Most of the reported mitochondria targeting molecules are lipophilic and cationic, which may become cytotoxic with accumulation. Here we show enzymatic cleavage of branched peptides that carry negative charges for targeting mitochondria. Conjugating a well-established protein tag (i.e., FLAG-tag) to self-assembling motifs affords the pre-cursors that form micelles. Enzymatic cleavage of the hydrophilic FLAG motif (DDDDK) by enterokinase (ENTK) turns the micelles to nanofibers. After being taken up by cells, the micelles, upon the action of intracellular ENTK, turns into nanofibers to locate mainly at mitochondria. The micelles of the precursors are able to deliver cargos (either small molecules or proteins) into cells, largely to mitochondria and within two hours. Preventing ENTK proteolysis diminishes mitochondria targeting. As the first report of using enzymatic self-assembly for targeting mitochondria and delivery cargos to mitochondria, this work illustrates a fundamentally new way to target subcellular organelles for biomedicine.
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science
5
5%
Immunology and Microbiology
3
3%
Engineering
3
3%
Other
8
8%
Unknown
30
30%
Attention Score in Context
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 4. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 17 May 2022.
All research outputs
#11,321,222
of 33,351,181 outputs
Outputs from Journal of the American Chemical Society
#43,823
of 86,305 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#172,914
of 486,498 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Journal of the American Chemical Society
#340
of 585 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 33,351,181 research outputs across all sources so far. This one has received more attention than most of these and is in the 65th percentile.
So far Altmetric has tracked 86,305 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 7.5. This one is in the 48th percentile – i.e., 48% of its peers scored the same or lower than it.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 486,498 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 63% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 585 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one is in the 40th percentile – i.e., 40% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.
