Zhang, F.; Zhang, W.-B.* Encrypting Chemical Reactivity in Protein Sequences toward Information-Coded Reactions, Chin. J. Chem. 2020, 38 , 864-878. (Special Issue Dedicated to Professor Lina Zhang on the Occasion of Her 80th Birthday)

Abstract: Controlling chemical reactivity has been the central theme in chemistry. Herein, we review the recent progress on the development of genetically encoded protein coupling reactions and their potential applications. The chemical reactivity is encoded in the protein sequences. The information is read out by folding and molecular recognition between two reactive components and subsequently translated into chemical bonding via autocatalysis. It has emerged as a unique way to tune the chemical reactivity and is regarded as one type of information‐coded reactions. Not only has it received many applications such as protein topology engineering, bioconjugation, biomaterials and synthetic biology, but also its principle may be extended beyond protein chemistry to enable new modes of supramolecular interactions that promote chemical bonding and that are simultaneously reinforced by covalent bonds.