Synthetic phage for tissue regeneration

Abstract

Controlling structural organization and signaling motif display is of great importance to design the functional tissue regenerating materials. Synthetic phage, genetically engineered M13 bacteriophage has been recently introduced as novel tissue regeneration materials to display a high density of cell-signaling peptides on their major coat proteins for tissue regeneration purposes. Structural advantages of their long-rod shape and monodispersity can be taken together to construct nanofibrous scaffolds which support cell proliferation and differentiation as well as direct orientation of their growth in two or three dimensions. This review demonstrated how functional synthetic phage is designed and subsequently utilized for tissue regeneration that offers potential cell therapy.

Figure 1

Schematic diagram of various distinct structures of various phages. (a) Long rod structure of M13 bacteriophage with genomic schematic diagrams to show each protein expressed on the M13 phage surfaces. (b) Structure of Tobacco mosaic virus, a rod-like structured plant virus, made of single strand RNA ① and capsid ③ composed of coat ② proteins. (c) Sphere structure of MS2 bacteriophage.

Figure 2

Multifunctional synthetic phage construction. (a) Type 3 phage engineering, (b) Type 8 phage engineering, (c) Type 3 + 3 phage engineering, (d) Type 8 + 8 phage engineering.

Figure 3

Phage based tissue engineering materials. (a)-(b) ECM-like nanofibrous structured phage network (SEM image) can be made by drop cast film. (c) Neural progenitor cells cultured on top of synthetic phages responded to the growth factor immobilized by HPQ-phages via streptavidin. Physical and chemical cues provided by synthetic phages could control cellular behaviors [14].