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Shin J, Saha B, Chung H, Jang Y. Architecting Multicompartmentalized, Giant Vesicles with Recombinant Fusion Proteins. Biomacromolecules 2024; 25:6127-6134. [PMID: 39105695 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.4c00807] [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: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
We present a straightforward strategy for constructing giant, multicompartmentalized vesicles using recombinant fusion proteins. Our method leverages the self-assembly of globule-zipper-elastin-like polypeptide fusion protein complexes in aqueous conditions, eliminating the need for organic solvents and chemical conjugation. By employing the thin-film rehydration method, we have successfully encapsulated a diverse range of bioactive macromolecules and engineered organelle-like compartments─ranging from soluble proteins and coacervate droplets to vesicles─within these protein-assembled giant vesicles. This approach also facilitates the integration of water-soluble block copolymers, enhancing the structural stability and functional versatility of the vesicles. Our results suggest that these multicompartment giant protein vesicles not only mimic the complex architecture of living cells but also support biochemically distinct reactions regulated by functionally folded proteins, providing a robust model for studying cellular processes and designing microreactor systems. This work highlights the transformative potential of self-assembling recombinant fusion proteins in artificial cell design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jooyong Shin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Florida, 1006 Center Drive, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Biswajit Saha
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, FAMU-FSU, Tallahassee, Florida 32310, United States
| | - Hoyong Chung
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, FAMU-FSU, Tallahassee, Florida 32310, United States
| | - Yeongseon Jang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Florida, 1006 Center Drive, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
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2
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Li H, Qian X, Mohanram H, Han X, Qi H, Zou G, Yuan F, Miserez A, Liu T, Yang Q, Gao H, Yu J. Self-assembly of peptide nanocapsules by a solvent concentration gradient. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 19:1141-1149. [PMID: 38671050 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-024-01654-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Biological systems can create materials with intricate structures and specialized functions. In comparison, precise control of structures in human-made materials has been challenging. Here we report on insect cuticle peptides that spontaneously form nanocapsules through a single-step solvent exchange process, where the concentration gradient resulting from the mixing of water and acetone drives the localization and self-assembly of the peptides into hollow nanocapsules. The underlying driving force is found to be the intrinsic affinity of the peptides for a particular solvent concentration, while the diffusion of water and acetone creates a gradient interface that triggers peptide localization and self-assembly. This gradient-mediated self-assembly offers a transformative pathway towards simple generation of drug delivery systems based on peptide nanocapsules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haopeng Li
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bio-Intelligent Manufacturing, School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Xuliang Qian
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Harini Mohanram
- School of Biological Sciences, Division of Structural and Computational Biology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Xiao Han
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Huitang Qi
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bio-Intelligent Manufacturing, School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Guijin Zou
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- Institute of High Performance Computing, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Fenghou Yuan
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bio-Intelligent Manufacturing, School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Ali Miserez
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- Biological and Biomimetic Material Laboratory (BBML), Center for Sustainable Materials (SusMat), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Tian Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bio-Intelligent Manufacturing, School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China.
| | - Qing Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
- Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Huajian Gao
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
- Institute of High Performance Computing, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore.
- Mechano-X Institute, Applied Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
| | - Jing Yu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
- Institute for Digital Molecular Analytics and Science, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
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3
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Pan H, Zhang C, Jiang W, Zhou Y. Living Self-Assembly of Monodisperse Micron-Sized Polymer Vesicles. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202404589. [PMID: 38654509 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202404589] [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: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Artificial vesicles are recognized as powerful platforms for a large body of research across the disciplines of chemistry, physics and biology. Despite the great progress, control of the size distribution to make uniform vesicles remains fundamentally difficult due to the highly uncontrollable growth kinetics, especially for micron-sized vesicles. Here we report a template-free living self-assembly method to prepare monodisperse vesicles around 1 μm from an alternating copolymer. The polymer forms nanodisks (ca. 9 nm) in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), acting as seeds for subsequent growth. By adding water, the nanodisks gradually grow into larger circular bilayer nanosheets, which bend to crowns and continue to grow into uniform micron-sized vesicles. The first-order growth kinetics as well as the small size polydispersity index (<0.1) suggests the living self-assembly characteristics. This work paves a new way in both living self-assembly and monodisperse polymer vesicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Pan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, 200240, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Changxu Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, 200240, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Wenfeng Jiang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, 200240, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Yongfeng Zhou
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, 200240, Shanghai, P. R. China
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4
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Kim BK, Kang DH, Woo J, Yoon W, Ryu H, Han K, Chung S, Kim TS. Control of artificial membrane fusion in physiological ionic solutions beyond the limits of electroformation. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4524. [PMID: 38806492 PMCID: PMC11133453 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48875-0] [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: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Membrane fusion, merging two lipid bilayers, is crucial for fabricating artificial membrane structures. Over the past 40 years, in contrast to precise and controllable membrane fusion in-vivo through specific molecules such as SNAREs, controlling the fusion in-vitro while fabricating artificial membrane structures in physiological ionic solutions without fusion proteins has been a challenge, becoming a significant obstacle to practical applications. We present an approach consisting of an electric field and a few kPa hydraulic pressure as an additional variable to physically control the fusion, enabling tuning of the shape and size of the 3D freestanding lipid bilayers in physiological ionic solutions. Mechanical model analysis reveals that pressure-induced parallel/normal tensions enhance fusion among membranes in the microwell. In-vitro peptide-membrane assay, mimicking vesicular transport via pressure-assisted fusion, and stability of 38 days with in-chip pressure control via pore size-regulated hydrogel highlight the potential for diverse biological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bong Kyu Kim
- Center for Brain Technology, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5, Hwarang-ro 14-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Hyun Kang
- Center for Brain Technology, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5, Hwarang-ro 14-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
- Bionics Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5, Hwarang-ro 14-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Junhyuk Woo
- Center for Brain Technology, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5, Hwarang-ro 14-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Wooseung Yoon
- Center for Brain Technology, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5, Hwarang-ro 14-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunil Ryu
- Center for Brain Technology, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5, Hwarang-ro 14-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungreem Han
- Center for Brain Technology, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5, Hwarang-ro 14-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok Chung
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Song Kim
- Center for Brain Technology, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5, Hwarang-ro 14-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea.
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5
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Zhang D, Zhang Y, Xiao Y, Wang Y, Shen Y, Wang Z, Qiao H. Giant vesicles form in physiological saline and encapsulate pDNA by the modified electroformation method. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2024; 237:113840. [PMID: 38508085 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2024.113840] [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: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Giant vesicles (GVs) are used to study the structures and functions of cells and cell membranes. Electroformation is the most commonly used method for GV preparation. However, the electroformation of GVs is hindered in highly concentrated ionic solutions, limiting their application as cell models for research under physiological conditions. In this study, giant multilayer vesicles were successfully generated in physiological saline using a modified electroformation device by adding an insulating layer between the two electrode plates. The influence of the electric frequency and strength on the electroformation of GVs in physiological saline was explored, and a possible mechanism for this improvement was assessed. It has been shown that an insulating layer between the two electrodes can improve the electroformation of GVs in physiological saline by increasing the electrical impedance, which is weakened by the saline solution, thereby restoring the reduced effective electric field strength. Furthermore, macromolecular plasmid DNA (pDNA) was successfully encapsulated in the electroformed GVs of the modified device. This modified electroformation method may be useful for generating eukaryotic cell models under physiological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dingshan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Yangruizi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Yao Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Yiting Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Yong Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; National Engineering Research Center for Ultrasound Medicine, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Zhibiao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Hai Qiao
- State Key Laboratory of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
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6
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Macher M, Obermeier A, Fabritz S, Kube M, Kempf H, Dietz H, Platzman I, Spatz JP. An Efficient Method for the Production of High-Purity Bioinspired Large Unilamellar Vesicles. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:781-791. [PMID: 38423534 PMCID: PMC10949243 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00540] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
In order to recapitulate complex eukaryotic compartmentalization, synthetic biology aims to recreate cellular membrane-lined compartments from the bottom-up. Many important cellular organelles and cell-produced extracellular vesicles are in the size range of several hundreds of nanometers. Although attaining a fundamental characterization and mimicry of their cellular functions is a compelling goal, the lack of methods for controlled vesicle formation in this size range has hindered full understanding. Here, we show the optimization of a simple and efficient protocol for the production of large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) with a median diameter in the range of 450-550 nm with high purity. Importantly, we rely on commercial reagents and common laboratory equipment. We thoroughly characterize the influence of different experimental parameters on the concentration and size of the resulting vesicles and assess changes in their lipid composition and surface charge. We provide guidance for researchers to optimize LUV production further to suit specific applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meline Macher
- Max
Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, Heidelberg 69121, Germany
- Max
Planck School Matter to Life, Jahnstraße 29, Heidelberg 69121, Germany
- Institute
of Molecular Systems Engineering and Advanced Materials, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Amelie Obermeier
- Max
Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, Heidelberg 69121, Germany
| | - Sebastian Fabritz
- Max
Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, Heidelberg 69121, Germany
| | - Massimo Kube
- Technical
University of Munich, Am Coulombwall 4a, Garching 85748, Germany
| | - Hannah Kempf
- Max
Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, Heidelberg 69121, Germany
| | - Hendrik Dietz
- Max
Planck School Matter to Life, Jahnstraße 29, Heidelberg 69121, Germany
- Technical
University of Munich, Am Coulombwall 4a, Garching 85748, Germany
| | - Ilia Platzman
- Max
Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, Heidelberg 69121, Germany
- Institute
of Molecular Systems Engineering and Advanced Materials, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Joachim P. Spatz
- Max
Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, Heidelberg 69121, Germany
- Max
Planck School Matter to Life, Jahnstraße 29, Heidelberg 69121, Germany
- Institute
of Molecular Systems Engineering and Advanced Materials, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
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7
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Socrier L, Steinem C. Pore-spanning membranes as a tool to investigate lateral lipid membrane heterogeneity. Methods Enzymol 2024; 700:455-483. [PMID: 38971610 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2024.02.009] [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] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
Over the years, it has become more and more obvious that lipid membranes show a very complex behavior. This behavior arises in part from the large number of different kinds of lipids and proteins and how they dynamically interact with each other. In vitro studies using artificial membrane systems have shed light on the heterogeneity based on lipid-lipid interactions in multicomponent bilayer mixtures. Inspired by the raft hypothesis, the coexistence of liquid-disordered (ld) and liquid-ordered (lo) phases has drawn much attention. It was shown that ternary lipid mixtures containing low- and high-melting temperature lipids and cholesterol can phase separate into a lo phase enriched in the high-melting lipids and cholesterol and a ld phase enriched in the low-melting lipids. Depending on the model membrane system under investigation, different domain sizes, shapes, and mobilities have been found. Here, we describe how to generate phase-separated lo/ld phases in model membrane systems termed pore-spanning membranes (PSMs). These PSMs are prepared on porous silicon substrates with pore sizes in the micrometer regime. A proper functionalization of the top surface of the substrates is required to achieve the spreading of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) to obtain PSMs. Starting with lo/ld phase-separated GUVs lead to membrane heterogeneities in the PSMs. Depending on the functionalization strategy of the top surface of the silicon substrate, different membrane heterogeneities are observed in the PSMs employing fluorescence microscopy. A quantitative analysis of the heterogeneity as well as the dynamics of the lipid domains is described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Socrier
- Max-Planck-Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Claudia Steinem
- Max-Planck-Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Göttingen, Germany; Institute of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, Georg-August Universität, Göttingen, Germany.
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8
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Peng Z, Iwabuchi S, Izumi K, Takiguchi S, Yamaji M, Fujita S, Suzuki H, Kambara F, Fukasawa G, Cooney A, Di Michele L, Elani Y, Matsuura T, Kawano R. Lipid vesicle-based molecular robots. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:996-1029. [PMID: 38239102 PMCID: PMC10898420 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00860f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
A molecular robot, which is a system comprised of one or more molecular machines and computers, can execute sophisticated tasks in many fields that span from nanomedicine to green nanotechnology. The core parts of molecular robots are fairly consistent from system to system and always include (i) a body to encapsulate molecular machines, (ii) sensors to capture signals, (iii) computers to make decisions, and (iv) actuators to perform tasks. This review aims to provide an overview of approaches and considerations to develop molecular robots. We first introduce the basic technologies required for constructing the core parts of molecular robots, describe the recent progress towards achieving higher functionality, and subsequently discuss the current challenges and outlook. We also highlight the applications of molecular robots in sensing biomarkers, signal communications with living cells, and conversion of energy. Although molecular robots are still in their infancy, they will unquestionably initiate massive change in biomedical and environmental technology in the not too distant future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zugui Peng
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16 Naka-cho, Koganei-shi, Tokyo185-8588, Japan.
| | - Shoji Iwabuchi
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16 Naka-cho, Koganei-shi, Tokyo185-8588, Japan.
| | - Kayano Izumi
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16 Naka-cho, Koganei-shi, Tokyo185-8588, Japan.
| | - Sotaro Takiguchi
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16 Naka-cho, Koganei-shi, Tokyo185-8588, Japan.
| | - Misa Yamaji
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16 Naka-cho, Koganei-shi, Tokyo185-8588, Japan.
| | - Shoko Fujita
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16 Naka-cho, Koganei-shi, Tokyo185-8588, Japan.
| | - Harune Suzuki
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16 Naka-cho, Koganei-shi, Tokyo185-8588, Japan.
| | - Fumika Kambara
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16 Naka-cho, Koganei-shi, Tokyo185-8588, Japan.
| | - Genki Fukasawa
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ookayama 2-12-1, Meguro-Ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Aileen Cooney
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Lorenzo Di Michele
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, UK
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, UK
- FabriCELL, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Yuval Elani
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- FabriCELL, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Tomoaki Matsuura
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ookayama 2-12-1, Meguro-Ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Ryuji Kawano
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16 Naka-cho, Koganei-shi, Tokyo185-8588, Japan.
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Maffeis V, Heuberger L, Nikoletić A, Schoenenberger C, Palivan CG. Synthetic Cells Revisited: Artificial Cells Construction Using Polymeric Building Blocks. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2305837. [PMID: 37984885 PMCID: PMC10885666 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202305837] [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: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
The exponential growth of research on artificial cells and organelles underscores their potential as tools to advance the understanding of fundamental biological processes. The bottom-up construction from a variety of building blocks at the micro- and nanoscale, in combination with biomolecules is key to developing artificial cells. In this review, artificial cells are focused upon based on compartments where polymers are the main constituent of the assembly. Polymers are of particular interest due to their incredible chemical variety and the advantage of tuning the properties and functionality of their assemblies. First, the architectures of micro- and nanoscale polymer assemblies are introduced and then their usage as building blocks is elaborated upon. Different membrane-bound and membrane-less compartments and supramolecular structures and how they combine into advanced synthetic cells are presented. Then, the functional aspects are explored, addressing how artificial organelles in giant compartments mimic cellular processes. Finally, how artificial cells communicate with their surrounding and each other such as to adapt to an ever-changing environment and achieve collective behavior as a steppingstone toward artificial tissues, is taken a look at. Engineering artificial cells with highly controllable and programmable features open new avenues for the development of sophisticated multifunctional systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviana Maffeis
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of BaselMattenstrasse 22BaselCH‐4002Switzerland
- NCCR‐Molecular Systems EngineeringBPR 1095, Mattenstrasse 24aBaselCH‐4058Switzerland
| | - Lukas Heuberger
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of BaselMattenstrasse 22BaselCH‐4002Switzerland
| | - Anamarija Nikoletić
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of BaselMattenstrasse 22BaselCH‐4002Switzerland
- Swiss Nanoscience InstituteUniversity of BaselKlingelbergstrasse 82BaselCH‐4056Switzerland
| | | | - Cornelia G. Palivan
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of BaselMattenstrasse 22BaselCH‐4002Switzerland
- NCCR‐Molecular Systems EngineeringBPR 1095, Mattenstrasse 24aBaselCH‐4058Switzerland
- Swiss Nanoscience InstituteUniversity of BaselKlingelbergstrasse 82BaselCH‐4056Switzerland
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10
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Van de Cauter L, van Buren L, Koenderink GH, Ganzinger KA. Exploring Giant Unilamellar Vesicle Production for Artificial Cells - Current Challenges and Future Directions. SMALL METHODS 2023; 7:e2300416. [PMID: 37464561 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202300416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
Creating an artificial cell from the bottom up is a long-standing challenge and, while significant progress has been made, the full realization of this goal remains elusive. Arguably, one of the biggest hurdles that researchers are facing now is the assembly of different modules of cell function inside a single container. Giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) have emerged as a suitable container with many methods available for their production. Well-studied swelling-based methods offer a wide range of lipid compositions but at the expense of limited encapsulation efficiency. Emulsion-based methods, on the other hand, excel at encapsulation but are only effective with a limited set of membrane compositions and may entrap residual additives in the lipid bilayer. Since the ultimate artificial cell will need to comply with both specific membrane and encapsulation requirements, there is still no one-method-fits-all solution for GUV formation available today. This review discusses the state of the art in different GUV production methods and their compatibility with GUV requirements and operational requirements such as reproducibility and ease of use. It concludes by identifying the most pressing issues and proposes potential avenues for future research to bring us one step closer to turning artificial cells into a reality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori Van de Cauter
- Autonomous Matter Department, AMOLF, Amsterdam, 1098 XG, The Netherlands
| | - Lennard van Buren
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2629 HZ, The Netherlands
| | - Gijsje H Koenderink
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2629 HZ, The Netherlands
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11
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Cai CS, He GJ, Xu FW. Advances in the Applications of Extracellular Vesicle for the Treatment of Skin Photoaging: A Comprehensive Review. Int J Nanomedicine 2023; 18:6411-6423. [PMID: 37954453 PMCID: PMC10638935 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s433611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Skin photoaging is a complex biological process characterized by the accumulation of oxidative damage and structural changes in the skin, resulting from chronic exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Despite the growing demand for effective treatments, current therapeutic options for skin photoaging remain limited. However, emerging research has highlighted the potential of extracellular vesicles (EVs), including exosomes, micro-vesicles, apoptotic bodies and liposomes, as promising therapeutic agents in skin rejuvenation. EVs are involved in intercellular communication and can deliver bioactive molecules, including proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids, to recipient cells, thereby influencing various cellular processes. This comprehensive review aims to summarize the current research progress in the application of EVs for the treatment of skin photoaging, including their isolation and characterization methods, roles in skin homeostasis, therapeutic potential and clinical applications for skin photoaging. Additionally, challenges and future directions in EVs-based therapies for skin rejuvenation are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chan-Sheng Cai
- The First Clinical Medical College, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Gui-Juan He
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310016, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fa-Wei Xu
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310016, People’s Republic of China
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12
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Ivanov T, Cao S, Bohra N, de Souza Melchiors M, Caire da Silva L, Landfester K. Polymeric Microreactors with pH-Controlled Spatial Localization of Cascade Reactions. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:50755-50764. [PMID: 37903081 PMCID: PMC10636718 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c09196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
Lipid and polymer vesicles provide versatile means of creating systems that mimic the architecture of cells. However, these constructs cannot mimic the adaptive compartmentalization observed in cells, where the assembly and disassembly of subcompartments are dynamically modulated by environmental cues. Here, we describe a fully polymeric microreactor with a coacervate-in-vesicle architecture that exhibits an adaptive response to pH. The system was fabricated by microfluidic generation of semipermeable biomimetic polymer vesicles within 1 min using oleyl alcohol as the oil phase. The polymersomes allowed for the diffusion of protons and substrates acting as external signals. Using this method, we were able to construct adaptive microreactors containing internal polyelectrolyte-based catalytic organelles capable of sequestering and localizing enzymes and reaction products in a dynamic process driven by an external stimulus. This approach provides a platform for the rapid and efficient construction of robust adaptive microreactors that can be used in catalysis, biosensing, and cell mimicry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsvetomir Ivanov
- Department of Physical Chemistry
of Polymers, Max Planck Institute for Polymer
Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Shoupeng Cao
- Department of Physical Chemistry
of Polymers, Max Planck Institute for Polymer
Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Nitin Bohra
- Department of Physical Chemistry
of Polymers, Max Planck Institute for Polymer
Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Marina de Souza Melchiors
- Department of Physical Chemistry
of Polymers, Max Planck Institute for Polymer
Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Lucas Caire da Silva
- Department of Physical Chemistry
of Polymers, Max Planck Institute for Polymer
Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Katharina Landfester
- Department of Physical Chemistry
of Polymers, Max Planck Institute for Polymer
Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
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13
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Coats JP, Cochereau R, Dinu IA, Messmer D, Sciortino F, Palivan CG. Trends in the Synthesis of Polymer Nano- and Microscale Materials for Bio-Related Applications. Macromol Biosci 2023; 23:e2200474. [PMID: 36949011 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202200474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Polymeric nano- and microscale materials bear significant potential in manifold applications related to biomedicine. This is owed not only to the large chemical diversity of the constituent polymers, but also to the various morphologies these materials can achieve, ranging from simple particles to intricate self-assembled structures. Modern synthetic polymer chemistry permits the tuning of many physicochemical parameters affecting the behavior of polymeric nano- and microscale materials in the biological context. In this Perspective, an overview of the synthetic principles underlying the modern preparation of these materials is provided, aiming to demonstrate how advances in and ingenious implementations of polymer chemistry fuel a range of applications, both present and prospective.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Peter Coats
- Department of Chemistry, Universitat Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, Basel, CH-4058, Switzerland
| | - Rémy Cochereau
- Department of Chemistry, Universitat Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, Basel, CH-4058, Switzerland
| | - Ionel Adrian Dinu
- Department of Chemistry, Universitat Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, Basel, CH-4058, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Messmer
- Department of Chemistry, Universitat Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, Basel, CH-4058, Switzerland
| | - Flavien Sciortino
- Department of Chemistry, Universitat Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, Basel, CH-4058, Switzerland
| | - Cornelia G Palivan
- Department of Chemistry, Universitat Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, Basel, CH-4058, Switzerland
- National Centre for Competence in Research - Molecular Systems Engineering, Mattenstrasse 24a, Basel, CH-4058, Switzerland
- Swiss Nanoscience Institute, Klingelbergstrasse 82, Basel, CH-4056, Switzerland
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14
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Caliari A, Hanczyc MM, Imai M, Xu J, Yomo T. Quantification of Giant Unilamellar Vesicle Fusion Products by High-Throughput Image Analysis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24098241. [PMID: 37175944 PMCID: PMC10179211 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24098241] [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: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Artificial cells are based on dynamic compartmentalized systems. Thus, remodeling of membrane-bound systems, such as giant unilamellar vesicles, is finding applications beyond biological studies, to engineer cell-mimicking structures. Giant unilamellar vesicle fusion is rapidly becoming an essential experimental step as artificial cells gain prominence in synthetic biology. Several techniques have been developed to accomplish this step, with varying efficiency and selectivity. To date, characterization of vesicle fusion has relied on small samples of giant vesicles, examined either manually or by fluorometric assays on suspensions of small and large unilamellar vesicles. Automation of the detection and characterization of fusion products is now necessary for the screening and optimization of these fusion protocols. To this end, we implemented a fusion assay based on fluorophore colocalization on the membranes and in the lumen of vesicles. Fluorescence colocalization was evaluated within single compartments by image segmentation with minimal user input, allowing the application of the technique to high-throughput screenings. After detection, statistical information on vesicle fluorescence and morphological properties can be summarized and visualized, assessing lipid and content transfer for each object by the correlation coefficient of different fluorescence channels. Using this tool, we report and characterize the unexpected fusogenic activity of sodium chloride on phosphatidylcholine giant vesicles. Lipid transfer in most of the vesicles could be detected after 20 h of incubation, while content exchange only occurred with additional stimuli in around 8% of vesicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriano Caliari
- Laboratory of Biology and Information Science, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
- Laboratory for Artificial Biology, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Polo Scientifico e Tecnologico Fabio Ferrari, Polo B, Via Sommarive 9, 38123 Povo, Italy
| | - Martin M Hanczyc
- Laboratory for Artificial Biology, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Polo Scientifico e Tecnologico Fabio Ferrari, Polo B, Via Sommarive 9, 38123 Povo, Italy
| | - Masayuki Imai
- Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, 6-3 Aramaki, Aoba, Sendai 980-8578, Japan
| | - Jian Xu
- Laboratory of Biology and Information Science, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Tetsuya Yomo
- Laboratory of Biology and Information Science, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
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15
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Li Q, Zhu W, Gong S, Jiang S, Feng G. Selective Visualization of Tumor Cell Membranes and Tumors with a Viscosity-Sensitive Plasma Membrane Probe. Anal Chem 2023; 95:7254-7261. [PMID: 37125920 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c00220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is a worldwide health problem. Revealing the changes in the microenvironment after cell carcinogenesis is helpful to understand cancer and develop sensitive methods for cancer diagnosis. We developed herein a viscosity-responsive plasma membrane probe (TPA-S) that was successfully used to probe the viscosity difference between normal and tumor cell plasma membranes for the first time. The probe shows AIE properties with good water solubility, significant near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence responses to viscosity with high sensitivity, and excellent cell membrane location performance. With these features, our experiments showed that TPA-S could selectively visualize cancer cell plasma membranes, revealing that the plasma membrane of tumor cells is more viscous than that of normal cells. In addition, TPA-S was successfully applied to specifically light up tumors. Altogether, this work explored the changes of cell membrane viscosity after canceration, provided a new method for selective visualization of tumor cells, and opened up a new approach for cancer diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianhua Li
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide and Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, 152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Wenlong Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide and Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, 152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Shengyi Gong
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide and Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, 152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Siyu Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide and Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, 152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Guoqiang Feng
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide and Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, 152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430079, China
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16
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Eremchev M, Roesel D, Poojari CS, Roux A, Hub JS, Roke S. Passive transport of Ca 2+ ions through lipid bilayers imaged by widefield second harmonic microscopy. Biophys J 2023; 122:624-631. [PMID: 36659849 PMCID: PMC9989880 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
In biology, release of Ca2+ ions in the cytosol is essential to trigger or control many cell functions. Calcium signaling acutely depends on lipid membrane permeability to Ca2+. For proper understanding of membrane permeability to Ca2+, both membrane hydration and the structure of the hydrophobic core must be taken into account. Here, we vary the hydrophobic core of bilayer membranes and observe different types of behavior in high-throughput wide-field second harmonic imaging. Ca2+ translocation is observed through mono-unsaturated (DOPC:DOPA) membranes, reduced upon the addition of cholesterol, and completely inhibited for branched (DPhPC:DPhPA) and poly-unsaturated (SLPC:SLPA) lipid membranes. We propose, using molecular dynamics simulations, that ion transport occurs through ion-induced transient pores, which requires nonequilibrium membrane restructuring. This results in different rates at different locations and suggests that the hydrophobic structure of lipids plays a much more sophisticated regulating role than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maksim Eremchev
- Laboratory for Fundamental BioPhotonics (LBP), Institute of Bioengineering (IBI), School of Engineering (STI), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - David Roesel
- Laboratory for Fundamental BioPhotonics (LBP), Institute of Bioengineering (IBI), School of Engineering (STI), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Chetan S Poojari
- Theoretical Physics and Center for Biophysics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Aurélien Roux
- Biochemistry Department, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Swiss National Centre for Competence in Research Programme Chemical Biology, Geneva, Switzerland; School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jochen S Hub
- Theoretical Physics and Center for Biophysics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Sylvie Roke
- Laboratory for Fundamental BioPhotonics (LBP), Institute of Bioengineering (IBI), School of Engineering (STI), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland; Institute of Materials Science and Engineering (IMX), School of Engineering (STI), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland; Lausanne Centre for Ultrafast Science, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
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17
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van Buren L, Koenderink GH, Martinez-Torres C. DisGUVery: A Versatile Open-Source Software for High-Throughput Image Analysis of Giant Unilamellar Vesicles. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:120-135. [PMID: 36508359 PMCID: PMC9872171 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) are cell-sized aqueous compartments enclosed by a phospholipid bilayer. Due to their cell-mimicking properties, GUVs have become a widespread experimental tool in synthetic biology to study membrane properties and cellular processes. In stark contrast to the experimental progress, quantitative analysis of GUV microscopy images has received much less attention. Currently, most analysis is performed either manually or with custom-made scripts, which makes analysis time-consuming and results difficult to compare across studies. To make quantitative GUV analysis accessible and fast, we present DisGUVery, an open-source, versatile software that encapsulates multiple algorithms for automated detection and analysis of GUVs in microscopy images. With a performance analysis, we demonstrate that DisGUVery's three vesicle detection modules successfully identify GUVs in images obtained with a wide range of imaging sources, in various typical GUV experiments. Multiple predefined analysis modules allow the user to extract properties such as membrane fluorescence, vesicle shape, and internal fluorescence from large populations. A new membrane segmentation algorithm facilitates spatial fluorescence analysis of nonspherical vesicles. Altogether, DisGUVery provides an accessible tool to enable high-throughput automated analysis of GUVs, and thereby to promote quantitative data analysis in synthetic cell research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lennard van Buren
- Department
of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZDelft, The Netherlands
| | - Gijsje Hendrika Koenderink
- Department
of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZDelft, The Netherlands
| | - Cristina Martinez-Torres
- Department
of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZDelft, The Netherlands
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18
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Yue K, Li Y, Cao M, Shen L, Gu J, Kai L. Bottom-Up Synthetic Biology Using Cell-Free Protein Synthesis. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2023; 185:1-20. [PMID: 37526707 DOI: 10.1007/10_2023_232] [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: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Technical advances in biotechnology have greatly accelerated the development of bottom-up synthetic biology. Unlike top-down approaches, bottom-up synthetic biology focuses on the construction of a minimal cell from scratch and the application of these principles to solve challenges. Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) systems provide minimal machinery for transcription and translation, from either a fractionated cell lysate or individual purified protein elements, thus speeding up the development of synthetic cell projects. In this review, we trace the history of the cell-free technique back to the first in vitro fermentation experiment using yeast cell lysate. Furthermore, we summarized progresses of individual cell mimicry modules, such as compartmentalization, gene expression regulation, energy regeneration and metabolism, growth and division, communication, and motility. Finally, current challenges and future perspectives on the field are outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Yue
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Yingqiu Li
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Mengjiao Cao
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Lulu Shen
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Jingsheng Gu
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Lei Kai
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, China.
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19
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Miere FG, Ganea M, Teodorescu AG, Horvath T, Hanga-Farcas A, Csaba N, Zdinca M, Zdinca M, Dobjanschi L. Characterization in Terms of Phytochemical Content and Medicinal Potential of the Stellaria media Plant Extract. PHARMACOPHORE 2023. [DOI: 10.51847/qfiilpq13p] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
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20
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Assembly methods for asymmetric lipid and polymer-lipid vesicles. Emerg Top Life Sci 2022; 6:609-617. [PMID: 36533596 DOI: 10.1042/etls20220055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Asymmetric unilamellar vesicles are aqueous bodies surrounded by two dissimilar leaflets made from lipids, polymers, or both. They are great models for cell membranes and attractive vehicles in potential biomedicine applications. Despite their promise, asymmetric unilamellar vesicles are not widely studied or adopted in applications. This is largely due to the complexity in generating asymmetric membranes. Recent technical advances in microfluidics have opened doors to high throughput fabrication of asymmetric unilamellar vesicles. In this review, we focus on microfluidic methods for generating asymmetric lipid vesicles, with two dissimilar lipid leaflets, and asymmetric lipid-polymer vesicles, with one lipid leaflet and one polymer leaflet. We also review a few standard non-microfluidic methods for generating asymmetric vesicles. We hope to highlight the improved capability in obtaining asymmetric vesicles through a variety of methods and encourage the wider scientific community to adopt some of these for their own work.
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21
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Faizi HA, Tsui A, Dimova R, Vlahovska PM. Bending Rigidity, Capacitance, and Shear Viscosity of Giant Vesicle Membranes Prepared by Spontaneous Swelling, Electroformation, Gel-Assisted, and Phase Transfer Methods: A Comparative Study. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:10548-10557. [PMID: 35993569 PMCID: PMC9671160 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c01402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Closed lipid bilayers in the form of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) are commonly used membrane models. Various methods have been developed to prepare GUVs, however it is unknown if all approaches yield membranes with the same elastic, electric, and rheological properties. Here, we combine flickering spectroscopy and electrodefomation of GUVs to measure, at identical conditions, membrane capacitance, bending rigidity and shear surface viscosity of palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC) membranes formed by several commonly used preparation methods: thin film hydration (spontaneous swelling), electroformation, gel-assisted swelling using poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) or agarose, and phase-transfer. We find relatively similar bending rigidity value across all the methods except for the agarose hydration method. In addition, the capacitance values are similar except for vesicles prepared via PVA gel hydration. Intriguingly, membranes prepared by the gel-assisted and phase-transfer methods exhibit much higher shear viscosity compared to electroformation and spontaneous swelling, likely due to remnants of polymers (PVA and agarose) and oils (hexadecane and mineral) in the lipid bilayer structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hammad A Faizi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Annie Tsui
- Department of Industrial Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Rumiana Dimova
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Science Park Golm, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Petia M Vlahovska
- Department of Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
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22
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Dolder N, Müller P, von Ballmoos C. Experimental platform for the functional investigation of membrane proteins in giant unilamellar vesicles. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:5877-5893. [PMID: 35916307 PMCID: PMC9364335 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00551d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) are micrometer-sized model membrane systems that can be viewed directly under the microscope. They serve as scaffolds for the bottom-up creation of synthetic cells, targeted drug delivery and have been widely used to study membrane related phenomena in vitro. GUVs are also of interest for the functional investigation of membrane proteins that carry out many key cellular functions. A major hurdle to a wider application of GUVs in this field is the diversity of existing protocols that are optimized for individual proteins. Here, we compare PVA assisted and electroformation techniques for GUV formation under physiologically relevant conditions, and analyze the effect of immobilization on vesicle structure and membrane tightness towards small substrates and protons. There, differences in terms of yield, size, and leakage of GUVs produced by PVA assisted swelling and electroformation were found, dependent on salt and buffer composition. Using fusion of oppositely charged membranes to reconstitute a model membrane protein, we find that empty vesicles and proteoliposomes show similar fusion behavior, which allows for a rapid estimation of protein incorporation using fluorescent lipids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Dolder
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Philipp Müller
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Christoph von Ballmoos
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
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23
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Solis-Gonzalez OA, Tse CCW, Smith PJ, Fairclough JPA. Study of Salting Effect of Inorganic Salts on Nano- and Giant Polymersomes. Macromol Res 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s13233-022-0051-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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24
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Wagner AM, Quandt J, Söder D, Garay‐Sarmiento M, Joseph A, Petrovskii VS, Witzdam L, Hammoor T, Steitz P, Haraszti T, Potemkin II, Kostina NY, Herrmann A, Rodriguez‐Emmenegger C. Ionic Combisomes: A New Class of Biomimetic Vesicles to Fuse with Life. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2200617. [PMID: 35393756 PMCID: PMC9189634 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202200617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The construction of biomembranes that faithfully capture the properties and dynamic functions of cell membranes remains a challenge in the development of synthetic cells and their application. Here a new concept for synthetic cell membranes based on the self-assembly of amphiphilic comb polymers into vesicles, termed ionic combisomes (i-combisomes) is introduced. These combs consist of a polyzwitterionic backbone to which hydrophobic tails are linked by electrostatic interactions. Using a range of microscopies and molecular simulations, the self-assembly of a library of combs in water is screened. It is discovered that the hydrophobic tails form the membrane's core and force the backbone into a rod conformation with nematic-like ordering confined to the interface with water. This particular organization resulted in membranes that combine the stability of classic polymersomes with the biomimetic thickness, flexibility, and lateral mobility of liposomes. Such unparalleled matching of biophysical properties and the ability to locally reconfigure the molecular topology of its constituents enable the harboring of functional components of natural membranes and fusion with living bacteria to "hijack" their periphery. This provides an almost inexhaustible palette to design the chemical and biological makeup of the i-combisomes membrane resulting in a powerful platform for fundamental studies and technological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M. Wagner
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular ChemistryRWTH Aachen UniversityWorringerweg 2Aachen52074Germany
| | - Jonas Quandt
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular ChemistryRWTH Aachen UniversityWorringerweg 2Aachen52074Germany
| | - Dominik Söder
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular ChemistryRWTH Aachen UniversityWorringerweg 2Aachen52074Germany
| | - Manuela Garay‐Sarmiento
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
- Chair of BiotechnologyRWTH Aachen UniversityWorringerweg 3Aachen52074Germany
| | - Anton Joseph
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular ChemistryRWTH Aachen UniversityWorringerweg 2Aachen52074Germany
| | - Vladislav S. Petrovskii
- Physics DepartmentLomonosov Moscow State UniversityLeninskie Gory 1–2Moscow119991Russian Federation
| | - Lena Witzdam
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular ChemistryRWTH Aachen UniversityWorringerweg 2Aachen52074Germany
| | - Thomas Hammoor
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
| | - Philipp Steitz
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
| | - Tamás Haraszti
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
| | - Igor I. Potemkin
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
- Physics DepartmentLomonosov Moscow State UniversityLeninskie Gory 1–2Moscow119991Russian Federation
- National Research, South Ural State UniversityChelyabinsk454080Russian Federation
| | - Nina Yu. Kostina
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular ChemistryRWTH Aachen UniversityWorringerweg 2Aachen52074Germany
| | - Andreas Herrmann
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular ChemistryRWTH Aachen UniversityWorringerweg 2Aachen52074Germany
| | - Cesar Rodriguez‐Emmenegger
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC)Carrer de Baldiri Reixac, 10, 12Barcelona08028Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA)Passeig Lluís Companys 23Barcelona08010Spain
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25
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Heuberger L, Korpidou M, Eggenberger OM, Kyropoulou M, Palivan CG. Current Perspectives on Synthetic Compartments for Biomedical Applications. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:5718. [PMID: 35628527 PMCID: PMC9145047 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Nano- and micrometer-sized compartments composed of synthetic polymers are designed to mimic spatial and temporal divisions found in nature. Self-assembly of polymers into compartments such as polymersomes, giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs), layer-by-layer (LbL) capsules, capsosomes, or polyion complex vesicles (PICsomes) allows for the separation of defined environments from the exterior. These compartments can be further engineered through the incorporation of (bio)molecules within the lumen or into the membrane, while the membrane can be decorated with functional moieties to produce catalytic compartments with defined structures and functions. Nanometer-sized compartments are used for imaging, theranostic, and therapeutic applications as a more mechanically stable alternative to liposomes, and through the encapsulation of catalytic molecules, i.e., enzymes, catalytic compartments can localize and act in vivo. On the micrometer scale, such biohybrid systems are used to encapsulate model proteins and form multicompartmentalized structures through the combination of multiple compartments, reaching closer to the creation of artificial organelles and cells. Significant progress in therapeutic applications and modeling strategies has been achieved through both the creation of polymers with tailored properties and functionalizations and novel techniques for their assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Heuberger
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; (L.H.); (M.K.); (O.M.E.); (M.K.)
| | - Maria Korpidou
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; (L.H.); (M.K.); (O.M.E.); (M.K.)
| | - Olivia M. Eggenberger
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; (L.H.); (M.K.); (O.M.E.); (M.K.)
| | - Myrto Kyropoulou
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; (L.H.); (M.K.); (O.M.E.); (M.K.)
- NCCR-Molecular Systems Engineering, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1095, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Cornelia G. Palivan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; (L.H.); (M.K.); (O.M.E.); (M.K.)
- NCCR-Molecular Systems Engineering, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1095, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
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26
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Ganea M, Nagy C, Teodorescu AG, Lesyan M, Hanga-Farcas A, Horvath T, Miere FG. Preliminary Studies on the Formulation of Vaginal Suppositories with Liposomal Oregano Oil. PHARMACOPHORE 2022. [DOI: 10.51847/ybqmdzd3tn] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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27
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Li Z, Fang X, Yu D. Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems and Their Use in Obesity Treatment. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:12754. [PMID: 34884558 PMCID: PMC8657870 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Transdermal drug delivery (TDD) has recently emerged as an effective alternative to oral and injection administration because of its less invasiveness, low rejection rate, and excellent ease of administration. TDD has made an important contribution to medical practice such as diabetes, hemorrhoids, arthritis, migraine, and schizophrenia treatment, but has yet to fully achieve its potential in the treatment of obesity. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally and posed a significant threat to human health. Various approaches, including oral and injection administration have widely been used in clinical setting for obesity treatment. However, these traditional options remain ineffective and inconvenient, and carry risks of adverse effects. Therefore, alternative and advanced drug delivery strategies with higher efficacy and less toxicity such as TDD are urgently required for obesity treatment. This review summarizes current TDD technology, and the main anti-obesity drug delivery system. This review also provides insights into various anti-obesity drugs under study with a focus on the recent developments of TDD system for enhanced anti-obesity drug delivery. Although most of presented studies stay in animal stage, the application of TDD in anti-obesity drugs would have a significant impact on bringing safe and effective therapies to obese patients in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Dahai Yu
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China; (Z.L.); (X.F.)
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28
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Tivony R, Fletcher M, Al Nahas K, Keyser UF. A Microfluidic Platform for Sequential Assembly and Separation of Synthetic Cell Models. ACS Synth Biol 2021; 10:3105-3116. [PMID: 34761904 PMCID: PMC8609574 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
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Cell-sized vesicles
like giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) are
established as a promising biomimetic model for studying cellular
phenomena in isolation. However, the presence of residual components
and byproducts, generated during vesicles preparation and manipulation,
severely limits the utility of GUVs in applications like synthetic
cells. Therefore, with the rapidly growing field of synthetic biology,
there is an emergent demand for techniques that can continuously purify
cell-like vesicles from diverse residues, while GUVs are being simultaneously
synthesized and manipulated. We have developed a microfluidic platform
capable of purifying GUVs through stream bifurcation, where a vesicles
suspension is partitioned into three fractions: purified GUVs, residual
components, and a washing solution. Using our purification approach,
we show that giant vesicles can be separated from various residues—which
range in size and chemical composition—with a very high efficiency
(e = 0.99), based on size and deformability of the
filtered objects. In addition, by incorporating the purification module
with a microfluidic-based GUV-formation method, octanol-assisted liposome
assembly (OLA), we established an integrated production-purification
microfluidic unit that sequentially produces, manipulates, and purifies
GUVs. We demonstrate the applicability of the integrated device to
synthetic biology through sequentially fusing SUVs with freshly prepared
GUVs and separating the fused GUVs from extraneous SUVs and oil droplets
at the same time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Tivony
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K
| | - Marcus Fletcher
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K
| | - Kareem Al Nahas
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K
| | - Ulrich F. Keyser
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K
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29
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Jo Y, Yoon J, Shin S. Computational Insights into the Aggregation Pathway of Self-Assembled Nanotubules. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:12082-12094. [PMID: 34699214 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c06452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
We performed molecular dynamics simulations of self-assembled supramolecular nanotubules constructed from amphiphiles with bent-shaped rods. By systematically examining the structure from dimeric aggregates to the fully developed nanotubule, we identified the basic building block of the nanotubule and the optimal dimensions of its stable structure which are consistent with experimental findings. Moreover, we demonstrate that the cooperative interplay of different interactions drives aggregation by selecting and stabilizing the optimal self-assembled structures for various intermediates through a complex pathway. Additionally, contraction of the nanotubule, which accompanies the dehydration process, was observed upon heating. It is suggested that the optimal stability of the self-assembled aggregates is achieved by balancing entropic and enthalpic contributions, of which the ratio is a critical factor that drives the aggregation pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youngbeom Jo
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeseong Yoon
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Seokmin Shin
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
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30
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Current problems and future avenues in proteoliposome research. Biochem Soc Trans 2021; 48:1473-1492. [PMID: 32830854 DOI: 10.1042/bst20190966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Membrane proteins (MPs) are the gatekeepers between different biological compartments separated by lipid bilayers. Being receptors, channels, transporters, or primary pumps, they fulfill a wide variety of cellular functions and their importance is reflected in the increasing number of drugs that target MPs. Functional studies of MPs within a native cellular context, however, is difficult due to the innate complexity of the densely packed membranes. Over the past decades, detergent-based extraction and purification of MPs and their reconstitution into lipid mimetic systems has been a very powerful tool to simplify the experimental system. In this review, we focus on proteoliposomes that have become an indispensable experimental system for enzymes with a vectorial function, including many of the here described energy transducing MPs. We first address long standing questions on the difficulty of successful reconstitution and controlled orientation of MPs into liposomes. A special emphasis is given on coreconstitution of several MPs into the same bilayer. Second, we discuss recent progress in the development of fluorescent dyes that offer sensitive detection with high temporal resolution. Finally, we briefly cover the use of giant unilamellar vesicles for the investigation of complex enzymatic cascades, a very promising experimental tool considering our increasing knowledge of the interplay of different cellular components.
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31
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Maktabi S, Malmstadt N, Schertzer JW, Chiarot PR. An integrated microfluidic platform to fabricate single-micrometer asymmetric giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) using dielectrophoretic separation of microemulsions. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2021; 15:024112. [PMID: 33912267 PMCID: PMC8064763 DOI: 10.1063/5.0047265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We present a microfluidic technique that generates asymmetric giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) in the size range of 2-14 μm. In our method, we (i) create water-in-oil emulsions as the precursors to build synthetic vesicles, (ii) deflect the emulsions across two oil streams containing different phospholipids at high throughput to establish an asymmetric architecture in the lipid bilayer membranes, and (iii) direct the water-in-oil emulsions across the oil-water interface of an oscillating oil jet in a co-flowing confined geometry to encapsulate the inner aqueous phase inside a lipid bilayer and complete the fabrication of GUVs. In the first step, we utilize a flow-focusing geometry with precisely controlled pneumatic pressures to form monodisperse water-in-oil emulsions. We observed different regimes in forming water-in-oil multiphase flows by changing the applied pressures and discovered a hysteretic behavior in jet breakup and droplet generation. In the second step of GUV fabrication, an oil stream containing phospholipids carries the emulsions into a separation region where we steer the emulsions across two parallel oil streams using active dielectrophoretic and pinched-flow fractionation separations. We explore the effect of applied DC voltage magnitude and carrier oil stream flow rate on the separation efficiency. We develop an image processing code that measures the degree of mixing between the two oil streams as the water-in-oil emulsions travel across them under dielectrophoretic steering to find the ideal operational conditions. Finally, we utilize an oscillating co-flowing jet to complete the formation of asymmetric giant unilamellar vesicles and transfer them to an aqueous phase. We investigate the effect of flow rates on properties of the co-flowing jet oscillating in the whipping mode (i.e., wavelength and amplitude) and define the phase diagram for the oil-in-water jet. Assays used to probe the lipid bilayer membrane of fabricated GUVs showed that membranes were unilamellar, minimal residual oil remained trapped between the two lipid leaflets, and 83% asymmetry was achieved across the lipid bilayers of GUVs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Noah Malmstadt
- Departments of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, Biomedical Engineering, and Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
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32
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Morita M, Noda N. Membrane Shape Dynamics-Based Analysis of the Physical Properties of Giant Unilamellar Vesicles Prepared by Inverted Emulsion and Hydration Techniques. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2021; 37:2268-2275. [PMID: 33555886 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c02698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The giant unilamellar vesicle (GUV) is a basic model of the cell membrane that allows for the modulation and control of membrane shape dynamics, which play essential roles in the functions of living cell membranes. However, to properly use these artificial cell-like model systems, we need to understand their physical properties. GUV generation techniques are key technologies in the synthesis of artificial cell-like model systems. However, it is unclear whether GUVs produced by different techniques have the same physical properties. Here, we have investigated the physical properties of GUVs prepared by inverted emulsion and hydration techniques by examining the membrane shape deformation induced by external stimulation with a nonionic surfactant. We reveal differences in the spontaneous curvature of the membrane, the preferred differential area between the inner and outer leaflets of the membrane, and the edge tension of membrane pores between the GUVs prepared using the two distinct techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masamune Morita
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8566, Japan
| | - Naohiro Noda
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8566, Japan
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33
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Potter M, Najer A, Klöckner A, Zhang S, Holme MN, Nele V, Che J, Massi L, Penders J, Saunders C, Doutch JJ, Edwards AM, Ces O, Stevens MM. Controlled Dendrimersome Nanoreactor System for Localized Hypochlorite-Induced Killing of Bacteria. ACS NANO 2020; 14:17333-17353. [PMID: 33290039 PMCID: PMC7760217 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c07459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is a serious global health problem necessitating new bactericidal approaches such as nanomedicines. Dendrimersomes (DSs) have recently become a valuable alternative nanocarrier to polymersomes and liposomes due to their molecular definition and synthetic versatility. Despite this, their biomedical application is still in its infancy. Inspired by the localized antimicrobial function of neutrophil phagosomes and the versatility of DSs, a simple three-component DS-based nanoreactor with broad-spectrum bactericidal activity is presented. This was achieved by encapsulation of glucose oxidase (GOX) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) within DSs (GOX-MPO-DSs), self-assembled from an amphiphilic Janus dendrimer, that possesses a semipermeable membrane. By external addition of glucose to GOX-MPO-DS, the production of hypochlorite (-OCl), a highly potent antimicrobial, by the enzymatic cascade was demonstrated. This cascade nanoreactor yielded a potent bactericidal effect against two important multidrug resistant pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), not observed for H2O2 producing nanoreactors, GOX-DS. The production of highly reactive species such as -OCl represents a harsh bactericidal approach that could also be cytotoxic to mammalian cells. This necessitates the development of strategies for activating -OCl production in a localized manner in response to a bacterial stimulus. One option of locally releasing sufficient amounts of substrate using a bacterial trigger (released toxins) was demonstrated with lipidic glucose-loaded giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs), envisioning, e.g., implant surface modification with nanoreactors and GUVs for localized production of bactericidal agents in the presence of bacterial growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Potter
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
- Department
of Chemistry and Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
| | - Adrian Najer
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Anna Klöckner
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
- MRC
Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Shaodong Zhang
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Margaret N. Holme
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
- Department
of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Valeria Nele
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Junyi Che
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Lucia Massi
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Jelle Penders
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Catherine Saunders
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - James J. Doutch
- Rutherford
Appleton Laboratory, ISIS Neutron and Muon
Source, STFC, Didcot OX11 ODE, U.K.
| | - Andrew M. Edwards
- MRC
Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Oscar Ces
- Department
of Chemistry and Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
| | - Molly M. Stevens
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
- Department
of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
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34
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Zartner L, Muthwill MS, Dinu IA, Schoenenberger CA, Palivan CG. The rise of bio-inspired polymer compartments responding to pathology-related signals. J Mater Chem B 2020; 8:6252-6270. [PMID: 32452509 DOI: 10.1039/d0tb00475h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Self-organized nano- and microscale polymer compartments such as polymersomes, giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs), polyion complex vesicles (PICsomes) and layer-by-layer (LbL) capsules have increasing potential in many sensing applications. Besides modifying the physicochemical properties of the corresponding polymer building blocks, the versatility of these compartments can be markedly expanded by biomolecules that endow the nanomaterials with specific molecular and cellular functions. In this review, we focus on polymer-based compartments that preserve their structure, and highlight the key role they play in the field of medical diagnostics: first, the self-assembling abilities that result in preferred architectures are presented for a broad range of polymers. In the following, we describe different strategies for sensing disease-related signals (pH-change, reductive conditions, and presence of ions or biomolecules) by polymer compartments that exhibit stimuli-responsiveness. In particular, we distinguish between the stimulus-sensitivity contributed by the polymer itself or by additional compounds embedded in the compartments in different sensing systems. We then address necessary properties of sensing polymeric compartments, such as the enhancement of their stability and biocompatibility, or the targeting ability, that open up new perspectives for diagnostic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Zartner
- Chemistry Department, University of Basel, Mattenstr. 24a, BPR1096, Basel, Switzerland.
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35
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Quang Tran H, Bhave M, Yu A. Current Advances of Hollow Capsules as Controlled Drug Delivery Systems. ChemistrySelect 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/slct.201904598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Huy Quang Tran
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology Swinburne University of Technology Hawthorn, Victoria 3122 Australia
| | - Mrinal Bhave
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology Swinburne University of Technology Hawthorn, Victoria 3122 Australia
| | - Aimin Yu
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology Swinburne University of Technology Hawthorn, Victoria 3122 Australia
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36
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Miele Y, Mingotaud AF, Caruso E, Malacarne MC, Izzo L, Lonetti B, Rossi F. Hybrid giant lipid vesicles incorporating a PMMA-based copolymer. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2020; 1865:129611. [PMID: 32272202 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2020.129611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the formation of copolymer-lipid hybrid self-assemblies, which allow combining and improving the main features of pure lipid-based and copolymer-based systems known for their potential applications in the biomedical field. As the most common method used to obtain giant vesicles is electroformation, most systems so far used low Tg polymers for their flexibility at room temperature. METHODS Copolymers used in the hybrid vesicles have been synthesized by a modified version of the ATRP, namely the Activators ReGenerated by Electron Transfer ATRP and characterized by NMR and DSC. Giant hybrid vesicles have been obtained using electroformation and droplet transfer method. Confocal fluorescence microscopy was used to image the vesicles. RESULTS Electroformation enabled to obtain hybrid vesicles in a narrow range of compositions (15 mol% was the maximum copolymer content). This range could be extended by the use of a droplet transfer method, which enabled obtaining hybrid vesicles incorporating a methacrylate-based polymer in a wide range of compositions. Proof of the hybrid composition was obtained by fluorescence microscopy using labeled lipids and copolymers. CONCLUSIONS This work describes for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, the formation of giant hybrid polymer/lipid vesicles formed with such a content of a polymethylmethacrylate copolymer, the glass temperature of which is above room temperature. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE This work shows that polymer structures, more complex than the ones mostly employed, can be possibly included in giant hybrid vesicles by using the droplet transfer method. This will give easier access to functionalized and stimuli-responsive giant vesicles and to systems exhibiting a tunable permeability, these systems being relevant for biological and technological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ylenia Miele
- Department of Chemistry and Biology, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
| | - Anne-Françoise Mingotaud
- Laboratoire des IMRCP, Université de Toulouse, CNRS UMR 5623, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, 118 Rte de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse cedex 9, France
| | - Enrico Caruso
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Scienze della Vita, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, via J. H. Dunant, 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Miryam C Malacarne
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Scienze della Vita, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, via J. H. Dunant, 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Lorella Izzo
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Scienze della Vita, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, via J. H. Dunant, 3, 21100 Varese, Italy.
| | - Barbara Lonetti
- Laboratoire des IMRCP, Université de Toulouse, CNRS UMR 5623, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, 118 Rte de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse cedex 9, France.
| | - Federico Rossi
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Physical Sciences - DEEP Sciences - Pian dei Mantellini 44, 53100 Siena, Italy
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37
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Oropeza-Guzman E, Ríos-Ramírez M, Ruiz-Suárez JC. Leveraging the Coffee Ring Effect for a Defect-Free Electroformation of Giant Unilamellar Vesicles. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2019; 35:16528-16535. [PMID: 31747518 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.9b02488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
We took advantage of the microflow hydrodynamics in the evaporation of sessile droplets to increase the height uniformity of thin lipid films for the subsequent electroformation of defect-free giant unilamellar vesicles (GUV). By serially casting progressively larger liposome suspension droplets on the same spot of an indium-tin-oxide (ITO) electrode, we managed to leverage the coffee ring effect (CRE) in the evaporation of each droplet to generate a smeared multilayer film of uniform thickness. This multidroplet technique of lipid film formation outperformed the traditional single-droplet deposition, improving the final quality of electroformed GUV samples. The proposed film formation technique constitutes a solvent-free method that results in a dramatic reduction (∼20×) in the appearance of undesirable structures like nonspherical (NSV), multilamellar (MLV), and multivesicular (MVV) vesicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Oropeza-Guzman
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN (CINVESTAV) Unidad Monterrey , Apodaca , Nuevo León 66600 , México
| | - Maricarmen Ríos-Ramírez
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN (CINVESTAV) Unidad Monterrey , Apodaca , Nuevo León 66600 , México
| | - Jesús Carlos Ruiz-Suárez
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN (CINVESTAV) Unidad Monterrey , Apodaca , Nuevo León 66600 , México
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