolytic cleavage of the ProteoShell-protein linker and protein release (contact us for detailed scope and limitations). For all other applications, the ProteoShell is a powerful ally for the protection and organization of proteins. Pack different proteins in a ProteoShell to boost the efficiency of your reaction cascades, or use them to facilitate microfiltration.
Explore the ProteoShell System with the Trial Kits
Everything you need to experience the benefits of the ProteoShells System by yourself is in your hands with the Trial Kits.
With the Kits you can:
Each Kit contains:
-
sub-clone your genes,
-
ligate them into pPS-I plasmids,
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express your constructs in the T7 E. coli strain of your choice
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and purify the ProteoShells for protein release and/or characterization.
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one or three pPS-I plasmids
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the four ProteoShell Buffers in sufficient amount for the processing of 100 grams of wet cells
Important: ProteoShell Trial Kits are intended exclusively for evaluation purposes. Any productive use beyond mere evaluation of materials or data obtained from this technology requires a separate license. For further information, check the Terms and Conditions in the Shop page.
About us
Xavier Garrabou Pi is the founder and manager of Lock and Key Biosciences GmbH, a spin-off from ETH Zürich in Switzerland. As an entrepreneur, chemist, and protein scientist, he brings extensive experience in biocatalysis and protein engineering. Driven by a passion for harnessing proteins to advance innovation, he focuses on transformative applications in life sciences and biomedicine.
