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Shvetsov S, Orlova T, Hayrapetyan A, Vasil'ev A, Rafayelyan M. Light-controllable liquid crystal platform for microparticle oscillations and transport. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:6920-6928. [PMID: 39161989 DOI: 10.1039/d4sm00771a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
Liquid crystal colloids manifest complex motion caused by external stimuli, but tunable and addressable control of microsized objects remains a challenge. This study aims to demonstrate light-driven trapping, transport, and sustained periodic motions of microparticles by employing liquid crystal films as a light-controllable colloidal platform. The diverse motions of microscopic particles result from Marangoni convection coupled with elastic deformations in free-surface liquid crystal films subjected to light beam heating. The specific mode of particle motion, including damped and sustained oscillations, also combined with sustained rotation, is defined by the liquid crystal chirality, particle surface treatment, film thickness, and the power of the tightly focused light beam. The results reveal that free-surface liquid crystals provide a unique platform for the indirect optical manipulation of microscopic objects, paving the way for novel applications in microfluidic tools, particle sorting and transport, micropatterning, and various micromachines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergey Shvetsov
- Institute of Physics, Yerevan State University, 1 Alex Manoogian st., Yerevan 0025, Armenia.
| | - Tetiana Orlova
- Institute of Physics, Yerevan State University, 1 Alex Manoogian st., Yerevan 0025, Armenia.
- Infochemistry Scientific Center, ITMO University, 9 Lomonosova st., Saint-Petersburg 191002, Russia
| | - Aleksandr Hayrapetyan
- Institute of Physics, Yerevan State University, 1 Alex Manoogian st., Yerevan 0025, Armenia.
| | - Alexey Vasil'ev
- Innovation Center for Nanoscience and Technologies, A.B. Nalbandyan Institute of Chemical Physics NAS RA, 5/2 P. Sevak st., Yerevan 0014, Armenia
| | - Mushegh Rafayelyan
- Institute of Physics, Yerevan State University, 1 Alex Manoogian st., Yerevan 0025, Armenia.
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2
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Bezrukov A, Galeeva A, Krupin A, Galyametdinov Y. Molecular Orientation Behavior of Lyotropic Liquid Crystal-Carbon Dot Hybrids in Microfluidic Confinement. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5520. [PMID: 38791556 PMCID: PMC11122583 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105520] [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: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Lyotropic liquid crystals represent an important class of anisotropic colloid systems. Their integration with optically active nanoparticles can provide us with responsive luminescent media that offer new fundamental and applied solutions for biomedicine. This paper analyzes the molecular-level behavior of such composites represented by tetraethylene glycol monododecyl ether and nanoscale carbon dots in microfluidic channels. Microfluidic confinement allows for simultaneously applying multiple factors, such as flow dynamics, wall effects, and temperature, for the precise control of the molecular arrangement in such composites and their resulting optical properties. The microfluidic behavior of composites was characterized by a set of analytical and modeling tools such as polarized and fluorescent microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and fluorescent spectroscopy, as well as image processing in Matlab. The composites were shown to form tunable anisotropic intermolecular structures in microchannels with several levels of molecular ordering. A predominant lamellar structure of the composites was found to undergo additional ordering with respect to the microchannel axis and walls. Such an alignment was controlled by applying shear and temperature factors to the microfluidic environment. The revealed molecular behavior of the composite may contribute to the synthesis of hybrid organized media capable of polarized luminescence for on-chip diagnostics and biomimetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artem Bezrukov
- Department of Physical and Colloid Chemistry, Kazan National Research Technological University, 68 Karl Marx Str., 420015 Kazan, Russia; (A.G.); (A.K.); (Y.G.)
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3
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Qu C, Wang Q, Zhang X, Sun J, Xu M, Huang Y, Liu Y. Excellent ultraviolet-blocking properties of chiral nematic liquid crystals. Photochem Photobiol 2024; 100:33-40. [PMID: 37051777 DOI: 10.1111/php.13810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
We report the evaluation of chiral nematic liquid crystal (CNLC) in blocking ultraviolet (UV). The CNLC was coated on a calcium fluoride substrate to measure the spectral transmittance, which was measured to detect the UV-blocking effect of CNLC. The results show that CNLC could reduce UVB (290-320 nm) by 99.9% and UVA (320-400 nm) by 95.6%. The barrier effect of cake-shaped semi-solidified CNLC microspheres was further investigated, and it was found that cake-shaped semi-solidified CNLC microspheres could reduce UVB by 58.2% and UVA by 34.1%. This is due to the chemical absorption property of CNLC, which has UV-absorbing functional groups such as the benzene rings. And the physical reflection properties of CNLC could periodically reflect a certain wavelength of light. Liquid crystal (LC) is a rich set of soft materials with rod-like structures widely existing in nature, which is harmless to the human body and environment. Therefore, using CNLC's function of blocking UV, a new sunscreen can be developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaofeng Qu
- Key Lab of In-fiber Integrated Optics, Ministry Education of China, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, China
| | - Qingxiu Wang
- Key Lab of In-fiber Integrated Optics, Ministry Education of China, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, China
| | | | - Jing Sun
- Key Lab of In-fiber Integrated Optics, Ministry Education of China, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, China
| | - Minxing Xu
- Key Lab of In-fiber Integrated Optics, Ministry Education of China, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, China
| | - Yu Huang
- Key Lab of In-fiber Integrated Optics, Ministry Education of China, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, China
| | - Yongjun Liu
- Key Lab of In-fiber Integrated Optics, Ministry Education of China, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, China
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4
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Wei Q, Lv P, Zhang Y, Zhang J, Qin Z, de Haan LT, Chen J, Wang D, Xu BB, Broer DJ, Zhou G, Ding L, Zhao W. Facile Stratification-Enabled Emergent Hyper-Reflectivity in Cholesteric Liquid Crystals. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:57235-57243. [PMID: 36520981 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c16938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs) are chiral photonic materials with selective reflection in terms of wavelength and polarization. Helix engineering is often required in order to produce desired properties for CLC materials to be employed for beam steering, light diffraction, scattering, and adaptive or broadband reflection. Here, we demonstrate a novel photopolymerization-enforced stratification (PES)-based strategy to realize helix engineering in a chiral CLC system with initially one handedness of molecular rotation throughout the layer. PES plays a crucial role in driving the chiral dopant bundle consisting of two chiral dopants of opposite handedness to spontaneously phase separate and create a CLC bilayer structure that reflects left- and right-handed circularly polarized light (CPL). The initially hidden chiral information therefore becomes explicit, and hyper-reflectivity, i.e., reflecting both left- and right-handed CPL, successfully emerges from the designed CLC mixture. The PES mechanism can be applied to structure a wide range of liquid crystal (LC) and polymer materials. Moreover, the engineering strategy enables facile programming of the center wavelength of hyper-reflection, patterning, and incorporating stimuli-responsiveness in the optical device. Hence, the engineered hyper-reflective CLCs offer great promise for future applications, such as digital displays, lasing, optical storage, and smart windows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qunmei Wei
- SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM), National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, No. 378, West Waihuan Road, 510006 Guangzhou, China
| | - Pengrong Lv
- Stimuli-responsive Functional Materials and Devices, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, Den Dolech 2, Eindhoven 5600 MB, The Netherlands
| | - Yang Zhang
- SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM), National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, No. 378, West Waihuan Road, 510006 Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology & Institute of Electronic Paper Displays, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China
| | - Jiwen Zhang
- SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM), National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, No. 378, West Waihuan Road, 510006 Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhuofan Qin
- Mechanical and Construction Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, U.K
| | - Laurens T de Haan
- SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM), National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, No. 378, West Waihuan Road, 510006 Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology & Institute of Electronic Paper Displays, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China
| | - Jiawen Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology & Institute of Electronic Paper Displays, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China
| | - Ding Wang
- Mechanical and Construction Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, U.K
| | - Ben Bin Xu
- Mechanical and Construction Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, U.K
| | - Dirk J Broer
- SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM), National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, No. 378, West Waihuan Road, 510006 Guangzhou, China
- Stimuli-responsive Functional Materials and Devices, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, Den Dolech 2, Eindhoven 5600 MB, The Netherlands
| | - Guofu Zhou
- SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM), National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, No. 378, West Waihuan Road, 510006 Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology & Institute of Electronic Paper Displays, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China
- Shenzhen Guohua Optoelectronics Tech. Co. Ltd., Shenzhen 518110, P. R. China
| | - Liming Ding
- Center for Excellence in Nanoscience (CAS), Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication (CAS), National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Wei Zhao
- SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM), National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, No. 378, West Waihuan Road, 510006 Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology & Institute of Electronic Paper Displays, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China
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5
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A liquid crystal world for the origins of life. Emerg Top Life Sci 2022; 6:557-569. [PMID: 36373852 DOI: 10.1042/etls20220081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Nucleic acids (NAs) in modern biology accomplish a variety of tasks, and the emergence of primitive nucleic acids is broadly recognized as a crucial step for the emergence of life. While modern NAs have been optimized by evolution to accomplish various biological functions, such as catalysis or transmission of genetic information, primitive NAs could have emerged and been selected based on more rudimental chemical-physical properties, such as their propensity to self-assemble into supramolecular structures. One such supramolecular structure available to primitive NAs are liquid crystal (LC) phases, which are the outcome of the collective behavior of short DNA or RNA oligomers or monomers that self-assemble into linear aggregates by combinations of pairing and stacking. Formation of NA LCs could have provided many essential advantages for a primitive evolving system, including the selection of potential genetic polymers based on structure, protection by compartmentalization, elongation, and recombination by enhanced abiotic ligation. Here, we review recent studies on NA LC assembly, structure, and functions with potential prebiotic relevance. Finally, we discuss environmental or geological conditions on early Earth that could have promoted (or inhibited) primitive NA LC formation and highlight future investigation axes essential to further understanding of how LCs could have contributed to the emergence of life.
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6
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Takahashi KZ. Molecular cluster analysis using local order parameters selected by machine learning. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 25:658-672. [PMID: 36484716 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp03696g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Accurately extracting local molecular structures is essential for understanding the mechanisms of phase and structural transitions. A promising method to characterize the local molecular structure is defining the value of the local order parameter (LOP) for each particle. This work develops the Molecular Assembly structure Learning package for Identifying Order parameters (MALIO), a machine learning package that can propose an optimal (set of) LOP(s) quickly and automatically for a huge number of LOP species and various methods of selecting neighboring particles for the calculation. We applied this package to distinguish between the nematic and smectic phases of uniaxial liquid crystal molecules, and selected candidate LOPs that could be used to precisely observe the nematic-smectic phase transition. The LOP candidates were used to observe the nucleation and subsequent percolation transition, and the effect of the choice of LOP species and neighboring particles on the statistics of local molecular structures (clusters) was examined. The procedure revealed the time evolution of the number of clusters and the dependence of the percolation curve on the number of neighboring particles for each LOP species. The LOP species with the lowest dependence on the number of neighboring particles was the best-performing LOP species in the MALIO screening strategy. These results not only show that machine learning can powerfully screen a huge number of LOP species and suggest only a few promising candidates, but also indicate that MALIO can select the best LOP species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuaki Z Takahashi
- Research Center for Computational Design of Advanced Functional Materials, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Central 2, 1-1-1 Umezono, Tsukuba, 305-8568, Ibaraki, Japan.
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7
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Uchida J, Soberats B, Gupta M, Kato T. Advanced Functional Liquid Crystals. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2022; 34:e2109063. [PMID: 35034382 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202109063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Liquid crystals have been intensively studied as functional materials. Recently, integration of various disciplines has led to new directions in the design of functional liquid-crystalline materials in the fields of energy, water, photonics, actuation, sensing, and biotechnology. Here, recent advances in functional liquid crystals based on polymers, supramolecular complexes, gels, colloids, and inorganic-based hybrids are reviewed, from design strategies to functionalization of these materials and interfaces. New insights into liquid crystals provided by significant progress in advanced measurements and computational simulations, which enhance new design and functionalization of liquid-crystalline materials, are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junya Uchida
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
| | - Bartolome Soberats
- Department of Chemistry, University of the Balearic Islands, Cra. Valldemossa Km. 7.5, Palma de Mallorca, 07122, Spain
| | - Monika Gupta
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
| | - Takashi Kato
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
- Research Initiative for Supra-Materials, Shinshu University, Wakasato, Nagano, 380-8553, Japan
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8
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Fraccia TP, Zanchetta G. Liquid–liquid crystalline phase separation in biomolecular solutions. Curr Opin Colloid Interface Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cocis.2021.101500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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9
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Ciferri A. Critical issues in molecular recognition: the enzyme-substrate association. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:8585-8589. [PMID: 34553206 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm00470k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Chemical and shape recognition are the main assembling mechanisms of complex bio-structures. A refined assessment of relevant thermodynamic parameters includes the consideration of a variety of contributions from different molecular motions and electronic interactions. An additional refinement includes the analysis of recognition involving multiple distant partners. This perspective note highlights some of the above issues in the cases of fibrillogenesis, and enzyme-substrate and antigen-antibody associations. Translational motions are found to be particularly relevant to the fibrillogenesis process. The assembly of enzyme-substrate complexes is discussed in terms of a dynamic equilibrium process.
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10
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Takahashi KZ, Aoyagi T, Fukuda JI. Multistep nucleation of anisotropic molecules. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5278. [PMID: 34489445 PMCID: PMC8421422 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25586-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Phase transition of anisotropic materials is ubiquitously observed in physics, biology, materials science, and engineering. Nevertheless, how anisotropy of constituent molecules affects the phase transition dynamics is still poorly understood. Here we investigate numerically the phase transition of a simple model system composed of anisotropic molecules, and report on our discovery of multistep nucleation of nuclei with layered positional ordering (smectic ordering), from a fluid-like nematic phase with orientational order only (no positional order). A trinity of molecular dynamics simulation, machine learning, and molecular cluster analysis yielding free energy landscapes unambiguously demonstrates the dynamics of multistep nucleation process involving characteristic metastable clusters that precede supercritical smectic nuclei and cannot be accounted for by the classical nucleation theory. Our work suggests that molecules of simple shape can exhibit rich and complex nucleation processes, and our numerical approach will provide deeper understanding of phase transitions and resulting structures in anisotropic materials such as biological systems and functional materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuaki Z Takahashi
- Research Center for Computational Design of Advanced Functional Materials, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
| | - Takeshi Aoyagi
- Research Center for Computational Design of Advanced Functional Materials, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Jun-Ichi Fukuda
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan
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11
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Price-Waldman R, Stoddard MC. Avian Coloration Genetics: Recent Advances and Emerging Questions. J Hered 2021; 112:395-416. [PMID: 34002228 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esab015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The colorful phenotypes of birds have long provided rich source material for evolutionary biologists. Avian plumage, beaks, skin, and eggs-which exhibit a stunning range of cryptic and conspicuous forms-inspired early work on adaptive coloration. More recently, avian color has fueled discoveries on the physiological, developmental, and-increasingly-genetic mechanisms responsible for phenotypic variation. The relative ease with which avian color traits can be quantified has made birds an attractive system for uncovering links between phenotype and genotype. Accordingly, the field of avian coloration genetics is burgeoning. In this review, we highlight recent advances and emerging questions associated with the genetic underpinnings of bird color. We start by describing breakthroughs related to 2 pigment classes: carotenoids that produce red, yellow, and orange in most birds and psittacofulvins that produce similar colors in parrots. We then discuss structural colors, which are produced by the interaction of light with nanoscale materials and greatly extend the plumage palette. Structural color genetics remain understudied-but this paradigm is changing. We next explore how colors that arise from interactions among pigmentary and structural mechanisms may be controlled by genes that are co-expressed or co-regulated. We also identify opportunities to investigate genes mediating within-feather micropatterning and the coloration of bare parts and eggs. We conclude by spotlighting 2 research areas-mechanistic links between color vision and color production, and speciation-that have been invigorated by genetic insights, a trend likely to continue as new genomic approaches are applied to non-model species.
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12
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Lavrentovich OD. Design of nematic liquid crystals to control microscale dynamics. LIQUID CRYSTALS REVIEWS 2021; 8:59-129. [PMID: 34956738 PMCID: PMC8698256 DOI: 10.1080/21680396.2021.1919576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The dynamics of small particles, both living such as swimming bacteria and inanimate, such as colloidal spheres, has fascinated scientists for centuries. If one could learn how to control and streamline their chaotic motion, that would open technological opportunities in the transformation of stored or environmental energy into systematic motion, with applications in micro-robotics, transport of matter, guided morphogenesis. This review presents an approach to command microscale dynamics by replacing an isotropic medium with a liquid crystal. Orientational order and associated properties, such as elasticity, surface anchoring, and bulk anisotropy, enable new dynamic effects, ranging from the appearance and propagation of particle-like solitary waves to self-locomotion of an active droplet. By using photoalignment, the liquid crystal can be patterned into predesigned structures. In the presence of the electric field, these patterns enable the transport of solid and fluid particles through nonlinear electrokinetics rooted in anisotropy of conductivity and permittivity. Director patterns command the dynamics of swimming bacteria, guiding their trajectories, polarity of swimming, and distribution in space. This guidance is of a higher level of complexity than a simple following of the director by rod-like microorganisms. Namely, the director gradients mediate hydrodynamic interactions of bacteria to produce an active force and collective polar modes of swimming. The patterned director could also be engraved in a liquid crystal elastomer. When an elastomer coating is activated by heat or light, these patterns produce a deterministic surface topography. The director gradients define an activation force that shapes the elastomer in a manner similar to the active stresses triggering flows in active nematics. The patterned elastomer substrates could be used to define the orientation of cells in living tissues. The liquid-crystal guidance holds a major promise in achieving the goal of commanding microscale active flows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleg D Lavrentovich
- Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute, Department of Physics, Materials Science Graduate Program, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
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13
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Fraccia TP, Jia TZ. Liquid Crystal Coacervates Composed of Short Double-Stranded DNA and Cationic Peptides. ACS NANO 2020; 14:15071-15082. [PMID: 32852935 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c05083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Phase separation of nucleic acids and proteins is a ubiquitous phenomenon regulating subcellular compartment structure and function. While complex coacervation of flexible single-stranded nucleic acids is broadly investigated, coacervation of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) is less studied because of its propensity to generate solid precipitates. Here, we reverse this perspective by showing that short dsDNA and poly-l-lysine coacervates can escape precipitation while displaying a surprisingly complex phase diagram, including the full set of liquid crystal (LC) mesophases observed to date in bulk dsDNA. Short dsDNA supramolecular aggregation and packing in the dense coacervate phase are the main parameters regulating the global LC-coacervate phase behavior. LC-coacervate structure was characterized upon variations in temperature and monovalent salt, DNA, and peptide concentrations, which allow continuous reversible transitions between all accessible phases. A deeper understanding of LC-coacervates can gain insights to decipher structures and phase transition mechanisms within biomolecular condensates, to design stimuli-responsive multiphase synthetic compartments with different degrees of order and to exploit self-assembly driven cooperative prebiotic evolution of nucleic acids and peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso P Fraccia
- Institut Pierre-Gilles de Gennes, Chimie Biologie Innovation, ESPCI Paris, CNRS, PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Tony Z Jia
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-IE-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, 1001 Fourth Ave., Suite 3201, Seattle, Washington 98154, United States
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14
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Ciferri A. Molecular recognition mechanisms directing the self-assembly of biological structures. SOFT MATTER 2020; 16:8985-8995. [PMID: 33015695 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm01301c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Self-assembling may be defined as the spontaneous association of material units into structures that are often capable of cyclic reorganization and functional behavior. Various molecular recognition processes stabilize assemblies of polymers and biological structures. The present article analyzes cases in which chemical, shape and other recognition mechanisms are individually or cooperatively operative. Simpler self-assembling theories reported in the literature are highlighted. Detailed processes for which chemical recognition is the prevailing, enthalpy-driven, process include the non-ideal component of miscibility, supramolecular polymerization, host-guest complexes and template polymerization. Also discussed are systems such as liquid crystalline closed polymers, ternary mesogenic systems and rigid crystalline polymers for which shape recognition is the prevailing entropy-driven process. Other recognition mechanisms include ion condensation effects, hydrophobic bonding and growth-coupled-to-orientation. Combinations of various recognition mechanisms are particularly evident in biological structures. Self-assembling mechanisms involved in the genesis of some biological systems can be scientifically identified, but much more needs to be known to describe the "engineered" assembling modes that support complex functional organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Ciferri
- Chemistry Department, Duke University, DURHAM, NC 27708, USA.
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15
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Khadem SA, Bagnani M, Mezzenga R, Rey AD. Relaxation dynamics in bio-colloidal cholesteric liquid crystals confined to cylindrical geometry. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4616. [PMID: 32934229 PMCID: PMC7493995 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18421-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Para-nematic phases, induced by unwinding chiral helices, spontaneously relax to a chiral ground state through phase ordering dynamics that are of great interest and crucial for applications such as stimuli-responsive and biomimetic engineering. In this work, we characterize the cholesteric phase relaxation behaviors of β-lactoglobulin amyloid fibrils and cellulose nanocrystals confined into cylindrical capillaries, uncovering two different equilibration pathways. The integration of experimental measurements and theoretical predictions reveals the starkly distinct underlying mechanism behind the relaxation dynamics of β-lactoglobulin amyloid fibrils, characterized by slow equilibration achieved through consecutive sigmoidal-like steps, and of cellulose nanocrystals, characterized by fast equilibration obtained through smooth relaxation dynamics. Particularly, the specific relaxation behaviors are shown to emerge from the order parameter of the unwound cholesteric medium, which depends on chirality and elasticity. The experimental findings are supported by direct numerical simulations, allowing to establish hard-to-measure viscoelastic properties without applying magnetic or electric fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayyed Ahmad Khadem
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B2, Canada
- Quebec Centre for Advanced Materials, Canada (QCAM/CQMF), Montreal, QC, H3A 2K6, Canada
| | - Massimo Bagnani
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 9, Zurich, 8092, Switzerland
| | - Raffaele Mezzenga
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 9, Zurich, 8092, Switzerland
- Department of Materials, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Strasse 10, Zurich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Alejandro D Rey
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B2, Canada.
- Quebec Centre for Advanced Materials, Canada (QCAM/CQMF), Montreal, QC, H3A 2K6, Canada.
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16
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Wang Z, Servio P, Rey AD. Mechanogeometry of nanowrinkling in cholesteric liquid crystal surfaces. Phys Rev E 2020; 101:062705. [PMID: 32688582 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.101.062705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Biological plywoods are multifunctional fibrous composites materials, ubiquitous in nature. The chiral fibrous organization is found in chitin (insects), cellulosics (plants), and collagen I (cornea and bone of mammals) and is a solid analog of that of cholesteric liquid crystals. The surface and interfaces of plywoods are distinguished by hierarchical topographies and nanowrinkling. In this paper, we present a theory to model the emergence of these surfaces and interfaces using liquid crystal-based shape equations that directly connect material properties with geometric wrinkling. The model applies to liquid crystal precursors of the plywood solid analoges. We focus on wrinkling geometry, wrinkling mechanics, and the mechanogeometry relationships that underlie multifunctionality ubiquitous in biological surfaces. Scaling wrinkling laws that connect mechanical pressures and stresses to folding and bending are formulated and quantified. A synthesis of the connections between mechanics and geometry is achieved using the topology of stress curves and curvature of the wrinkles. Taken together the results show that anchoring is a versatile surface morphing mechanism with a rich surface bending stress field, two ingredients behind many potential multifunctionalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziheng Wang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, 3610 University Street, Montréal, Québec H3A 0C5, Canada
| | - Phillip Servio
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, 3610 University Street, Montréal, Québec H3A 0C5, Canada
| | - Alejandro D Rey
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, 3610 University Street, Montréal, Québec H3A 0C5, Canada
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17
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Ma C, Su J, Li B, Herrmann A, Zhang H, Liu K. Solvent-Free Plasticity and Programmable Mechanical Behaviors of Engineered Proteins. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2020; 32:e1907697. [PMID: 31990428 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201907697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2019] [Revised: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Biopolymeric networks with plasticity show great competences in diverse fields owing to the combined biocompatible and mechanical characteristics. However, to realize such plasticity external complicated treatments, e.g., UV or organic solvent have to be applied, which in turn impair the biological nature and even mechanical properties of those systems. To address this challenge, one new type of anhydrous protein liquid crystalline (LC) gels, which exhibit flexible morphological plasticity and mechanical programmability is demonstrated. Supramolecular interactions in the smectic biogels play an important role for their high plasticity. Remarkably, the samples exhibit outstanding mechanical behaviors. The tensile strength and Young's modulus at MPa levels are comparable or even higher than chemically cross-linked hydrogels and LC elastomers. More importantly, mechanical programmability of the LC gels is achieved by genetically tuning the charge density of protein backbones. Consequently, the mechanical performance is manipulated in the range of one order of magnitude. Thus, this type of anhydrous protein LC gels offers great opportunities for load-bearing high-tech applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 130022, Changchun, China
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Juanjuan Su
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, McCance Center for Brain Health, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Bo Li
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 130022, Changchun, China
| | - Andreas Herrmann
- DWI-Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, Forckenbeckstr. 50, 52056, Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Hongjie Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 130022, Changchun, China
| | - Kai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 130022, Changchun, China
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18
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Chen J, Yang Y, Wu J, Rui X, Wang W, Ren R, Zhang Q, Chen Q, Yin D. Spatiotemporal variations of contact stress between liquid-crystal films and fibroblasts Guide cell fate and skin regeneration. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2019; 188:110745. [PMID: 31881410 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2019.110745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Revised: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The inductions of both the mechanical microenvironment on cell behaviour and the polymeric scaffold on tissue regeneration have been well-proved. This study is aimed to investigate the possibility of guiding cell fate and tissue regeneration by the spatiotemporal controlling of contact stress between matrix materials and cells and to elucidate the mechanisms underlying. A series liquid crystal polymers of cholesteryl-oligo(lactic acid) (CLA) and an amorphous polymer of poly(lactic acid) were used as the growth substrates for fibroblast and skin tissue regeneration. The cellular and animal experiments show that, in the initial stage of wound healing, the liquid crystal texture of CLA films can provide an induced stress for the formation of focal adhesions and the activation of integrin β1/AKT signal pathway, resulting in advanced phenotypic transformation of fibroblasts to myofibroblasts, promoted collagen secretion and fast wound filling. But the gradually weakening cellular contact stress, induced by the decreasing of liquid crystal domains of matrix polymer during degradation, triggers the apoptosis of fibroblasts and myofibroblasts, resulting in non-excessive collagen accumulation. Finally, the CLA groups exhibit no obvious scar formation, more regular cell arrangement and significantly lower type I collagen proportion in regenerated tissue than other groups. This study may inspire a new, effective and safe strategy for tissue regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 1 Qianjiang Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, China
| | - Ye Yang
- College of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 1 Qianjiang Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory for Chinese Herbal Compound, 1 Qianjiang Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, China.
| | - Jingjing Wu
- College of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 1 Qianjiang Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, China
| | - Xue Rui
- College of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 1 Qianjiang Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, China
| | - Wei Wang
- College of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 1 Qianjiang Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, China
| | - Rongrong Ren
- College of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 1 Qianjiang Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, China
| | - Qingqing Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 1 Qianjiang Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, China
| | - Qingqing Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 1 Qianjiang Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, China
| | - Dengke Yin
- College of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 1 Qianjiang Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, China; Institute of Pharmaceutics, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, 1 Qianjiang Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, China.
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19
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Luo G, Yu Y, Yuan Y, Chen X, Liu Z, Kong T. Freeform, Reconfigurable Embedded Printing of All-Aqueous 3D Architectures. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2019; 31:e1904631. [PMID: 31609497 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201904631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Aqueous microstructures are challenging to create, handle, and preserve since their surfaces tend to shrink into spherical shapes with minimum surface areas. The creation of freeform aqueous architectures will significantly advance the bioprinting of complex tissue-like constructs, such as arteries, urinary catheters, and tracheae. The generation of complex, freeform, three-dimensional (3D) all-liquid architectures using formulated aqueous two-phase systems (ATPSs) is demonstrated. These all-liquid microconstructs are formed by printing aqueous bioinks in an immiscible aqueous environment, which functions as a biocompatible support and pregel solution. By exploiting the hydrogen bonding interaction between polymers in ATPS, the printed aqueous-in-aqueous reconfigurable 3D architectures can be stabilized for weeks by the noncovalent membrane at the interface. Different cells can be separately combined with compartmentalized bioinks and matrices to obtain tailor-designed microconstructs with perfusable vascular networks. The freeform, reconfigurable embedded printing of all-liquid architectures by ATPSs offers unique opportunities and powerful tools since limitless formulations can be designed from among a breadth of natural and synthetic hydrophilic polymers to mimic tissues. This printing approach may be useful to engineer biomimetic, dynamic tissue-like constructs for potential applications in drug screening, in vitro tissue models, and regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanyi Luo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518000, China
| | - Yafeng Yu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518000, China
| | - Yuxue Yuan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518000, China
| | - Xue Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518000, China
- School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Gui Lin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, 541004, China
| | - Zhou Liu
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518000, China
| | - Tiantian Kong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518000, China
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