1
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Samanta A, Baranda Pellejero L, Masukawa M, Walther A. DNA-empowered synthetic cells as minimalistic life forms. Nat Rev Chem 2024; 8:454-470. [PMID: 38750171 DOI: 10.1038/s41570-024-00606-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Cells, the fundamental units of life, orchestrate intricate functions - motility, adaptation, replication, communication, and self-organization within tissues. Originating from spatiotemporally organized structures and machinery, coupled with information processing in signalling networks, cells embody the 'sensor-processor-actuator' paradigm. Can we glean insights from these processes to construct primitive artificial systems with life-like properties? Using de novo design approaches, what can we uncover about the evolutionary path of life? This Review discusses the strides made in crafting synthetic cells, utilizing the powerful toolbox of structural and dynamic DNA nanoscience. We describe how DNA can serve as a versatile tool for engineering entire synthetic cells or subcellular entities, and how DNA enables complex behaviour, including motility and information processing for adaptive and interactive processes. We chart future directions for DNA-empowered synthetic cells, envisioning interactive systems wherein synthetic cells communicate within communities and with living cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avik Samanta
- Life-Like Materials and Systems, Department of Chemistry, University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
- Centre for Nanotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, India.
| | | | - Marcos Masukawa
- Life-Like Materials and Systems, Department of Chemistry, University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Andreas Walther
- Life-Like Materials and Systems, Department of Chemistry, University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
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2
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Wang S, Kong H, Zhuo C, Liu L, Lv S, Cheng D, Lao YH, Tao Y, Li M. Functionalized extracellular nanovesicles as advanced CRISPR delivery systems. Biomater Sci 2024. [PMID: 38808607 DOI: 10.1039/d4bm00054d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) system, an emerging tool for genome editing, has garnered significant public interest for its potential in treating genetic diseases. Despite the rapid advancements in CRISPR technology, the progress in developing effective delivery strategies lags, impeding its clinical application. Extracellular nanovesicles (EVs), either in their endogenous forms or with engineered modifications, have emerged as a promising solution for CRISPR delivery. These EVs offer several advantages, including high biocompatibility, biological permeability, negligible immunogenicity, and straightforward production. Herein, we first summarize various types of functional EVs for CRISPR delivery, such as unmodified, modified, engineered virus-like particles (VLPs), and exosome-liposome hybrid vesicles, and examine their distinct intracellular pathways. Then, we outline the cutting-edge techniques for functionalizing extracellular vesicles, involving producer cell engineering, vesicle engineering, and virus-like particle engineering, emphasizing the diverse CRISPR delivery capabilities of these nanovesicles. Lastly, we address the current challenges and propose rational design strategies for their clinical translation, offering future perspectives on the development of functionalized EVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqing Wang
- Laboratory of Biomaterials and Translational Medicine, Center for Nanomedicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China.
| | - Huimin Kong
- Laboratory of Biomaterials and Translational Medicine, Center for Nanomedicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China.
| | - Chenya Zhuo
- Laboratory of Biomaterials and Translational Medicine, Center for Nanomedicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China.
| | - Li Liu
- Department of Gynecology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Shixian Lv
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Du Cheng
- PCFM Lab of Ministry of Education, School of Material Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Yeh-Hsing Lao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA.
| | - Yu Tao
- Laboratory of Biomaterials and Translational Medicine, Center for Nanomedicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China.
| | - Mingqiang Li
- Laboratory of Biomaterials and Translational Medicine, Center for Nanomedicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou 510630, China
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3
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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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4
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Liao Y, Zhang Z, Ouyang L, Mi B, Liu G. Engineered Extracellular Vesicles in Wound Healing: Design, Paradigms, and Clinical Application. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2307058. [PMID: 37806763 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202307058] [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: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
The severe quality of life and economic burden imposed by non-healing skin wounds, infection risks, and treatment costs are affecting millions of patients worldwide. To mitigate these challenges, scientists are relentlessly seeking effective treatment measures. In recent years, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as a promising cell-free therapy strategy, attracting extensive attention from researchers. EVs mediate intercellular communication, possessing excellent biocompatibility and stability. These features make EVs a potential tool for treating a plethora of diseases, including those related to wound repair. However, there is a growing focus on the engineering of EVs to overcome inherent limitations such as low production, relatively fixed content, and targeting capabilities of natural EVs. This engineering could improve both the effectiveness and specificity of EVs in wound repair treatments. In light of this, the present review will introduce the latest progress in the design methods and experimental paradigms of engineered EVs applied in wound repair. Furthermore, it will comprehensively analyze the current clinical research status and prospects of engineered EVs within this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuheng Liao
- Department of Orthopedics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1277 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Zhenhe Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1277 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Lizhi Ouyang
- Department of Orthopedics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1277 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Bobin Mi
- Department of Orthopedics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1277 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Guohui Liu
- Department of Orthopedics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1277 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430022, China
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5
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Tian X, Risgaard NA, Löffler PMG, Vogel S. DNA-Programmed Lipid Nanoreactors for Synthesis of Carbohydrate Mimetics by Fusion of Aqueous Sub-attoliter Compartments. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:19633-19641. [PMID: 37619973 PMCID: PMC10510321 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c04093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Lipid nanoreactors are biomimetic reaction vessels (nanoreactors) that can host aqueous or membrane-associated chemical and enzymatic reactions. Nanoreactors provide ultra-miniaturization from atto- to zeptoliter volumes per reaction vessel with the major challenge of encoding and spatio-temporal control over reactions at the individual nanoreactor or population level, thereby controlling volumes several orders of magnitude below advanced microfluidic devices. We present DNA-programmed lipid nanoreactors (PLNs) functionalized with lipidated oligonucleotides (LiNAs) that allow programming and encoding of nanoreactor interactions by controlled membrane fusion, exemplified for a set of carbohydrate mimetics with mono- to hexasaccharide azide building blocks connected by click-chemistry. Programmed reactions are initiated by fusion of distinct populations of nanoreactors with individually encapsulated building blocks. A focused library of triazole-linked carbohydrate-Cy5 conjugates formed by strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloadditions demonstrated LiNA-programmed chemistry, including two-step reaction schemes. The PLN method is developed toward a robust platform for synthesis in confined space employing fully programmable nanoreactors, applicable to multistep synthesis for the generation of combinatorial libraries with subsequent analysis of the molecules formed, based on the addressability of the lipid nanoreactors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinwei Tian
- Department of Physics, Chemistry
and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | - Nikolaj Alexander Risgaard
- Department of Physics, Chemistry
and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | - Philipp M. G. Löffler
- Department of Physics, Chemistry
and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | - Stefan Vogel
- Department of Physics, Chemistry
and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense M, Denmark
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6
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Liu C, Mentzelopoulou A, Papagavriil F, Ramachandran P, Perraki A, Claus L, Barg S, Dörmann P, Jaillais Y, Johnen P, Russinova E, Gizeli E, Schaaf G, Moschou PN. SEC14-like condensate phase transitions at plasma membranes regulate root growth in Arabidopsis. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002305. [PMID: 37721949 PMCID: PMC10538751 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein function can be modulated by phase transitions in their material properties, which can range from liquid- to solid-like; yet, the mechanisms that drive these transitions and whether they are important for physiology are still unknown. In the model plant Arabidopsis, we show that developmental robustness is reinforced by phase transitions of the plasma membrane-bound lipid-binding protein SEC14-like. Using imaging, genetics, and in vitro reconstitution experiments, we show that SEC14-like undergoes liquid-like phase separation in the root stem cells. Outside the stem cell niche, SEC14-like associates with the caspase-like protease separase and conserved microtubule motors at unique polar plasma membrane interfaces. In these interfaces, SEC14-like undergoes processing by separase, which promotes its liquid-to-solid transition. This transition is important for root development, as lines expressing an uncleavable SEC14-like variant or mutants of separase and associated microtubule motors show similar developmental phenotypes. Furthermore, the processed and solidified but not the liquid form of SEC14-like interacts with and regulates the polarity of the auxin efflux carrier PINFORMED2. This work demonstrates that robust development can involve liquid-to-solid transitions mediated by proteolysis at unique plasma membrane interfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Liu
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
- Department of Plant Biology, Uppsala BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Linnean Center for Plant Biology, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Andriani Mentzelopoulou
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Fotini Papagavriil
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Prashanth Ramachandran
- Department of Organismal Biology, Physiological Botany, Linnean Centre for Plant Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Artemis Perraki
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Lucas Claus
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sebastian Barg
- Department of Medical Cell Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Peter Dörmann
- Institute of Molecular Physiology and Biotechnology of Plants, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Yvon Jaillais
- Laboratoire Reproduction et Développement des Plantes, ENS de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, INRAE, Lyon, France
| | - Philipp Johnen
- Department of Plant Nutrition, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Eugenia Russinova
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Electra Gizeli
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Gabriel Schaaf
- Department of Plant Nutrition, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Panagiotis Nikolaou Moschou
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
- Department of Plant Biology, Uppsala BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Linnean Center for Plant Biology, Uppsala, Sweden
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7
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Li Z, Wang J, O’Hagan MP, Huang F, Xia F, Willner I. Dynamic Fusion of Nucleic Acid Functionalized Nano-/Micro-Cell-Like Containments: From Basic Concepts to Applications. ACS NANO 2023; 17:15308-15327. [PMID: 37549398 PMCID: PMC10448756 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c04415] [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: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Membrane fusion processes play key roles in biological transformations, such as endocytosis/exocytosis, signal transduction, neurotransmission, or viral infections, and substantial research efforts have been directed to emulate these functions by artificial means. The recognition and dynamic reconfiguration properties of nucleic acids provide a versatile means to induce membrane fusion. Here we address recent advances in the functionalization of liposomes or membranes with structurally engineered lipidated nucleic acids guiding the fusion of cell-like containments, and the biophysical and chemical parameters controlling the fusion of the liposomes will be discussed. Intermembrane bridging by duplex or triplex nucleic acids and light-induced activation of membrane-associated nucleic acid constituents provide the means for spatiotemporal fusion of liposomes or nucleic acid modified liposome fusion with native cell membranes. The membrane fusion processes lead to exchange of loads in the fused containments and are a means to integrate functional assemblies. This is exemplified with the operation of biocatalytic cascades and dynamic DNA polymerization/nicking or transcription machineries in fused protocell systems. Membrane fusion processes of protocell assemblies are found to have important drug-delivery, therapeutic, sensing, and biocatalytic applications. The future challenges and perspectives of DNA-guided fused containments and membranes are addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenzhen Li
- The
Institute of Chemistry, The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Jianbang Wang
- The
Institute of Chemistry, The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Michael P. O’Hagan
- The
Institute of Chemistry, The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Fujian Huang
- State
Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, Engineering
Research Center of Nano-Geomaterials of Ministry of Education, Faculty
of Materials Science and Chemistry, China
University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fan Xia
- State
Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, Engineering
Research Center of Nano-Geomaterials of Ministry of Education, Faculty
of Materials Science and Chemistry, China
University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of China
| | - Itamar Willner
- The
Institute of Chemistry, The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
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8
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Hsu YY, Chen SJ, Bernal-Chanchavac J, Sharma B, Moghimianavval H, Stephanopoulos N, Liu AP. Calcium-triggered DNA-mediated membrane fusion in synthetic cells. Chem Commun (Camb) 2023; 59:8806-8809. [PMID: 37365952 PMCID: PMC10527479 DOI: 10.1039/d3cc02204h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
In cells, membrane fusion is mediated by SNARE proteins, whose activities are calcium-dependent. While several non-native membrane fusion mechanisms have been demonstrated, few can respond to external stimuli. Here, we develop a calcium-triggered DNA-mediated membrane fusion strategy where fusion is regulated using surface-bound PEG chains that are cleavable by the calcium-activated protease calpain-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yen-Yu Hsu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
| | - Samuel J Chen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
| | | | - Bineet Sharma
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | | | | | - Allen P Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Biophysics Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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9
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Hsu YY, Chen SJ, Bernal-Chanchavac J, Sharma B, Moghimianavval H, Stephanopoulos N, Liu AP. Calcium-triggered DNA-mediated membrane fusion in synthetic cells. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.06.539684. [PMID: 37205334 PMCID: PMC10187331 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.06.539684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
In cells, membrane fusion is mediated by SNARE proteins, whose activities are calcium-dependent. While several non-native membrane fusion mechanisms have been demonstrated, few can respond to external stimuli. Here, we develop a calcium-triggered DNA-mediated membrane fusion strategy where fusion is regulated using surface-bound PEG chains that are cleavable by the calcium-activated protease calpain-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yen-Yu Hsu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Samuel J. Chen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Bineet Sharma
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | | | | | - Allen P. Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Biophysics Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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10
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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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11
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Zhang Q, Gao L, Li F, Bi Y. Sensing and manipulating single lipid vesicles using dynamic DNA nanotechnology. NANOSCALE 2023; 15:5158-5166. [PMID: 36825547 DOI: 10.1039/d2nr07192d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Natural and artificial lipid vesicles have been widely involved in nano-delivery, bio-analysis and diagnosis. For sensing and manipulating single lipid vesicles, dynamic DNA reactions were constructed inside or on the surface of lipid vesicles. In this review, we interpreted various ways of integrating lipid vesicles and dynamic DNA nanotechnology by summarizing the latest reports in bio-analysis and biomimetic cell research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong First Medical University, Tai'An, Shandong, 271016, P. R. China.
- Key laboratory of Green Chemistry & Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Sichuan, 610064, P. R. China.
| | - Lu Gao
- Key laboratory of Green Chemistry & Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Sichuan, 610064, P. R. China.
| | - Feng Li
- Key laboratory of Green Chemistry & Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Sichuan, 610064, P. R. China.
| | - Yanping Bi
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong First Medical University, Tai'An, Shandong, 271016, P. R. China.
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12
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Webster ER, Liu KN, Rawle RJ, Boxer SG. Modulating the Influenza A Virus-Target Membrane Fusion Interface With Synthetic DNA-Lipid Receptors. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:2354-2362. [PMID: 35143209 PMCID: PMC9038422 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c03247] [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: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Influenza A virus (IAV) binds to sialylated glycans on the cell membrane before endocytosis and fusion. Cell-surface glycans are highly heterogeneous in length and glycosylation density, which leads to variations in the distance and rigidity with which IAV is held away from the cell membrane. To gain mechanistic insight into how receptor length and rigidity impact the mechanism of IAV entry, we employed synthetic DNA-lipids as highly tunable surrogate receptors. We tethered IAV to target membranes with a panel of DNA-lipids to investigate the effects of the distance and tether flexibility between virions and target membranes on the kinetics of IAV binding and fusion. Tether length and the presence of a flexible linker led to higher rates of IAV binding, while the efficiencies of lipid and content mixing were typically lower for longer and more rigid DNA tethers. For all DNA tether modifications, we found that the rates of IAV lipid and content mixing were unchanged. These results suggest that variations in the interface between IAV and a target membrane do not significantly impact the rate-limiting step of fusion or the low-pH-triggered engagement of viral fusion peptides with the target membrane. However, our results imply that the flexibility of the viral receptor is important for ensuring that hemifusion events are able to successfully proceed to pore formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth R Webster
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Katherine N Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Robert J Rawle
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Steven G Boxer
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
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Zhao J, Zhang Y, Zhang X, Li C, Du H, Sønderskov SM, Mu W, Dong M, Han X. Mimicking Cellular Metabolism in Artificial Cells: Universal Molecule Transport across the Membrane through Vesicle Fusion. Anal Chem 2022; 94:3811-3818. [PMID: 35189059 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c04696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Mass transport across cell membranes is a primary process for cellular metabolism. For this purpose, electrostatically mediated membrane fusion is exploited to transport various small molecules including glucose-6-phosphate, isopropyl β-D-thiogalactoside, and macromolecules such as DNA plasmids from negatively charged large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) to positively charged giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). After membrane fusion between these oppositely charged vesicles, molecules are transported into GUVs to trigger the NAD+ involved enzyme reaction, bacterial gene expression, and in vitro gene expression of green fluorescent protein from a DNA plasmid. The optimized charged lipid percentages are 10% for both positively charged GUVs and negatively charged LUVs to ensure the fusion process. The experimental results demonstrate a universal way for mass transport into the artificial cells through vesicle fusions, which paves a crucial step for the investigation of complicated cellular metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, 92 West Da-Zhi Street, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Heilongjiang Institute of Technology, 999 Hongqi Street, Harbin 150050, China
| | - Xiangxiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, 92 West Da-Zhi Street, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Chao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, 92 West Da-Zhi Street, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Hang Du
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, 92 West Da-Zhi Street, Harbin 150001, China
| | | | - Wei Mu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, 92 West Da-Zhi Street, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Mingdong Dong
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Aarhus DK-8000, Denmark
| | - Xiaojun Han
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, 92 West Da-Zhi Street, Harbin 150001, China
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Kong H, Yi K, Zheng C, Lao YH, Zhou H, Chan HF, Wang H, Tao Y, Li M. Membrane-fusogenic biomimetic particles: a new bioengineering tool learned from nature. J Mater Chem B 2022; 10:6841-6858. [PMID: 35781483 DOI: 10.1039/d2tb00632d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Membrane fusion, a fundamental biological process of the fusion of the membrane composition between cells within natural organisms, is vital for cell-cell communication and cargo transport between the living cells....
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Affiliation(s)
- Huimin Kong
- Laboratory of Biomaterials and Translational Medicine, Center for Nanomedicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China.
| | - Ke Yi
- Laboratory of Biomaterials and Translational Medicine, Center for Nanomedicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China.
| | - Chunxiong Zheng
- Laboratory of Biomaterials and Translational Medicine, Center for Nanomedicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China.
| | - Yeh-Hsing Lao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA
| | - Huicong Zhou
- College of Science, Changchun Institute of Technology, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Hon Fai Chan
- Institute for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biomedical Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Haixia Wang
- Laboratory of Biomaterials and Translational Medicine, Center for Nanomedicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China.
| | - Yu Tao
- Laboratory of Biomaterials and Translational Medicine, Center for Nanomedicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China.
| | - Mingqiang Li
- Laboratory of Biomaterials and Translational Medicine, Center for Nanomedicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou 510630, China
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15
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Sharma B, Moghimianavval H, Hwang SW, Liu AP. Synthetic Cell as a Platform for Understanding Membrane-Membrane Interactions. MEMBRANES 2021; 11:912. [PMID: 34940413 PMCID: PMC8706075 DOI: 10.3390/membranes11120912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
In the pursuit of understanding life, model membranes made of phospholipids were envisaged decades ago as a platform for the bottom-up study of biological processes. Micron-sized lipid vesicles have gained great acceptance as their bilayer membrane resembles the natural cell membrane. Important biological events involving membranes, such as membrane protein insertion, membrane fusion, and intercellular communication, will be highlighted in this review with recent research updates. We will first review different lipid bilayer platforms used for incorporation of integral membrane proteins and challenges associated with their functional reconstitution. We next discuss different methods for reconstitution of membrane fusion and compare their fusion efficiency. Lastly, we will highlight the importance and challenges of intercellular communication between synthetic cells and synthetic cells-to-natural cells. We will summarize the review by highlighting the challenges and opportunities associated with studying membrane-membrane interactions and possible future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bineet Sharma
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (B.S.); (H.M.)
| | - Hossein Moghimianavval
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (B.S.); (H.M.)
| | - Sung-Won Hwang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA;
| | - Allen P. Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (B.S.); (H.M.)
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA
- Department of Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA
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16
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Zheng Y, Wu Z, Lin L, Zheng X, Hou Y, Lin JM. Microfluidic droplet-based functional materials for cell manipulation. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:4311-4329. [PMID: 34668510 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00618e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Functional materials from the microfluidic-based droplet community are emerging as enabling tools for various applications in tissue engineering and cell biology. The innovative micro- and nano-scale materials with diverse sizes, shapes and components can be fabricated without the use of complicated devices, allowing unprecedented control over the cells that interact with them. Here, we review the current development of microfluidic-based droplet techniques for creation of functional materials (i.e., liquid droplet, microcapsule, and microparticle). We also describe their various applications for manipulating cell fate and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajing Zheng
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Microanalytical Methods and Instrumentation, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
| | - Zengnan Wu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Microanalytical Methods and Instrumentation, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
| | - Ling Lin
- Department of Bioengineering, Beijing Technology and Business University, China.
| | - Xiaonan Zheng
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Microanalytical Methods and Instrumentation, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
| | - Ying Hou
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Microanalytical Methods and Instrumentation, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
| | - Jin-Ming Lin
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Microanalytical Methods and Instrumentation, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
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17
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EPA and DHA differentially modulate membrane elasticity in the presence of cholesterol. Biophys J 2021; 120:2317-2329. [PMID: 33887229 PMCID: PMC8390804 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) modify the activity of a wide range of membrane proteins and are increasingly hypothesized to modulate protein activity by indirectly altering membrane physical properties. Among the various physical properties affected by PUFAs, the membrane area expansion modulus (Ka), which measures membrane strain in response to applied force, is expected to be a significant controller of channel activity. Yet, the impact of PUFAs on membrane Ka has not been measured previously. Through a series of micropipette aspiration studies, we measured the apparent Ka (Kapp) of phospholipid model membranes containing nonesterified fatty acids. First, we measured membrane Kapp as a function of the location of the unsaturated bonds and degree of unsaturation in the incorporated fatty acids and found that Kapp generally decreases in the presence of fatty acids with three or more unsaturated bonds. Next, we assessed how select ω-3 PUFAs, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), affect the Kapp of membranes containing cholesterol. In vesicles prepared with high amounts of cholesterol, which should increase the propensity of the membrane to phase segregate, we found that inclusion of DHA decreases the Kapp in comparison to EPA. We also measured how these ω-3 PUFAs affect membrane fluidity and bending rigidity to determine how membrane Kapp changes in relation to these other physical properties. Our study shows that PUFAs generally decrease the Kapp of membranes and that EPA and DHA have differential effects on Kapp when membranes contain higher levels of cholesterol. Our results suggest membrane phase behavior and the distribution of membrane-elasticizing amphiphiles impact the ability of a membrane to stretch.
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18
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Rajwar A, Morya V, Kharbanda S, Bhatia D. DNA Nanodevices to Probe and Program Membrane Organization, Dynamics, and Applications. J Membr Biol 2020; 253:577-587. [DOI: 10.1007/s00232-020-00154-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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