1
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Ioannou IA, Monck C, Ceroni F, Brooks NJ, Kuimova MK, Elani Y. Nucleated synthetic cells with genetically driven intercompartment communication. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2404790121. [PMID: 39186653 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2404790121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic cells are characterized by multiple chemically distinct compartments, one of the most notable being the nucleus. Within these compartments, there is a continuous exchange of information, chemicals, and signaling molecules, essential for coordinating and regulating cellular activities. One of the main goals of bottom-up synthetic biology is to enhance the complexity of synthetic cells by establishing functional compartmentalization. There is a need to mimic autonomous signaling between compartments, which in living cells, is often regulated at the genetic level within the nucleus. This advancement is key to unlocking the potential of synthetic cells as cell models and as microdevices in biotechnology. However, a technological bottleneck exists preventing the creation of synthetic cells with a defined nucleus-like compartment capable of genetically programmed intercompartment signaling events. Here, we present an approach for creating synthetic cells with distinct nucleus-like compartments that can encapsulate different biochemical mixtures in discrete compartments. Our system enables in situ protein expression of membrane proteins, enabling autonomous chemical communication between nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments, leading to downstream activation of enzymatic pathways within the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ion A Ioannou
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, London W12 0BZ, United Kingdom
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
- fabriCELL, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Carolina Monck
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
- fabriCELL, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Francesca Ceroni
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas J Brooks
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, London W12 0BZ, United Kingdom
- fabriCELL, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Marina K Kuimova
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, London W12 0BZ, United Kingdom
| | - Yuval Elani
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
- fabriCELL, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
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2
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Kuddushi M, Xu BB, Malek N, Zhang X. Review of ionic liquid and ionogel-based biomaterials for advanced drug delivery. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 331:103244. [PMID: 38959813 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2024.103244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
Ionic liquids (ILs) play a crucial role in the design of novel materials. The ionic nature of ILs provides numerous advantages in drug delivery, acting as a green solvent or active ingredient to enhance the solubility, permeability, and binding efficiency of drugs. They could also function as a structuring agent in the development of nano/micro particles for drug delivery, including micelles, vesicles, gels, emulsion, and more. This review summarize the ILs and IL-based gel structures with their advanced drug delivery applications. The first part of review focuses on the role of ILs in drug formulation and the applications of ILs in drug delivery. The second part of review offers a comprehensive overview of recent drug delivery applications of IL-based gel. It aims to offer new perspectives and attract more attention to open up new avenues in the biomedical applications of ILs and IL-based gels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muzammil Kuddushi
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Ben Bin Xu
- Mechanical and Construction Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK
| | - Naved Malek
- Ionic Liquid Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology, Surat 07, India
| | - Xuehua Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada.
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3
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Ahmed R, Liang M, Hudson RP, Rangadurai AK, Huang SK, Forman-Kay JD, Kay LE. Atomic resolution map of the solvent interactions driving SOD1 unfolding in CAPRIN1 condensates. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2408554121. [PMID: 39172789 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2408554121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Biomolecules can be sequestered into membrane-less compartments, referred to as biomolecular condensates. Experimental and computational methods have helped define the physical-chemical properties of condensates. Less is known about how the high macromolecule concentrations in condensed phases contribute "solvent" interactions that can remodel the free-energy landscape of other condensate-resident proteins, altering thermally accessible conformations and, in turn, modulating function. Here, we use solution NMR spectroscopy to obtain atomic resolution insights into the interactions between the immature form of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), which can mislocalize and aggregate in stress granules, and the RNA-binding protein CAPRIN1, a component of stress granules. NMR studies of CAPRIN1:SOD1 interactions, focused on both unfolded and folded SOD1 states in mixed phase and demixed CAPRIN1-based condensates, establish that CAPRIN1 shifts the SOD1 folding equilibrium toward the unfolded state through preferential interactions with the unfolded ensemble, with little change to the structure of the folded conformation. Key contacts between CAPRIN1 and the H80-H120 region of unfolded SOD1 are identified, as well as SOD1 interaction sites near both the arginine-rich and aromatic-rich regions of CAPRIN1. Unfolding of immature SOD1 in the CAPRIN1 condensed phase is shown to be coupled to aggregation, while a more stable zinc-bound, dimeric form of SOD1 is less susceptible to unfolding when solvated by CAPRIN1. Our work underscores the impact of the condensate solvent environment on the conformational states of resident proteins and supports the hypothesis that ALS mutations that decrease metal binding or dimerization function as drivers of aggregation in condensates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashik Ahmed
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H6, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Mingyang Liang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Rhea P Hudson
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Atul K Rangadurai
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H6, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Shuya Kate Huang
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H6, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Julie D Forman-Kay
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Lewis E Kay
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H6, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
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4
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Radakovic A, Lewicka A, Todisco M, Aitken HRM, Weiss Z, Kim S, Bannan A, Piccirilli JA, Szostak JW. A potential role for RNA aminoacylation prior to its role in peptide synthesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2410206121. [PMID: 39178230 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2410206121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Coded ribosomal peptide synthesis could not have evolved unless its sequence and amino acid-specific aminoacylated tRNA substrates already existed. We therefore wondered whether aminoacylated RNAs might have served some primordial function prior to their role in protein synthesis. Here, we show that specific RNA sequences can be nonenzymatically aminoacylated and ligated to produce amino acid-bridged stem-loop RNAs. We used deep sequencing to identify RNAs that undergo highly efficient glycine aminoacylation followed by loop-closing ligation. The crystal structure of one such glycine-bridged RNA hairpin reveals a compact internally stabilized structure with the same eponymous T-loop architecture that is found in many noncoding RNAs, including the modern tRNA. We demonstrate that the T-loop-assisted amino acid bridging of RNA oligonucleotides enables the rapid template-free assembly of a chimeric version of an aminoacyl-RNA synthetase ribozyme. We suggest that the primordial assembly of amino acid-bridged chimeric ribozymes provides a direct and facile route for the covalent incorporation of amino acids into RNA. A greater functionality of covalently incorporated amino acids could contribute to enhanced ribozyme catalysis, providing a driving force for the evolution of sequence and amino acid-specific aminoacyl-RNA synthetase ribozymes in the RNA World. The synthesis of specifically aminoacylated RNAs, an unlikely prospect for nonenzymatic reactions but a likely one for ribozymes, could have set the stage for the subsequent evolution of coded protein synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandar Radakovic
- HHMI, Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Anna Lewicka
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
| | - Marco Todisco
- HHMI, Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
| | - Harry R M Aitken
- HHMI, Department of Molecular Biology and Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Zoe Weiss
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Shannon Kim
- HHMI, Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
| | - Abdullah Bannan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Joseph A Piccirilli
- HHMI, Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
| | - Jack W Szostak
- HHMI, Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
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5
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Priyanka, Maiti S. Probing Phoretic Transport of Oxidative Enzyme-Bound Zn(II)-Metallomicelle in Adenosine Triphosphate Gradient via a Spatially Relocated Biocatalytic Zone. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024. [PMID: 39189920 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c01401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/28/2024]
Abstract
Although cellular transport machinery is mostly ATP-driven and ATPase-dependent, there has been a recent surge in understanding colloidal transport processes relying on a nonspecific physical interaction with biologically significant small molecules. Herein, we probe the phoretic behavior of a biocolloid [composed of a Zn(II)-coordinated metallomicelle and enzymes horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and glucose oxidase (GOx)] when exposed to a concentration gradient of ATP under microfluidic conditions. Simultaneously, we demonstrate that an ATP-independent oxidative biocatalytic product formation zone can be modulated in the presence of a (glucose + ATP) gradient. We report that both directionality and extent of transport can be tuned by changing the concentration of the ATP gradient. This diffusiophoretic mobility of a submicrometer biocolloidal object for the spatial transposition of a biocatalytic zone signifies the ATP-mediated functional transportation without the involvement of ATPase. Additionally, the ability to analyze colloidal transport in microfluidic channels using an enzymatic fluorescent product-forming reaction could be a new nanobiotechnological tool for understanding transport and spatial catalytic patterning processes. We believe that this result will inspire further studies for the realization of elusive biological transport processes and target-specific delivery vehicles, considering the omnipresence of the ATP-gradient across the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, Knowledge City, Manauli 140306, India
| | - Subhabrata Maiti
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, Knowledge City, Manauli 140306, India
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6
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Singh A, Parvin P, Saha B, Das D. Non-equilibrium self-assembly for living matter-like properties. Nat Rev Chem 2024:10.1038/s41570-024-00640-z. [PMID: 39179623 DOI: 10.1038/s41570-024-00640-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/26/2024]
Abstract
The soft and wet machines of life emerged as the spatially enclosed ensemble of biomolecules with replicating capabilities integrated with metabolic reaction cycles that operate at far-from-equilibrium. A thorough step-by-step synthetic integration of these elements, namely metabolic and replicative properties all confined and operating far-from-equilibrium, can set the stage from which we can ask questions related to the construction of chemical-based evolving systems with living matter-like properties - a monumental endeavour of systems chemistry. The overarching concept of this Review maps the discoveries on this possible integration of reaction networks, self-reproduction and compartmentalization under non-equilibrium conditions. We deconvolute the events of reaction networks and transient compartmentalization and extend the discussion towards self-reproducing systems that can be sustained under non-equilibrium conditions. Although enormous challenges lie ahead in terms of molecular diversity, information transfer, adaptation and selection that are required for open-ended evolution, emerging strategies to generate minimal metabolic cycles can extend our growing understanding of the chemical emergence of the biosphere of Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Singh
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur, India
- Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur, India
| | - Payel Parvin
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur, India
- Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur, India
| | - Bapan Saha
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur, India
- Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur, India
| | - Dibyendu Das
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur, India.
- Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur, India.
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7
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Šponer JE, Coulon R, Otyepka M, Šponer J, Siegle AF, Trapp O, Ślepokura K, Zdráhal Z, Šedo O. Phosphoric acid salts of amino acids as a source of oligopeptides on the early Earth. Commun Chem 2024; 7:185. [PMID: 39174757 PMCID: PMC11341901 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-024-01264-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Because of their unique proton-conductivity, chains of phosphoric acid molecules are excellent proton-transfer catalysts. Here we demonstrate that this property could have been exploited for the prebiotic synthesis of the first oligopeptide sequences on our planet. Our results suggest that drying highly diluted solutions containing amino acids (like glycine, histidine and arginine) and phosphates in comparable concentrations at elevated temperatures (ca. 80 °C) in an acidic environment could lead to the accumulation of amino acid:phosphoric acid crystalline salts. Subsequent heating of these materials at 100 °C for 1-3 days results in the formation of oligoglycines consisting of up to 24 monomeric units, while arginine and histidine form shorter oligomers (up to trimers) only. Overall, our results suggest that combining the catalytic effect of phosphate chains with the crystalline order present in amino acid:phosphoric acid salts represents a viable solution that could be utilized to generate the first oligopeptide sequences in a mild acidic hydrothermal field scenario. Further, we propose that crystallization could help overcoming cyclic oligomer formation that is a generally known bottleneck of prebiotic polymerization processes preventing further chain growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judit E Šponer
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, Brno, Czech Republic.
- CATRIN-Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
| | - Rémi Coulon
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, Brno, Czech Republic
- CATRIN-Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, 17. listopadu 12, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Otyepka
- CATRIN-Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc, Czech Republic
- IT4Innovations, VSB-Technical University of Ostrava, 17. listopadu 2172/15, 708 00, Ostrava, Poruba, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Šponer
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, Brno, Czech Republic
- CATRIN-Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Alexander F Siegle
- Department Chemie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Butenandtstr. 5-13, München, Germany
| | - Oliver Trapp
- Department Chemie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Butenandtstr. 5-13, München, Germany
| | - Katarzyna Ślepokura
- University of Wrocław, Faculty of Chemistry, 14 F. Joliot-Curie, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Zbyněk Zdráhal
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Campus Bohunice, Kamenice 5, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ondrej Šedo
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Campus Bohunice, Kamenice 5, Brno, Czech Republic.
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8
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Tobin CM, Gordon R, Tochikura SK, Chmelka BF, Morse DE, Read de Alaniz J. Reversible and size-controlled assembly of reflectin proteins using a charged azobenzene photoswitch. Chem Sci 2024; 15:13279-13289. [PMID: 39183923 PMCID: PMC11339800 DOI: 10.1039/d4sc03299c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Disordered proteins often undergo a stimuli-responsive, disorder-to-order transition which facilitates dynamic processes that modulate the physiological activities and material properties of cells, such as strength, chemical composition, and reflectance. It remains challenging to gain rapid and spatiotemporal control over such disorder-to-order transitions, which limits the incorporation of these proteins into novel materials. The reflectin protein is a cationic, disordered protein whose assembly is responsible for dynamic color camouflage in cephalopods. Stimuli-responsive control of reflectin's assembly would enable the design of biophotonic materials with tunable color. Herein, a novel, multivalent azobenzene photoswitch is shown to be an effective and non-invasive strategy for co-assembling with reflectin molecules and reversibly controlling assembly size. Photoisomerization between the trans and cis (E and Z) photoisomers promotes or reduces Coulombic interactions, respectively, with reflectin proteins to repeatedly cycle the sizes of the photoswitch-reflectin assemblies between 70 nm and 40 nm. The protein assemblies formed with the trans and cis isomers show differences in interaction stoichiometry and secondary structure, which indicate that photoisomerization modulates the photoswitch-protein interactions to change assembly size. Our results highlight the utility of photoswitchable interactions to control reflectin assembly and provide a tunable synthetic platform that can be adapted to the structure, assembly, and function of other disordered proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassidy M Tobin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California Santa Barbara California 93106 USA
| | - Reid Gordon
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Barbara California 93106 USA
| | - Seren K Tochikura
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Barbara California 93106 USA
| | - Bradley F Chmelka
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California Santa Barbara California 93106 USA
| | - Daniel E Morse
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Barbara California 93106 USA
| | - Javier Read de Alaniz
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara California 93106 USA
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9
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Li M, Yang S, Rathi M, Kumar S, Dutcher CS, Grassian VH. Enhanced condensation kinetics in aqueous microdroplets driven by coupled surface reactions and gas-phase partitioning. Chem Sci 2024; 15:13429-13441. [PMID: 39183898 PMCID: PMC11339779 DOI: 10.1039/d4sc03014a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Although aqueous microdroplets have been shown to exhibit enhanced chemical reactivity compared to bulk solutions, mechanisms for these enhancements are not completely understood. Here we combine experimental measurements and kinetic modeling to show the strong coupling of interfacial reactions and gas/droplet partitioning in the condensation reaction of pyruvic acid (PA) to yield zymonic acid (ZA) in acidic aqueous microdroplets. Experimental analysis of single microdroplets reveals the substantial influence of evaporation of PA and partitioning of water on the size-, relative humidity (RH)- and temperature-dependent sigmoidal reaction kinetics for the condensation reaction. A newly developed diffusion-reaction-partitioning model is used to simulate the complex kinetics observed in the microdroplets. The model can quantitatively predict the size and compositional changes as the reaction proceeds under different environmental conditions, and provides insights into how microdroplet reactivity is controlled by coupled interfacial reactions and the gas-phase partitioning of PA and water. Importantly, the kinetic model best fits the data when an autocatalytic step is included in the mechanism, i.e. a reaction step where the product, ZA, catalyzes the interfacial condensation reaction. Overall, the dynamic nature of aqueous microdroplet chemistry and the coupling of interfacial chemistry with gas-phase partitioning are demonstrated. Furthermore, autocatalysis of small organic molecules at the air-water interface for aqueous microdroplets, shown here for the first time, has implications for several fields including prebiotic chemistry, atmospheric chemistry and chemical synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Li
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego La Jolla CA 92093 USA
| | - Shu Yang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota Minneapolis MN 55455 USA
| | - Meenal Rathi
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota Minneapolis MN 55455 USA
| | - Satish Kumar
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota Minneapolis MN 55455 USA
| | - Cari S Dutcher
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota Minneapolis MN 55455 USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota Minneapolis MN 55455 USA
| | - Vicki H Grassian
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego La Jolla CA 92093 USA
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10
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de Visser PJ, Neeleman M, Dankloff PFJ, Derks MTGM, Korevaar PA. Positional Information-Based Organization of Surfactant Droplet Swarms Emerging from Competition Between Local and Global Marangoni Effects. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024:e2403720. [PMID: 39169705 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202403720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2024] [Revised: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
Positional information is key for particles to adapt their behavior based on their position in external concentration gradients, and thereby self-organize into complex patterns. Here, position-dependent behavior of floating surfactant droplets that self-organize in a pH gradient is demonstrated, using the Marangoni effect to translate gradients of surface-active molecules into motion. First, fields of surfactant microliter-droplets are generated, in which droplets floating on water drive local, outbound Marangoni flows upon dissolution of surfactant and concomitantly grow myelin filaments. Next, a competing surfactant based on a hydrolysable amide is introduced, which is more surface active than the myelin surfactant and thereby inhibits the local Marangoni flows and myelin growth from the droplets. Upon introducing a pH gradient, the amide surfactant hydrolyses in the acidic region, so that the local Marangoni flows and myelin growth are reestablished. The resulting combination of local and global surface tension gradients produces a region of myelin-growing droplets and a region where myelin growth is suppressed, separated by a wave front of closely packed droplets, of which the position can be controlled by the pH gradient. Thereby, it is shown how "French flag"-patterns, in synthetic settings typically emerging from reaction-diffusion systems, can also be established via surfactant droplet systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pieter J de Visser
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
| | - Mink Neeleman
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
| | - Pim F J Dankloff
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
| | - Max T G M Derks
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
| | - Peter A Korevaar
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
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11
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Roy S, Laha J, Reja A, Das D. Allosteric Control of the Catalytic Properties of Dipeptide-Based Supramolecular Assemblies. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:22522-22529. [PMID: 39088245 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c06447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
Allostery, as seen in extant biology, governs the activity regulation of enzymes through the redistribution of conformational equilibria upon binding an effector. Herein, a minimal design is demonstrated where a dipeptide can exploit dynamic imine linkage to condense with simple aldehydes to access spherical aggregates as catalytically active states, which facilitates an orthogonal reaction due to the closer proximity of catalytic residues (imidazoles). The allosteric site (amine) of the minimal catalyst can concomitantly bind to an inhibitor via a dynamic exchange, which leads to the alternation of the energy landscape of the self-assembled state, resulting in downregulation of catalytic activity. Further, temporal control over allosteric regulation is realized via a feedback-controlled autonomous reaction network that utilizes the hydrolytic activity of the (in)active state as a function of time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumili Roy
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur 741246, India
| | - Janmejay Laha
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur 741246, India
| | - Antara Reja
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur 741246, India
| | - Dibyendu Das
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur 741246, India
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12
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Rose SM, Bedi S, Rakshit S, Sinha S. Substrate-induced phase transition within liquid condensates reverses the catalytic activity of nanoparticles. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:14730-14733. [PMID: 39049698 DOI: 10.1039/d4nr01402b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Liquid-liquid phase separation is reported to enhance the catalytic reaction rates severalfold. Herein, we explored the interactions between a catalyst and a range of substrate concentrations to understand the impact on the droplet phase and catalytic reaction kinetics. We observed that the substrate above a critical concentration induces phase transitions within liquid condensates and restricts the free movement of both the substrate and products, resulting in an overall reduction of the reaction rate, an observation not reported earlier.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Rose
- Chemical Biology Unit, Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Sector 81, SAS Nagar, Punjab-140306, India.
| | - Silky Bedi
- Chemical Biology Unit, Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Sector 81, SAS Nagar, Punjab-140306, India.
| | - Sabyasachi Rakshit
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Sector 81, SAS Nagar, Punjab-140306, India.
| | - Sharmistha Sinha
- Chemical Biology Unit, Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Sector 81, SAS Nagar, Punjab-140306, India.
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13
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Valera JS, López-Acosta Á, Hermans TM. Photoinitiated Transient Self-Assembly in a Catalytically Driven Chemical Reaction Cycle. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202406931. [PMID: 38770670 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202406931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Chemically fueled chemical reaction networks (CRNs) are essential in controlling dissipative self-assembly. A key challenge in the field is to store chemical fuel-precursors or "pre-fuels" in the system that are converted into activating or deactivating fuels in a catalytically controlled CRN. In addition, real-time control over catalysis in a CRN by light is highly desirable, but so far not yet achieved. Here we show a catalytically driven CRN that is photoinitiated with 450 nm light, producing activated monomers that go on to perform transient self-assembly. Monomer activation proceeds via photoredox catalysis, converting the monomer alcohol groups into the corresponding aldehydes that self-assemble into large supramolecular fibers. Monomer deactivation is achieved by organometallic catalysis that relies on pre-fuel hydrolysis to release formate (i.e. the deactivating fuel). Additionally, irradiation with 305 nm light accelerates the release of formate by photo-uncaging the pre-fuel, leading to a factor of ca. 2 faster deactivation of the monomer. Overall, we show transient self-assembly upon visible light photoactivation, and tunable life-times by ultraviolet light.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge S Valera
- IMDEA Nanociencia, C/ Faraday 9, 28049, Madrid, Spain
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, UMR7140, 4 Rue Blaise Pascal, 67081, Strasbourg, France
| | | | - Thomas M Hermans
- IMDEA Nanociencia, C/ Faraday 9, 28049, Madrid, Spain
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, UMR7140, 4 Rue Blaise Pascal, 67081, Strasbourg, France
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14
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Tian S, Li G, Turnell-Ritson RC, Fei Z, Bornet A, Nazeeruddin MK, Dyson PJ. Controlling Tin Halide Perovskite Oxidation Dynamics in Solution for Perovskite Optoelectronic Devices. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202407193. [PMID: 38744679 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202407193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
As a leading contender to replace lead halide perovskites, tin-based perovskites have demonstrated ever increasing performance in solar cells and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). They tend to be processed with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solvent, which has been identified as a major contributor to the Sn(II) oxidation during film fabrication, posing a challenge to the further improvement of Sn-based perovskites. Herein, we use NMR spectroscopy to investigate the kinetics of the oxidation of SnI2, revealing that autoamplification takes place, accelerating the oxidation as the reaction progresses. We propose a mechanism consistent with these observations involving water participation and HI generation. Building upon these insights, we have developed low-temperature Sn-based perovskite LEDs (PeLEDs) processed at 60 °C, achieving enhanced external quantum efficiencies (EQEs). Our research underscores the substantial potential of low-temperature DMSO solvent processes and DMSO-free solvent systems for fabricating oxidation-free Sn-based perovskites, shaping the future direction in processing Sn-containing perovskite materials and optoelectronic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shun Tian
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland
| | - Guixiang Li
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland
| | - Roland C Turnell-Ritson
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland
| | - Zhaofu Fei
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland
| | - Aurélien Bornet
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland
| | - Mohammad Khaja Nazeeruddin
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland
| | - Paul J Dyson
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland
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15
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de Visser PJ, Karagrigoriou D, Nguindjel AC, Korevaar PA. Quorum Sensing in Emulsion Droplet Swarms Driven by a Surfactant Competition System. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2307919. [PMID: 38887869 PMCID: PMC11321703 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202307919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Quorum sensing enables unicellular organisms to probe their population density and perform behavior that exclusively occurs above a critical density. Quorum sensing is established in emulsion droplet swarms that float at a water surface and cluster above a critical density. The design involves competition between 1) a surface tension gradient that is generated upon release of a surfactant from the oil droplets, and thereby drives their mutual repulsion, and 2) the release of a surfactant precursor from the droplets, that forms a strong imine surfactant which suppresses the surface tension gradient and thereby causes droplet clustering upon capillary (Cheerios) attraction. The production of the imine-surfactant depends on the population density of the droplets releasing the precursor so that the clustering only occurs above a critical population density. The pH-dependence of the imine-surfactant formation is exploited to trigger quorum sensing upon a base stimulus: dynamic droplet swarms are generated that cluster and spread upon spatiotemporally varying acid and base conditions. Next, the clustering of two droplet subpopulations is coupled to a chemical reaction that generates a fluorescent signal. It is foreseen that quorum sensing enables control mechanisms in droplet-based systems that display collective responses in contexts of, e.g., sensing, optics, or dynamically controlled droplet-reactors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pieter J. de Visser
- Institute for Molecules and MaterialsRadboud UniversityHeyendaalseweg 135Nijmegen6525 AJThe Netherlands
| | - Dimitrios Karagrigoriou
- Institute for Molecules and MaterialsRadboud UniversityHeyendaalseweg 135Nijmegen6525 AJThe Netherlands
| | - Anne‐Déborah C. Nguindjel
- Institute for Molecules and MaterialsRadboud UniversityHeyendaalseweg 135Nijmegen6525 AJThe Netherlands
| | - Peter A. Korevaar
- Institute for Molecules and MaterialsRadboud UniversityHeyendaalseweg 135Nijmegen6525 AJThe Netherlands
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16
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Kriebisch CME, Burger L, Zozulia O, Stasi M, Floroni A, Braun D, Gerland U, Boekhoven J. Template-based copying in chemically fuelled dynamic combinatorial libraries. Nat Chem 2024; 16:1240-1249. [PMID: 39014158 PMCID: PMC11321992 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-024-01570-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
One of science's greatest challenges is determining how life can spontaneously emerge from a mixture of molecules. A complicating factor is that life and its molecules are inherently unstable-RNA and proteins are prone to hydrolysis and denaturation. For the de novo synthesis of life or to better understand its emergence at its origin, selection mechanisms are needed for unstable molecules. Here we present a chemically fuelled dynamic combinatorial library to model RNA oligomerization and deoligomerization and shine new light on selection and purification mechanisms under kinetic control. In the experiments, oligomers can only be sustained by continuous production. Hybridization is a powerful tool for selecting unstable molecules, offering feedback on oligomerization and deoligomerization rates. Moreover, we find that templation can be used to purify libraries of oligomers. In addition, template-assisted formation of oligomers within coacervate-based protocells changes its compartment's physical properties, such as their ability to fuse. Such reciprocal coupling between oligomer production and physical properties is a key step towards synthetic life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine M E Kriebisch
- School of Natural Sciences, Department of Bioscience, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Ludwig Burger
- School of Natural Sciences, Department of Bioscience, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Oleksii Zozulia
- School of Natural Sciences, Department of Bioscience, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Michele Stasi
- School of Natural Sciences, Department of Bioscience, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Alexander Floroni
- Systems Biophysics Center for Nano-Science and Origins Cluster Initiative, Department of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Dieter Braun
- Systems Biophysics Center for Nano-Science and Origins Cluster Initiative, Department of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Ulrich Gerland
- School of Natural Sciences, Department of Bioscience, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Job Boekhoven
- School of Natural Sciences, Department of Bioscience, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany.
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17
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Qi Y, Zhang Z, Wu Z, Qin Z, Zhou Y, Yang X. Composite System of Lauryl Glucoside and Lauryl Glycoside Sulfosuccinate: Properties and Applications in Vitamin E Nanoemulsions. Chempluschem 2024; 89:e202400058. [PMID: 38578659 DOI: 10.1002/cplu.202400058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
The synergistic effect of surfactant compounding on performance can be leveraged to enhance product application performance. An investigation of the surface tension and emulsification properties revealed the complex synergistic effect of the composite system comprising lauryl glucoside (LG) and lauryl glycoside sulfosuccinate (LG-SS). The composite system was used as an emulsifier for vitamin E (VE) emulsification. VE nanoemulsions with high VE content were successfully prepared. The nanoemulsion appears homogeneous and transparent and has an average size of approximately 200 nm. It has better temperature and centrifugal stability, an antioxidant capacity 2.89 times that of untreated VE, and is not easily oxidized and deactivated. In this study, we successfully constructed a complex system of LG and its derivatives and applied it to VE emulsification - this is a step toward expanding the effective application of glycosides and their derivative composite systems in food, pharmaceutics, and other industries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunqin Qi
- Department Bio-based Functional Surfactant Research Department, Institution 1 China Research Institute of Daily Chemical Industry, Institution 2 Shanxi Key Laboratory of Functional Surfactants, Address 34 Wenyuan Street, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, 030001, P.R. China
| | - Zhihui Zhang
- Department Bio-based Functional Surfactant Research Department, Institution 1 China Research Institute of Daily Chemical Industry, Institution 2 Shanxi Key Laboratory of Functional Surfactants, Address 34 Wenyuan Street, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, 030001, P.R. China
| | - Zhiyu Wu
- Department Bio-based Functional Surfactant Research Department, Institution 1 China Research Institute of Daily Chemical Industry, Institution 2 Shanxi Key Laboratory of Functional Surfactants, Address 34 Wenyuan Street, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, 030001, P.R. China
| | - Ziyu Qin
- Department Bio-based Functional Surfactant Research Department, Institution 1 China Research Institute of Daily Chemical Industry, Institution 2 Shanxi Key Laboratory of Functional Surfactants, Address 34 Wenyuan Street, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, 030001, P.R. China
| | - Yuan Zhou
- Department Bio-based Functional Surfactant Research Department, Institution 1 China Research Institute of Daily Chemical Industry, Institution 2 Shanxi Key Laboratory of Functional Surfactants, Address 34 Wenyuan Street, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, 030001, P.R. China
| | - Xiuquan Yang
- Department Bio-based Functional Surfactant Research Department, Institution 1 China Research Institute of Daily Chemical Industry, Institution 2 Shanxi Key Laboratory of Functional Surfactants, Address 34 Wenyuan Street, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, 030001, P.R. China
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18
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Kalita K, Zeng B, You JB, Li Y, Moyo A, Xu BB, Zhang X. Spontaneous Rise of Hydrogen Microbubbles in Interfacial Gas Evolution Reaction. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2400849. [PMID: 38644168 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202400849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Liquid organic hydrogen carrier is a promising option for the transport and storage of hydrogen as a clean energy source. This study examines the stability and behavior of organic drops immobilized on a substrate during an interfacial hydrogen-evolution reaction (HER) at the drop surface and its surrounding aqueous solution. Hydrogen microbubbles form within the drop and rise to the drop apex. The growth rate of the hydrogen in-drop bubble increases with the concentration of the reactant in the surrounding medium. The drop remains stable till the buoyancy acting on the in-drop bubble is large enough to overcome the capillary force and the external viscous drag. The bubble spontaneously rises and carries a portion drop liquid to the solution surface. These spontaneous rising in-drop bubbles are detected in measurements using a high-precision sensor placed on the upper surface of the aqueous solution, reversing the settling phase from phase separation in the reactive emulsion. The finding from this work provides new insights into the behaviors of drops and bubbles in many interfacial gas evolution reactions in clean technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangkana Kalita
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Binglin Zeng
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 1H9, Canada
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Jae Bem You
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Yifan Li
- Department of Mechanical and Construction Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK
| | - Anotidaishe Moyo
- Department of Mechanical and Construction Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK
| | - Ben Bin Xu
- Department of Mechanical and Construction Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK
| | - Xuehua Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 1H9, Canada
- Physics of Fluids Group and Max Planck Center for Complex Fluid Dynamics, University of Twente, 7500 AE, Enschede, The Netherlands
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19
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Pantaleone LC, Calicchia E, Martinelli J, Stuart MCA, Lopatina YY, Browne WR, Portale G, Tych KM, Kudernac T. Exerting pulling forces in fluids by directional disassembly of microcrystalline fibres. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2024:10.1038/s41565-024-01742-x. [PMID: 39075290 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-024-01742-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
Biomolecular polymerization motors are biochemical systems that use supramolecular (de-)polymerization to convert chemical potential into useful mechanical work. With the intent to explore new chemomechanical transduction strategies, here we show a synthetic molecular system that can generate forces via the controlled disassembly of self-organized molecules in a crystal lattice, as they are freely suspended in a fluid. An amphiphilic monomer self-assembles into rigid, high-aspect-ratio microcrystalline fibres. The assembly process is regulated by a coumarin-based pH switching motif. The microfibre crystal morphology determines the monomer reactivity at the interface, resulting in anisotropic etching. This effect exerts a directional pulling force on microscopic beads adsorbed on the crystal surface through weak multivalent interactions. We use optical-tweezers-based force spectroscopy to extract mechanistic insights into this process, quantifying a stall force of 2.3 pN (±0.1 pN) exerted by the ratcheting mechanism produced by the disassembly of the microfibres.
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Affiliation(s)
- L C Pantaleone
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - E Calicchia
- Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - J Martinelli
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - M C A Stuart
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
- Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Y Y Lopatina
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
- Institute of Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - W R Browne
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - G Portale
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - K M Tych
- Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.
| | - T Kudernac
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.
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20
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Saha NK, Salvia WS, Konkolewicz D, Hartley CS. Transient Covalent Polymers through Carbodiimide-Driven Assembly. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202404933. [PMID: 38772695 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202404933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Biochemical systems make use of out-of-equilibrium polymers generated under kinetic control. Inspired by these systems, many abiotic supramolecular polymers driven by chemical fuel reactions have been reported. Conversely, polymers based on transient covalent bonds have received little attention, even though they have the potential to complement supramolecular systems by generating transient structures based on stronger bonds and by offering a straightforward tuning of reaction kinetics. In this study, we show that simple aqueous dicarboxylic acids give poly(anhydrides) when treated with the carbodiimide EDC. Transient covalent polymers with molecular weights exceeding 15,000 are generated which then decompose over the course of hours to weeks. Disassembly kinetics can be controlled using simple substituent effects in the monomer design. The impact of solvent polarity, carbodiimide concentration, temperature, pyridine concentration, and monomer concentration on polymer properties and lifetimes has been investigated. The results reveal substantial control over polymer assembly and disassembly kinetics, highlighting the potential for fine-tuned kinetic control in nonequilibrium polymerization systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nirob K Saha
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami University, 651 E High St, Oxford, OH, 45056, United States
| | - William S Salvia
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami University, 651 E High St, Oxford, OH, 45056, United States
| | - Dominik Konkolewicz
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami University, 651 E High St, Oxford, OH, 45056, United States
| | - C Scott Hartley
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami University, 651 E High St, Oxford, OH, 45056, United States
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21
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Waeterschoot J, Kayahan E, Breukers J, Lammertyn J, Casadevall I Solvas X. The effects of droplet stabilization by surfactants and nanoparticles on leakage, cross-talk, droplet stability, and cell adhesion. RSC Adv 2024; 14:24115-24129. [PMID: 39091374 PMCID: PMC11292313 DOI: 10.1039/d4ra04298k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Partially fluorinated nanoparticles (FNPs) have been proposed as a promising alternative for stabilising aqueous droplets in fluorinated oils. The exceptional energetic stability of FNPs at the droplet interface holds the potential for minimising leakage, enhancing stability, and promoting improved cell adhesion. However, their lower diffusion coefficient compared to surfactants presents challenges in achieving rapid droplet stabilisation, which is important in microfluidics applications. While several studies have focused on some of these aspects, a comprehensive study and direct comparison with conventional fluorosurfactants is still missing. In this manuscript, we undertake an examination and comparison of four crucial facets of both FNP- and surfactant-stabilised droplets: leakage of compounds, emulsion stability, droplet formation dynamics and cell adhesion. Contrary to what has previously been claimed, our findings demonstrate that FNPs only reduce leakage and cross-talk in very specific cases (e.g., resorufin), failing to provide enhanced compartmentalisation for highly hydrophobic dyes (e.g., rhodamine dyes). On the other hand, FNP-stabilised droplets indeed exhibit greater long-term stability compared to their surfactant-stabilised counterparts. Regarding the size of droplets generated via a diversity of microfluidic methods, no significant differences were observed between FNP-stabilised and surfactant-stabilised droplets. Finally, the previously reported improvements in cell adhesion and spreading on FNP-stabilised interfaces is limited to flat oil/water (o/w) interfaces and could not be observed within droplets. These comprehensive analyses shed light on the nuanced performance of FNPs and commercial fluorosurfactants as stabilising agents for aqueous droplets in fluorinated oils, contributing valuable insights for choosing the correct formulation for specific droplet-based microfluidics applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorik Waeterschoot
- Biomimetics Group, Divison of Mechatronics, Biostatistics and Sensors (MeBios), Department of Biosystems KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42 3001 Leuven Belgium
| | - Emine Kayahan
- Biomimetics Group, Divison of Mechatronics, Biostatistics and Sensors (MeBios), Department of Biosystems KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42 3001 Leuven Belgium
| | - Jolien Breukers
- Biosensors Group, Divison of Mechatronics, Biostatistics and Sensors (MeBios), Department of Biosystems KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42 3001 Heverlee Belgium
| | - Jeroen Lammertyn
- Biosensors Group, Divison of Mechatronics, Biostatistics and Sensors (MeBios), Department of Biosystems KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42 3001 Heverlee Belgium
| | - Xavier Casadevall I Solvas
- Biomimetics Group, Divison of Mechatronics, Biostatistics and Sensors (MeBios), Department of Biosystems KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42 3001 Leuven Belgium
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22
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Wincenciuk A, Cmoch P, Giedyk M, Andersson MP, Gryko D. Aqueous Micellar Environment Impacts the Co-Catalyzed Phototransformation: A Case Study. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:19828-19838. [PMID: 39003762 PMCID: PMC11273611 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c02682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, methodologies that rely on water as the reaction medium have gained considerable attention. The unique properties of micellar solutions were shown to improve the regio-, stereo-, and chemoselectivity of different transformations. Herein, we demonstrate that the aqueous environment is a suitable medium for a visible light driven cobalt-catalyzed reaction involving radical species. In this system, reduced vitamin B12 reacts with alkyl halides, generating radicals that are trapped by the lipophilic olefin present in the Stern layer. A series of NMR measurements and theoretical studies revealed the location of reaction components in the micellar system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Wincenciuk
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences;, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Cmoch
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences;, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maciej Giedyk
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences;, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Martin P. Andersson
- Center
for Integrative Petroleum Research, King
Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Dorota Gryko
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences;, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
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23
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Zozulia O, Kriebisch CME, Kriebisch BAK, Soria-Carrera H, Ryadi KR, Steck J, Boekhoven J. Acyl Phosphates as Chemically Fueled Building Blocks for Self-Sustaining Protocells. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202406094. [PMID: 38743852 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202406094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Lipids spontaneously assemble into vesicle-forming membranes. Such vesicles serve as compartments for even the simplest living systems. Vesicles have been extensively studied for constructing synthetic cells or as models for protocells-the cells hypothesized to have existed before life. These compartments exist almost always close to equilibrium. Life, however, exists out of equilibrium. In this work, we studied vesicle-based compartments regulated by a non-equilibrium chemical reaction network that converts activating agents. In this way, the compartments require a constant or periodic supply of activating agents to sustain themselves. Specifically, we use activating agents to condense carboxylates and phosphate esters into acyl phosphate-based lipids that form vesicles. These vesicles can only be sustained when condensing agents are present; without them, they decay. We demonstrate that the chemical reaction network can operate on prebiotic activating agents, opening the door to prebiotically plausible, self-sustainable protocells that compete for resources. In future work, such protocells should be endowed with a genotype, e.g., self-replicating RNA structures, to alter the protocell's behavior. Such protocells could enable Darwinian evolution in a prebiotically plausible chemical system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleksii Zozulia
- Department of Bioscience School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Christine M E Kriebisch
- Department of Bioscience School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Brigitte A K Kriebisch
- Department of Bioscience School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Héctor Soria-Carrera
- Department of Bioscience School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Kingu Rici Ryadi
- Department of Bioscience School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Juliana Steck
- Department of Bioscience School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Job Boekhoven
- Department of Bioscience School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85748, Garching, Germany
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24
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Kurin-Csörgei K, Szalai I, Orbán M. Radical chain mechanism for the S 2O 8 2--S 2O 3 2--Cu(ii) flow system explains high-amplitude pH oscillations in the NH 4OH-modified version. RSC Adv 2024; 14:22939-22946. [PMID: 39035719 PMCID: PMC11258961 DOI: 10.1039/d4ra02863e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Peroxodisulfate is well known as an important reagent in analytical, environmental and other branches of chemistry, as well as in industrial processes. One of the most studied oxidative reactions peroxodisulfate participates in as an oxidizer is the Cu(ii)-catalyzed peroxodisulfate-thiosulfate reaction. When carried out in a flow reactor, this system shows oscillatory dynamics characterized by periodic changes in the Pt-potential and [O2] while it only displays variation in the pH with a few tenths of unit magnitude. Our recent experiments unveiled an increase of the amplitude of the pH oscillations that exceeds 4 units when NH4OH was introduced into the oscillatory flow system. The dynamics of Cu(ii)-catalyzed peroxodisulfate-thiosulfate reaction has been described in detail but the chemical mechanism explaining the oscillatory behavior has not been established. Based on what is known about the uncatalyzed reaction between peroxodisulfate and thiosulfate in the literature, we have developed a mechanism that includes radical chain reactions which can explain the oscillatory phenomena. The proposed mechanism includes 13 reactions with the radical ions SO4˙-, S2O3˙-, S2O8˙-, OH˙ and two acid-base equilibria, including the dissociation equilibrium of NH4OH accounting for its effect on the amplitude of pH oscillations. Using this model, we successfully simulated the behavior of this system: (1) the evolution of the concentrations of the initial reagents, radicals, and catalyst over time in batch configuration, (2) the periodic changes in the concentrations of radicals and the oxidized and reduced forms of the catalyst, pH and [O2] in flow conditions. Our model also explains the amplification of the pH cycles without impacting the redox processes when NH4OH is added, which is a novel phenomenon observed in nonlinear chemical reactions. The high amplitude pH oscillations we report in the peroxodisulfate-thiosulfate-Cu(ii)-NH4OH flow reaction may enable future applications where this system may serve (a) as a core oscillator in coupled chemical systems, or (b) as a pH oscillator capable of running in a closed reactor configuration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krisztina Kurin-Csörgei
- Laboratory of Nonlinear Chemical Dynamics, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös University Pázmány Péter Sétány 1/A Budapest 1117 Hungary
| | - István Szalai
- Laboratory of Nonlinear Chemical Dynamics, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös University Pázmány Péter Sétány 1/A Budapest 1117 Hungary
| | - Miklós Orbán
- Laboratory of Nonlinear Chemical Dynamics, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös University Pázmány Péter Sétány 1/A Budapest 1117 Hungary
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25
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Fielden SDP. Kinetically Controlled and Nonequilibrium Assembly of Block Copolymers in Solution. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:18781-18796. [PMID: 38967256 PMCID: PMC11258791 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c03314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Covalent polymers are versatile macromolecules that have found widespread use in society. Contemporary methods of polymerization have made it possible to construct sequence polymers, including block copolymers, with high precision. Such copolymers assemble in solution when the blocks have differing solubilities. This produces nano- and microparticles of various shapes and sizes. While it is straightforward to draw an analogy between such amphiphilic block copolymers and phospholipids, these two classes of molecules show quite different assembly characteristics. In particular, block copolymers often assemble under kinetic control, thus producing nonequilibrium structures. This leads to a rich variety of behaviors being observed in block copolymer assembly, such as pathway dependence (e.g., thermal history), nonergodicity and responsiveness. The dynamics of polymer assemblies can be readily controlled using changes in environmental conditions and/or integrating functional groups situated on polymers with external chemical reactions. This perspective highlights that kinetic control is both pervasive and a useful attribute in the mechanics of block copolymer assembly. Recent examples are highlighted in order to show that toggling between static and dynamic behavior can be used to generate, manipulate and dismantle nonequilibrium states. New methods to control the kinetics of block copolymer assembly will provide endless unanticipated applications in materials science, biomimicry and medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen D. P. Fielden
- School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United
Kingdom
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26
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Smokers IB, Visser BS, Slootbeek AD, Huck WTS, Spruijt E. How Droplets Can Accelerate Reactions─Coacervate Protocells as Catalytic Microcompartments. Acc Chem Res 2024; 57:1885-1895. [PMID: 38968602 PMCID: PMC11256357 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.4c00114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
ConspectusCoacervates are droplets formed by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and are often used as model protocells-primitive cell-like compartments that could have aided the emergence of life. Their continued presence as membraneless organelles in modern cells gives further credit to their relevance. The local physicochemical environment inside coacervates is distinctly different from the surrounding dilute solution and offers an interesting microenvironment for prebiotic reactions. Coacervates can selectively take up reactants and enhance their effective concentration, stabilize products, destabilize reactants and lower transition states, and can therefore play a similar role as micellar catalysts in providing rate enhancement and selectivity in reaction outcome. Rate enhancement and selectivity must have been essential for the origins of life by enabling chemical reactions to occur at appreciable rates and overcoming competition from hydrolysis.In this Accounts, we dissect the mechanisms by which coacervate protocells can accelerate reactions and provide selectivity. These mechanisms can similarly be exploited by membraneless organelles to control cellular processes. First, coacervates can affect the local concentration of reactants and accelerate reactions by copartitioning of reactants or exclusion of a product or inhibitor. Second, the local environment inside the coacervate can change the energy landscape for reactions taking place inside the droplets. The coacervate is more apolar than the surrounding solution and often rich in charged moieties, which can affect the stability of reactants, transition states and products. The crowded nature of the droplets can favor complexation of large molecules such as ribozymes. Their locally different proton and water activity can facilitate reactions involving a (de)protonation step, condensation reactions and reactions that are sensitive to hydrolysis. Not only the coacervate core, but also the surface can accelerate reactions and provides an interesting site for chemical reactions with gradients in pH, water activity and charge. The coacervate is often rich in catalytic amino acids and can localize catalysts like divalent metal ions, leading to further rate enhancement inside the droplets. Lastly, these coacervate properties can favor certain reaction pathways, and thereby give selectivity over the reaction outcome.These mechanisms are further illustrated with a case study on ribozyme reactions inside coacervates, for which there is a fine balance between concentration and reactivity that can be tuned by the coacervate composition. Furthermore, coacervates can both catalyze ribozyme reactions and provide product selectivity, demonstrating that coacervates could have functioned as enzyme-like catalytic microcompartments at the origins of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris B.
A. Smokers
- Institute for Molecules and
Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6523 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Brent S. Visser
- Institute for Molecules and
Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6523 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Annemiek D. Slootbeek
- Institute for Molecules and
Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6523 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Wilhelm T. S. Huck
- Institute for Molecules and
Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6523 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Evan Spruijt
- Institute for Molecules and
Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6523 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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27
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Rajput S, Panigrahy S, Nayar D. In Silico View of Crowding: Biomolecular Processes to Nanomaterial Design. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:29953-29965. [PMID: 39035939 PMCID: PMC11256109 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c03344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
It is widely accepted that deciphering biomolecular structure and function requires going beyond the single-molecule or single-complex paradigm. The densely packed macromolecules, cosolutes, and metabolites in the living cell impose crowding effects on the biomolecular structure and dynamics that need to be accounted for. Molecular simulations have proven to be a powerful tool to advance the current molecular-level understanding of such a highly concentrated, complex milieu. This Mini-Review focuses on summarizing the understanding achieved so far for the effects of crowding on biomolecular processes using computational methods, along with highlighting a new direction in employing crowding as a tool for tunable nanomaterial design. The two schools of thought that form the pillars of the current understanding of crowding effects are discussed. The investigation of crowded solutions using physics-based models that encompass different time and length scales to mimic the intracellular environment are described. The limitations and challenges faced by the current models and simulation methods are addressed, highlighting the gaps to be filled for better agreement with experiments. Crowding can also act as an effective tool to modulate the structure-property-function relationships of nanomaterials, leading to the development of novel functional materials. A few recent studies, mostly experimental, have been summarized in this direction. The Mini-Review concludes with an outlook for future developments in this field in order to enable accurate mimicking of the intracellular environment using simulations and to bridge the gap between biological processes and nanomaterial design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satyendra Rajput
- Department of Materials Science
and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology
Delhi, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Sibasankar Panigrahy
- Department of Materials Science
and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology
Delhi, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Divya Nayar
- Department of Materials Science
and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology
Delhi, New Delhi 110016, India
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28
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Rivero DS, Pérez-Pérez Y, Perretti MD, Santos T, Scoccia J, Tejedor D, Carrillo R. Kinetic Control of Complexity in Multiple Dynamic Libraries. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202406654. [PMID: 38660925 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202406654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Multiple dynamic libraries of compounds are generated when more than one reversible reaction comes into play. Commonly, two or more orthogonal reversible reactions are used, leading to non-communicating dynamic libraries which share no building blocks. Only a few examples of communicating libraries have been reported, and in all those cases, building blocks are reversibly exchanged from one library to the other, constituting an antiparallel dynamic covalent system. Herein we report that communication between two different dynamic libraries through an irreversible process is also possible. Indeed, alkyl amines cancel the dynamic regime on the nucleophilic substitution of tetrazines, generating kinetically inert compounds. Interestingly, such amine can be part of another dynamic library, an imine-amine exchange. Thus, both libraries are interconnected with each other by an irreversible process which leads to kinetically inert structures that contain parts from both libraries, causing a collapse of the complexity. Additionally, a latent irreversible intercommunication could be developed. In such a way, a stable molecular system with specific host-guest and fluorescence properties, could be irreversibly transformed when the right stimulus was applied, triggering the cancellation of the original supramolecular and luminescent properties and the emergence of new ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Rivero
- Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez 3, 38206, La Laguna, Spain
| | - Yaiza Pérez-Pérez
- Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez 3, 38206, La Laguna, Spain
| | - Marcelle D Perretti
- Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez 3, 38206, La Laguna, Spain
| | - Tanausú Santos
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Investigación en Síntesis Química, Universidad de La Rioja, 26006, Logroño, Spain
| | - Jimena Scoccia
- Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez 3, 38206, La Laguna, Spain
| | - David Tejedor
- Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez 3, 38206, La Laguna, Spain
| | - Romen Carrillo
- Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez 3, 38206, La Laguna, Spain
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29
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Pilkington CP, Gispert I, Chui SY, Seddon JM, Elani Y. Engineering a nanoscale liposome-in-liposome for in situ biochemical synthesis and multi-stage release. Nat Chem 2024:10.1038/s41557-024-01584-z. [PMID: 39009794 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-024-01584-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
Soft-matter nanoscale assemblies such as liposomes and lipid nanoparticles have the potential to deliver and release multiple cargos in an externally stimulated and site-specific manner. Such assemblies are currently structurally simplistic, comprising spherical capsules or lipid clusters. Given that form and function are intertwined, this lack of architectural complexity restricts the development of more sophisticated properties. To address this, we have devised an engineering strategy combining microfluidics and conjugation chemistry to synthesize nanosized liposomes with two discrete compartments, one within another, which we term concentrisomes. We can control the composition of each bilayer and tune both particle size and the dimensions between inner and outer membranes. We can specify the identity of encapsulated cargo within each compartment, and the biophysical features of inner and outer bilayers, allowing us to imbue each bilayer with different stimuli-responsive properties. We use these particles for multi-stage release of two payloads at defined time points, and as attolitre reactors for triggered in situ biochemical synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin P Pilkington
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Science Research Hub, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Ignacio Gispert
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Suet Y Chui
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - John M Seddon
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Science Research Hub, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Yuval Elani
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK.
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30
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Zhang Z, Howlett MG, Silvester E, Kukura P, Fletcher SP. A Chemical Reaction Network Drives Complex Population Dynamics in Oscillating Self-Reproducing Vesicles. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:18262-18269. [PMID: 38917079 PMCID: PMC11240260 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c00860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
We report chemically fueled oscillations of vesicles. The population cycling of vesicles is driven by their self-reproduction and collapse within a biphasic reaction network involving the interplay of molecular and supramolecular events. We studied the oscillations on the molecular and supramolecular scales and tracked vesicle populations in time by interferometric scattering microscopy and dynamic light scattering. Complex supramolecular events were observed during oscillations─including vesicle reproduction, growth, and decomposition─and differences in the number, size, and mass of aggregates can often be observed within and between pulses. This system's dynamic behavior is reminiscent of a reproductive cycle in living cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiheng Zhang
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, U.K.
| | - Michael G. Howlett
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, U.K.
| | - Emma Silvester
- The
Kavli Institute for NanoScience Discovery, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Building, Oxford OX1 3QU, U.K.
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, U.K.
| | - Philipp Kukura
- The
Kavli Institute for NanoScience Discovery, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Building, Oxford OX1 3QU, U.K.
- Physical
and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, U.K.
| | - Stephen P. Fletcher
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, U.K.
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31
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Sherwin WB. Pan-Evo: The Evolution of Information and Biology's Part in This. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:507. [PMID: 39056700 PMCID: PMC11273748 DOI: 10.3390/biology13070507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Many people wonder whether biology, including humans, will benefit or experience harm from new developments in information such as artificial intelligence (AI). Here, it is proposed that biological and non-biological information might be components of a unified process, 'Panevolution' or 'Pan-Evo', based on four basic operations-innovation, transmission, adaptation, and movement. Pan-Evo contains many types of variable objects, from molecules to ecosystems. Biological innovation includes mutations and behavioural changes; non-biological innovation includes naturally occurring physical innovations and innovation in software. Replication is commonplace in and outside biology, including autocatalytic chemicals and autonomous software replication. Adaptation includes biological selection, autocatalytic chemicals, and 'evolutionary programming', which is used in AI. The extension of biological speciation to non-biological information creates a concept called 'Panspeciation'. Panevolution might benefit or harm biology, but the harm might be minimal if AI and humans behave intelligently because humans and the machines in which an AI resides might split into vastly different environments that suit them. That is a possible example of Panspeciation and would be the first speciation event involving humans for thousands of years. This event will not be particularly hostile to humans if humans learn to evaluate information and cooperate better to minimise both human stupidity and artificial simulated stupidity (ASS-a failure of AI).
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Affiliation(s)
- William B Sherwin
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological Earth and Environmental Science, UNSW-Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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32
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Sis MJ, Liu D, Allen I, Webber MJ. Iterative Design Reveals Molecular Domain Relationships in Supramolecular Peptide-Drug Conjugates. Biomacromolecules 2024; 25:4482-4491. [PMID: 38870408 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.4c00519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Supramolecular peptide-drug conjugates (sPDCs) are prepared by covalent attachment of a drug moiety to a peptide motif programmed for one-dimensional self-assembly, with subsequent physical entanglement of these fibrillar structures enabling formation of nanofibrous hydrogels. This class of prodrug materials presents an attractive platform for mass-efficient and site-specific delivery of therapeutic agents using a discrete, single-component molecular design. However, a continued challenge in sPDC development is elucidating relationships between supramolecular interactions in their drug and peptide domains and the resultant impacts of these domains on assembly outcomes and material properties. Inclusion of a saturated alkyl segment alongside the prodrug in the hydrophobic domain of sPDCs could relieve some of the necessity for ordered, prodrug-produg interactions. Accordingly, nine sPDCs are prepared here to iterate the design variables of amino acid sequence and hydrophobic prodrug-alkyl block design. All molecules spontaneously formed hydrogels under physiological conditions, indicating a less hindered thermodynamic path to self-assembly relative to previous prodrug-only designs. However, material studies on the supramolecular arrangement, formation, and mechanical properties of the resultant sPDC hydrogels as well as their drug release profiles showed complex relationships between the hydrophobic and peptide domains in the formation and function of the resulting assemblies. Together, these results indicate that sPDC material properties are intrinsically linked to holistic molecular design with coupled contributions from their prodrug and peptide domains in directing properties of the emergent materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Sis
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Dongping Liu
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Isabella Allen
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Matthew J Webber
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
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33
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Yu X, Hu W, Dong H, Zhao T, Wang X, Chen L, Xue S, Li JP, Luo SZ. Phase Separation Enhanced PROTAC for Highly Efficient Protein Degradation. Biomacromolecules 2024; 25:4374-4383. [PMID: 38825770 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.4c00424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Biomacromolecular condensates formed via phase separation establish compartments for the enrichment of specific compositions, which is also used as a biological tool to enhance molecule condensation, thereby increasing the efficiency of biological processes. Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) have been developed as powerful tools for targeted protein degradation in cells, offering a promising approach for therapies for different diseases. Herein, we introduce an intrinsically disordered region in the PROTAC (denoted PSETAC), which led to the formation of droplets of target proteins in the cells and increased degradation efficiency compared with PROTAC without phase separation. Further, using a nucleus targeting intrinsically disordered domain, the PSETAC was able to target and degrade nuclear-located proteins. Finally, we demonstrated intracellular delivery of PSETAC using lipid nanoparticle-encapsulated mRNA (mRNA-LNP) for the degradation of the endogenous target protein. This study established the PSETAC mRNA-LNP method as a potentially translatable, safe therapeutic strategy for the development of clinical applications based on PROTAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolin Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Wenrui Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Hang Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Tian Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Xiaotian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Long Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Song Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Jin-Ping Li
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Uppsala, 751 05 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Shi-Zhong Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
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34
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Gilboa S, Panz L, Arbell N, Paz Y. Light-Assisted Formation of Nucleosides and Nucleotides from Formamide in the Presence of Cerium Phosphate. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:846. [PMID: 39063600 PMCID: PMC11277737 DOI: 10.3390/life14070846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The abiotic formation of nucleotides from small, simple molecules is of large interest in the context of elucidating the origin of life scenario. In what follows, it is shown that nucleosides and nucleotides can be formed from formamide in a one-pot reaction utilizing the mineral cerium phosphate (CePO4) as a photocatalyst, a catalyst and a reactant that supplies the necessary phosphate groups. While the most abundant RNA/DNA building blocks were thymidine and thymidine monophosphate, considerable yields of other building blocks such as cytidine, cytidine monophosphate, and adenosine cyclic monophosphate were found. Comparing the yield of nucleosides and nucleotides under light conditions to that in the dark suggests that in the presence of cerium phosphate, light promotes the formation of nucleobases, whereas the formation of nucleotides from nucleosides take place even in the absence of light. The scenario described herein is considerably simpler than other scenarios involving several steps and several reactants. Therefore, by virtue of the principle of Occam's razor, it should be of large interest for the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoval Gilboa
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 320003, Israel; (S.G.); (N.A.)
| | - Larisa Panz
- The Schulich Department of Chemistry, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 320003, Israel;
| | - Nitai Arbell
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 320003, Israel; (S.G.); (N.A.)
| | - Yaron Paz
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 320003, Israel; (S.G.); (N.A.)
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35
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Rijns L, Baker MB, Dankers PYW. Using Chemistry To Recreate the Complexity of the Extracellular Matrix: Guidelines for Supramolecular Hydrogel-Cell Interactions. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:17539-17558. [PMID: 38888174 PMCID: PMC11229007 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c02980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Hydrogels have emerged as a promising class of extracellular matrix (ECM)-mimicking materials in regenerative medicine. Here, we briefly describe current state-of-the-art of ECM-mimicking hydrogels, ranging from natural to hybrid to completely synthetic versions, giving the prelude to the importance of supramolecular interactions to make true ECM mimics. The potential of supramolecular interactions to create ECM mimics for cell culture is illustrated through a focus on two different supramolecular hydrogel systems, both developed in our laboratories. We use some recent, significant findings to present important design principles underlying the cell-material interaction. To achieve cell spreading, we propose that slow molecular dynamics (monomer exchange within fibers) is crucial to ensure the robust incorporation of cell adhesion ligands within supramolecular fibers. Slow bulk dynamics (stress-relaxation─fiber rearrangements, τ1/2 ≈ 1000 s) is required to achieve cell spreading in soft gels (<1 kPa), while gel stiffness overrules dynamics in stiffer gels. Importantly, this resonates with the findings of others which specialize in different material types: cell spreading is impaired in case substrate relaxation occurs faster than clutch binding and focal adhesion lifetime. We conclude with discussing considerations and limitations of the supramolecular approach as well as provide a forward thinking perspective to further understand supramolecular hydrogel-cell interactions. Future work may utilize the presented guidelines underlying cell-material interactions to not only arrive at the next generation of ECM-mimicking hydrogels but also advance other fields, such as bioelectronics, opening up new opportunities for innovative applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Rijns
- Institute
for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven
University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Matthew B. Baker
- Department
of Complex Tissue Regeneration, MERLN Institute for Technology Inspired
Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department
of Instructive Biomaterials Engineering, MERLN Institute for Technology
Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht
University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Patricia Y. W. Dankers
- Institute
for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven
University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven
University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
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36
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Sivoria N, Mahato RR, Priyanka, Saini A, Maiti S. Enzymatic Dissociation of DNA-Histone Condensates in an Electrophoretic Setting: Modulating DNA Patterning and Hydrogel Viscoelasticity. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:13505-13514. [PMID: 38896798 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c00939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Development of an energy-driven self-assembly process is a matter of interest for understanding and mimicking diverse ranges of biological and environmental patterns in a synthetic system. In this article, first we demonstrate transient and temporally controlled self-assembly of a DNA-histone condensate where trypsin (already present in the system) hydrolyzes histone, resulting in disassembly. Upon performing this dynamic self-assembly process in a gel matrix under an electric field, we observe diverse kinds of DNA patterning across the gel matrix depending on the amount of trypsin, incubation time of the reaction mixture, and gel porosity. Notably, here, the micrometer-sized DNA-histone condensate does not move through the gel and only free DNA can pass; therefore, transport and accumulation of DNA at different zones depend on the release rate of DNA by trypsin. Furthermore, we show that the viscoelasticity of the native gel increases in the presence of DNA and a pattern over gel viscoelasticity at different zones can be achieved by tuning the amount of enzyme, i.e., the dissociation rate of the DNA-histone condensate. We believe enabling spatiotemporally controlled DNA patterning by applying an electric field will be potentially important in designing different kinds of spatiotemporally distinct dynamic materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neetu Sivoria
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, Knowledge City, Manauli 140306, India
| | - Rishi Ram Mahato
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, Knowledge City, Manauli 140306, India
| | - Priyanka
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, Knowledge City, Manauli 140306, India
| | - Aman Saini
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, Knowledge City, Manauli 140306, India
| | - Subhabrata Maiti
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, Knowledge City, Manauli 140306, India
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37
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Wu H, Chen QX, Su Y, Chen Z. The Role of Hydrogen Bonds in Thermally Responsive Crystallization-Driven Template Autocatalysis. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202404838. [PMID: 38654551 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202404838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Autocatalysis has been recognized to be involved in the emergence of life and intrinsic to biomolecular replication. Recently, an efficient template autocatalysis driven by solvent-free crystallization has been reported. Herein, we unveil the role of intermolecular hydrogen bonds formed by amides in crystallization-driven template autocatalysis (CDTA), which involves the autocatalytic activity, template selectivity, and thermal responsiveness. We found that the thermal-induced cis-trans isomerization of amides possibly affects the H-bonding-mediated template ability of products for autocatalytic transformation. As a result, CDTA can be reversibly inhibited and activated by tuning the reaction temperatures. Our work sheds light on the significance of noncovalent H-bonding interactions in artificial self-replicators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huimin Wu
- Institute of Materials Research, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, P. R. China
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, P. R. China
| | - Qing-Xuan Chen
- Institute of Materials Research, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, P. R. China
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, P. R. China
| | - Yang Su
- Institute of Materials Research, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, P. R. China
| | - Zhen Chen
- Institute of Materials Research, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, P. R. China
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38
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Wan L, Zhu Y, Zhang W, Mu W. Recent advances in design and application of synthetic membraneless organelles. Biotechnol Adv 2024; 73:108355. [PMID: 38588907 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2024.108355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Membraneless organelles (MLOs) formed by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) have been extensively studied due to their spatiotemporal control of biochemical and cellular processes in living cells. These findings have provided valuable insights into the physicochemical principles underlying the formation and functionalization of biomolecular condensates, which paves the way for the development of versatile phase-separating systems capable of addressing a variety of application scenarios. Here, we highlight the potential of constructing synthetic MLOs with programmable and functional properties. Notably, we organize how these synthetic membraneless compartments have been capitalized to manipulate enzymatic activities and metabolic reactions. The aim of this review is to inspire readerships to deeply comprehend the widespread roles of synthetic MLOs in the regulation enzymatic reactions and control of metabolic processes, and to encourage the rational design of controllable and functional membraneless compartments for a broad range of bioengineering applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
| | - Yingying Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
| | - Wenli Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China
| | - Wanmeng Mu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.
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39
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Morelli C, Faltova L, Capasso Palmiero U, Makasewicz K, Papp M, Jacquat RPB, Pinotsi D, Arosio P. RNA modulates hnRNPA1A amyloid formation mediated by biomolecular condensates. Nat Chem 2024; 16:1052-1061. [PMID: 38472406 PMCID: PMC11230912 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-024-01467-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Several RNA binding proteins involved in membraneless organelles can form pathological amyloids associated with neurodegenerative diseases, but the mechanisms of how this aggregation is modulated remain elusive. Here we investigate how heterotypic protein-RNA interactions modulate the condensation and the liquid to amyloid transition of hnRNPA1A, a protein involved in amyothropic lateral sclerosis. In the absence of RNA, formation of condensates promotes hnRNPA1A aggregation and fibrils are localized at the interface of the condensates. Addition of RNA modulates the soluble to amyloid transition of hnRNPA1A according to different pathways depending on RNA/protein stoichiometry. At low RNA concentrations, RNA promotes both condensation and amyloid formation, and the catalytic effect of RNA adds to the role of the interface between the dense and dilute phases. At higher RNA concentrations, condensation is suppressed according to re-entrant phase behaviour but formation of hnRNPA1A amyloids is observed over longer incubation times. Our findings show how heterotypic nucleic acid-protein interactions affect the kinetics and molecular pathways of amyloid formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Morelli
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Lenka Faltova
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Umberto Capasso Palmiero
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Katarzyna Makasewicz
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Marcell Papp
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Raphaël P B Jacquat
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Dorothea Pinotsi
- Scientific Center for Optical and Electron Microscopy, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Paolo Arosio
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.
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40
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Islam M, Baroi MK, Das BK, Kumari A, Das K, Ahmed S. Chemically fueled dynamic switching between assembly-encoded emissions. MATERIALS HORIZONS 2024; 11:3104-3114. [PMID: 38687299 DOI: 10.1039/d4mh00251b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Self-assembly provides access to non-covalently synthesized supramolecular materials with distinct properties from a single building block. However, dynamic switching between functional states still remains challenging, but holds enormous potential in material chemistry to design smart materials. Herein, we demonstrate a chemical fuel-mediated strategy to dynamically switch between two distinctly emissive aggregates, originating from the self-assembly of a naphthalimide-appended peptide building block. A molecularly dissolved building block shows very weak blue emission, whereas, in the assembled state (Agg-1), it shows cyan emission through π stacking-mediated excimer emission. The addition of a chemical fuel, ethyl-3-(3-(dimethylamino)propyl)carbodiimide (EDC), converts the terminal aspartic acid present in the building block to an intra-molecularly cyclized anhydride in situ forming a second aggregated state, Agg-2, by changing the molecular packing, thereby transforming the emission to strong blue. Interestingly, the anhydride gets hydrolyzed gradually to reform Agg-1 and the initial cyan emission is restored. The kinetic stability of the strong blue emissive aggregate, Agg-2, can be regulated by the added concentration of the chemical fuel. Moreover, we expand the scope of this system within an agarose gel matrix, which allows us to gain spatiotemporal control over the properties, thereby producing a self-erasable writing system where the chemical fuel acts as the ink.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manirul Islam
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) Kolkata, Kolkata 700054, India.
| | - Malay Kumar Baroi
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
| | - Basab Kanti Das
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
| | - Aanchal Kumari
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) Kolkata, Kolkata 700054, India.
| | - Krishnendu Das
- Department of Molecules and Materials & MESA+ Institute, University of Twente, Drienerlolaan 5, 7522 NB, Enschede, The Netherlands.
| | - Sahnawaz Ahmed
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) Kolkata, Kolkata 700054, India.
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41
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Kojima T, Noguchi Y, Terasaka K, Asakura K, Banno T. Engineering pH-Responsive, Self-Healing Vesicle-Type Artificial Tissues with Higher-Order Cooperative Functionalities. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2311255. [PMID: 38415816 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202311255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Multicellular organisms demonstrate a hierarchical organization where multiple cells collectively form tissues, thereby enabling higher-order cooperative functionalities beyond the capabilities of individual cells. Drawing inspiration from this biological organization, assemblies of multiple protocells are developed to create novel functional materials with emergent higher-order cooperative functionalities. This paper presents new artificial tissues derived from multiple vesicles, which serve as protocellular models. These tissues are formed and manipulated through non-covalent interactions triggered by a salt bridge. Exhibiting pH-sensitive reversible formation and destruction under neutral conditions, these artificial vesicle tissues demonstrate three distinct higher-order cooperative functionalities: transportation of large cargoes, photo-induced contractions, and enhanced survivability against external threats. The rapid assembly and disassembly of these artificial tissues in response to pH variations enable controlled mechanical task performance. Additionally, the self-healing property of these artificial tissues indicates robustness against external mechanical damage. The research suggests that these vesicles can detect specific pH environments and spontaneously assemble into artificial tissues with advanced functionalities. This leads to the possibility of developing intelligent materials with high environmental specificity, particularly for applications in soft robotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoya Kojima
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 223-8522, Japan
| | - Yutaro Noguchi
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 223-8522, Japan
| | - Koichi Terasaka
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 223-8522, Japan
| | - Kouichi Asakura
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 223-8522, Japan
| | - Taisuke Banno
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 223-8522, Japan
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42
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Qi D, Shi X, Lin C, Holzhausen F, Ville L, Sun X, Luo J, Pitkänen L, Zhu Y, Rosenholm J, Jalkanen S, Li J. Self-Adaptive Synthesis of Non-Covalent Crosslinkers while Folding Single-Chain Polymers. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024:e202408670. [PMID: 38943429 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202408670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024]
Abstract
Peptide folding is a dynamic process driven by non-covalent cross-linking leading to functional nanostructures for essential biochemical activities. However, replicating this process in synthetic systems is challenging due to the difficulty in mimicking nature's real-time regulation of non-covalent crosslinking for single-chain polymer folding. Here, we address this by employing anionic dithiol building blocks to create macrocyclic disulfides as non-covalent crosslinkers that adapted to the folding process. Initially, small macrocycles facilitated a low degree folding of a polycation. Then, this preorganized structure catalysed the production of larger macrocycles that enhanced the folding conversely. The self-adaptive synthesis was verified through the encapsulation of an anticancer drug, showing an updated production distribution of non-covalent crosslinkers and maximizing drug-loading efficiency against drug-resistant cancer in vitro. Our research advances the understanding of molecular systems by exploring species evolution via the structural dynamics of polymer folding. Additionally, adaptive synthesis enables controlled, sequential folding of synthetic polymers, with the potential to mimic protein functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawei Qi
- MediCity Research Laboratory, University of Turku, Tykistökatu 6, FI-20520, Turku, Finland
| | - Xuncheng Shi
- MediCity Research Laboratory, University of Turku, Tykistökatu 6, FI-20520, Turku, Finland
| | - Caihong Lin
- MediCity Research Laboratory, University of Turku, Tykistökatu 6, FI-20520, Turku, Finland
| | - Ferdinand Holzhausen
- MediCity Research Laboratory, University of Turku, Tykistökatu 6, FI-20520, Turku, Finland
| | - Liljeström Ville
- Nanomicroscopy Center, OtaNano, Aalto University, Espoo, 00076, Aalto, Finland
| | - Xun Sun
- Paul Scherrer Institut, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232, Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Jinghui Luo
- Paul Scherrer Institut, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232, Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Leena Pitkänen
- Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, Aalto University, 02150, Espoo, Finland
| | - Ya Zhu
- Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, Aalto University, 02150, Espoo, Finland
| | - Jessica Rosenholm
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, 20500, Turku, Finland
| | - Sirpa Jalkanen
- MediCity Research Laboratory, University of Turku, Tykistökatu 6, FI-20520, Turku, Finland
| | - Jianwei Li
- MediCity Research Laboratory, University of Turku, Tykistökatu 6, FI-20520, Turku, Finland
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43
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Zhu J, Dierks D, Möller C, Balke D, Müller S. Two RNA Folds from One Sequence: A Ribozyme with Versatile Substrate Processing Abilities. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024:e202409047. [PMID: 38940693 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202409047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
We report the design of a single RNA sequence capable of adopting one of two ribozyme folds and catalyzing the cleavage and/or ligation of the respective substrates. The RNA is able to change its conformation in response to its environment, hence it is called chameleon ribozyme (CHR). Efficient RNA cleavage of two different substrates as well as RNA ligation by CHR is demonstrated in separate experiments and in a one pot reaction. Our study shows that sequence variants of the hairpin ribozyme intersect with the hammerhead ribozyme and that rather short RNA molecules can have comprehensive conformational flexibility, which is an important feature for the emergence of new functional folds in early evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jikang Zhu
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Strasse 4, 17487, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Dorothea Dierks
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Strasse 4, 17487, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Christina Möller
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Strasse 4, 17487, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Darko Balke
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Strasse 4, 17487, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Sabine Müller
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Strasse 4, 17487, Greifswald, Germany
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44
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Huynh TP, Wittig NKL, Andersen A, Bach-Gansmo FL, Birkedal H. Underwater Fabrication of Carbon Nanotube/Coacervate Composites. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:13010-13016. [PMID: 38858173 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c00715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Soft conductive materials are of interest for a wide range of applications, but their syntheses have remained difficult. Herein, we present a convenient route for underwater fabrication of a composite made of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and mussel-inspired complex coacervates. The key to success of this method is that CNTs were solubilized very effectively in protocoacervates, which are high-concentration solutions of polyelectrolytes at a pH where only one of them is charged, thereby impeding coacervate formation. Composite materials were formed by the simple injection of CNT-dispersed protocoacervate solutions into water under ambient conditions. The method is simple, fast, and ecofriendly, and composites of CNT-complex coacervate in the form of films or bulk materials were obtained. The composites demonstrated electrical conductivity and tunable mechanical properties, which depended on the concentration of polyelectrolytes and the CNT:protocoacervate ratio. Hence, the composites can be manipulated to attain diverse properties, for examples, tunable reduced modulus (15 to 32 GPa) and hardness (0.3 to 0.7 GPa) as well as an electrical conductivity of up to 4 × 103 S m-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tan-Phat Huynh
- Department of Chemistry & iNANO, Aarhus University, 14 Gustav Wieds Vej, Aarhus 8000, Denmark
| | - Nina Ko Lln Wittig
- Department of Chemistry & iNANO, Aarhus University, 14 Gustav Wieds Vej, Aarhus 8000, Denmark
| | - Amanda Andersen
- Department of Chemistry & iNANO, Aarhus University, 14 Gustav Wieds Vej, Aarhus 8000, Denmark
| | | | - Henrik Birkedal
- Department of Chemistry & iNANO, Aarhus University, 14 Gustav Wieds Vej, Aarhus 8000, Denmark
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45
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Bassan R, Mondal B, Varshney M, Roy S. 1-Naphthylacetic acid appended amino acids-based hydrogels: probing of the supramolecular catalysis of ester hydrolysis reaction. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2024; 6:3399-3409. [PMID: 38933855 PMCID: PMC11197428 DOI: 10.1039/d4na00268g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
A 1-naphthaleneacetic acid-appended phenylalanine-derivative (Nap-F) forms a stable hydrogel with a minimum gelation concentration (MGC) of 0.7% w/v (21 mM) in phosphate buffer of pH 7.4. Interestingly, Nap-F produces two-component [Nap-F + H = Nap-FH, Nap-F + K = Nap-FK and Nap-F + R = Nap-FR], three-component [Nap-F + H + K = Nap-FH-K, Nap-F + H + R = Nap-FH-R and Nap-F + K + R = Nap-FK-R] and four-component [Nap-F + H + K + R = Nap-FH-K-R] hydrogels in water with all three natural basic amino acids (H = histidine, K = lysine and R = arginine) at various combinations below its MGC. Nap-F-hydrogel forms a nice entangled nanofibrillar network structure as evidenced by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). Interestingly, lysine-based co-assembled two- (Nap-FK), three- (Nap-FH-K and Nap-FK-R) and four-component (Nap-FH-K-R) xerogels exhibit helical nanofibrillar morphology, which was confirmed by circular dichroism spectroscopy, FE-SEM and TEM imaging. However, histidine and arginine-based two-component (Nap-FH and Nap-FR) and three-component (Nap-FH-R) co-assembled xerogels exhibiting straight nanofibrillar morphology. In their co-assembled states, these two-, three- and four-component supramolecular hydrogels show promising esterase-like activity below their MGCs. The enhanced catalytic activity of helical fibers compared to obtained straight fibers (other than lysine-based assembled systems) suggests that the helical fibrillar nanostructure is involved in ordering the esterase-like although all supramolecular assemblies are chemically different from one another.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruchika Bassan
- Department of Chemistry, Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus, NH 17B, Zuarinagar Sancoale Goa 403726 India
| | - Biplab Mondal
- School of Biological Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science 2A & 2B, Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur Kolkata-700034 West Bengal India
| | - Mayank Varshney
- Senior Application Scientist, Characterization Division, Anton Paar India Pvt. Ltd. 582, Phase V, Udyog Vihar Industrial Area Gurgaon 122016 Haryana India
| | - Subhasish Roy
- Department of Chemistry, Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus, NH 17B, Zuarinagar Sancoale Goa 403726 India
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46
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Csizi KS, Steiner M, Reiher M. Nanoscale chemical reaction exploration with a quantum magnifying glass. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5320. [PMID: 38909029 PMCID: PMC11193806 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49594-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Nanoscopic systems exhibit diverse molecular substructures by which they facilitate specific functions. Theoretical models of them, which aim at describing, understanding, and predicting these capabilities, are difficult to build. Viable quantum-classical hybrid models come with specific challenges regarding atomistic structure construction and quantum region selection. Moreover, if their dynamics are mapped onto a state-to-state mechanism such as a chemical reaction network, its exhaustive exploration will be impossible due to the combinatorial explosion of the reaction space. Here, we introduce a "quantum magnifying glass" that allows one to interactively manipulate nanoscale structures at the quantum level. The quantum magnifying glass seamlessly combines autonomous model parametrization, ultra-fast quantum mechanical calculations, and automated reaction exploration. It represents an approach to investigate complex reaction sequences in a physically consistent manner with unprecedented effortlessness in real time. We demonstrate these features for reactions in bio-macromolecules and metal-organic frameworks, diverse systems that highlight general applicability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja-Sophia Csizi
- ETH Zurich, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 2, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Miguel Steiner
- ETH Zurich, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 2, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland
- ETH Zurich, NCCR Catalysis, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 2, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Markus Reiher
- ETH Zurich, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 2, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland.
- ETH Zurich, NCCR Catalysis, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 2, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland.
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47
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Sangji MH, Lee SR, Sai H, Weigand S, Palmer LC, Stupp SI. Self-Sorting vs Coassembly in Peptide Amphiphile Supramolecular Nanostructures. ACS NANO 2024; 18:15878-15887. [PMID: 38848478 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c03083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
The functionality of supramolecular nanostructures can be expanded if systems containing multiple components are designed to either self-sort or mix into coassemblies. This is critical to gain the ability to craft self-assembling materials that integrate functions, and our understanding of this process is in its early stages. In this work, we have utilized three different peptide amphiphiles with the capacity to form β-sheets within supramolecular nanostructures and found binary systems that self-sort and others that form coassemblies. This was measured using atomic force microscopy to reveal the nanoscale morphology of assemblies and confocal laser scanning microscopy to determine the distribution of fluorescently labeled monomers. We discovered that PA assemblies with opposite supramolecular chirality self-sorted into chemically distinct nanostructures. In contrast, the PA molecules that formed a mixture of right-handed, left-handed, and flat nanostructures on their own were able to coassemble with the other PA molecules. We attribute this phenomenon to the energy barrier associated with changing the handedness of a β-sheet twist in a coassembly of two different PA molecules. This observation could be useful for designing biomolecular nanostructures with dual bioactivity or interpenetrating networks of PA supramolecular assemblies.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Hussain Sangji
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Sieun Ruth Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, 2220 Campus Drive, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Hiroaki Sai
- Simpson Querrey Institute for BioNanotechnology, Northwestern University, 303 E Superior St., Chicago, Illinois 60611, United States
| | - Steven Weigand
- DuPont-Northwestern-Dow Collaborative Access Team Synchrotron Research Center, Northwestern University, Advanced Photon Source/Argonne National Laboratory 432-A004, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Liam C Palmer
- Simpson Querrey Institute for BioNanotechnology, Northwestern University, 303 E Superior St., Chicago, Illinois 60611, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Samuel I Stupp
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, 2220 Campus Drive, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Simpson Querrey Institute for BioNanotechnology, Northwestern University, 303 E Superior St., Chicago, Illinois 60611, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Department of Medicine, Northwestern University, 676 N St. Clair Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611, United States
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48
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Wang H, Wang K, Bai S, Wei L, Gao Y, Zhi K, Guo X, Wang Y. Spatiotemporal control over self-assembly of supramolecular hydrogels through reaction-diffusion. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 664:938-945. [PMID: 38503079 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.03.091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Supramolecular self-assembly is ubiquitous in living system and is usually controlled to proceed in time and space through sophisticated reaction-diffusion processes, underpinning various vital cellular functions. In this contribution, we demonstrate how spatiotemporal self-assembly of supramolecular hydrogels can be realized through a simple reaction-diffusion-mediated transient transduction of pH signal. In the reaction-diffusion system, a relatively faster diffusion of acid followed by delayed enzymatic production and diffusion of base from the opposite site enables a transient transduction of pH signal in the substrate. By coupling such reaction-diffusion system with pH-sensitive gelators, dynamic supramolecular hydrogels with tunable lifetimes are formed at defined locations. The hydrogel fibers show interesting dynamic growing behaviors under the regulation of transient pH signal, reminiscent of their biological counterpart. We further demonstrate a proof-of-concept application of the developed methodology for dynamic information encoding in a soft substrate. We envision that this work may provide a potent approach to enable transient transduction of various chemical signals for the construction of new colloidal materials with the capability to evolve their structures and functionalities in time and space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hucheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Kainan Wang
- School of Health Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Shengyu Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Lai Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Yuliang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Kangkang Zhi
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200003, China.
| | - Xuhong Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Yiming Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory for Intelligent Sensing and Detection Technology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
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49
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Triantafyllopoulou E, Forys A, Perinelli DR, Balafouti A, Karayianni M, Trzebicka B, Bonacucina G, Valsami G, Pippa N, Pispas S. Deciphering the Lipid-Random Copolymer Interactions and Encoding Their Properties to Design a Hybrid System. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:11936-11946. [PMID: 38797979 PMCID: PMC11190979 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c00278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Lipid/copolymer colloidal systems are deemed hybrid materials with unique properties and functionalities. Their hybrid nature leads to complex interfacial phenomena, which have not been fully encoded yet, navigating their properties. Moving toward in-depth knowledge of such systems, a comprehensive investigation of them is imperative. In the present study, hybrid lipid/copolymer structures were fabricated and examined by a gamut of techniques, including dynamic light scattering, fluorescence spectroscopy, cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, microcalorimetry, and high-resolution ultrasound spectroscopy. The biomaterials that were mixed for this purpose at different ratios were 1,2-dioctadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and four different linear, statistical (random) amphiphilic copolymers, consisting of oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate as the hydrophilic comonomer and lauryl methacrylate as the hydrophobic one. The colloidal dispersions were studied for lipid/copolymer interactions regarding their physicochemical, morphological, and biophysical behavior. Their membrane properties and interactions with serum proteins were also studied. The aforementioned techniques confirmed the hybrid nature of the systems and the location of the copolymer in the structure. More importantly, the random architecture of the copolymers, the hydrophobic-to-hydrophilic balance of the nanoplatforms, and the lipid-to-polymer ratio are highlighted as the main design-influencing factors. Elucidating the lipid/copolymer interactions would contribute to the translation of hybrid nanoparticle performance and, thus, their rational design for multiple applications, including drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Efstathia Triantafyllopoulou
- Section
of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health
Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University
of Athens, Panepistimioupolis
Zografou, Athens 15771, Greece
| | - Aleksander Forys
- Centre
of Polymer and Carbon Materials, Polish
Academy of Sciences, Zabrze 41-819, Poland
| | - Diego Romano Perinelli
- School
of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III da Varano, Camerino 62032, Italy
| | - Anastasia Balafouti
- Theoretical
and Physical Chemistry Institute, National
Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Avenue, Athens 11635, Greece
| | - Maria Karayianni
- Theoretical
and Physical Chemistry Institute, National
Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Avenue, Athens 11635, Greece
| | - Barbara Trzebicka
- Centre
of Polymer and Carbon Materials, Polish
Academy of Sciences, Zabrze 41-819, Poland
| | - Giulia Bonacucina
- School
of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III da Varano, Camerino 62032, Italy
| | - Georgia Valsami
- Section
of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health
Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University
of Athens, Panepistimioupolis
Zografou, Athens 15771, Greece
| | - Natassa Pippa
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimioupolis Zografou 15771, Athens 157 72, Greece
| | - Stergios Pispas
- Theoretical
and Physical Chemistry Institute, National
Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Avenue, Athens 11635, Greece
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50
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Mohanty S, Sen S, Sharma P, Roy S. Designing Pathway-Controlled Multicomponent Ultrashort Peptide Hydrogels with Diverse Functionalities at the Nanoscale for Directing Cellular Behavior. Biomacromolecules 2024; 25:3271-3287. [PMID: 38712837 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c01410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Tuning self-assembling pathways by implementing different external stimuli has been extensively studied, owing to their effective control over structural and mechanical properties. Consequently, multicomponent peptide hydrogels with high structural tunability and stimuli responsiveness are crucial in dictating cellular behavior. Herein, we have implemented both coassembly approach and pathway-dependent self-assembly to design nonequilibrium nanostructures to understand the thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of peptide self-assembly toward controlling cellular response. Our system involved an ultrashort peptide gelator and a hydrophilic surfactant which coassembled through different pathways, i.e., heat-cool and sonication methods with variable energy input. Interestingly, it was possible to access diverse structural and mechanical properties at the nanoscale in a single coassembled system. Further, the hydrophilic surfactant provided additional surface functionalities, thus creating an efficient hydrophilic matrix for cellular interaction. Such diverse functionalities in a single coassembled system could lead to the development of advanced scaffolds, with applications in various biomedical fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sweta Mohanty
- Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Sector 81, Knowledge City, Mohali, 140306 Punjab, India
| | - Sourav Sen
- Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Sector 81, Knowledge City, Mohali, 140306 Punjab, India
| | - Pooja Sharma
- Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Sector 81, Knowledge City, Mohali, 140306 Punjab, India
| | - Sangita Roy
- Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Sector 81, Knowledge City, Mohali, 140306 Punjab, India
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