1
|
Gentili PL, Stano P. Living cells and biological mechanisms as prototypes for developing chemical artificial intelligence. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 720:150060. [PMID: 38754164 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.150060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is having a revolutionary impact on our societies. It is helping humans in facing the global challenges of this century. Traditionally, AI is developed in software or through neuromorphic engineering in hardware. More recently, a brand-new strategy has been proposed. It is the so-called Chemical AI (CAI), which exploits molecular, supramolecular, and systems chemistry in wetware to mimic human intelligence. In this work, two promising approaches for boosting CAI are described. One regards designing and implementing neural surrogates that can communicate through optical or chemical signals and give rise to networks for computational purposes and to develop micro/nanorobotics. The other approach concerns "bottom-up synthetic cells" that can be exploited for applications in various scenarios, including future nano-medicine. Both topics are presented at a basic level, mainly to inform the broader audience of non-specialists, and so favour the rise of interest in these frontier subjects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pier Luigi Gentili
- Department of Chemistry, Biology, and Biotechnology, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
| | - Pasquale Stano
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies (DiSTeBA), University of Salento, Lecce, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Thaden O, Schneider N, Walther T, Spiller E, Taoum A, Göpfrich K, Duarte Campos D. Bioprinting of Synthetic Cell-like Lipid Vesicles to Augment the Functionality of Tissues after Manufacturing. ACS Synth Biol 2024. [PMID: 39025476 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.4c00137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Bioprinting is an automated bioassembly method that enables the formation of human tissue-like constructs to restore or replace damaged tissues. Regardless of the employed bioprinting method, cells undergo mechanical stress that can impact their survival and function postprinting. In this study, we investigate the use of a synthetic cell-like unit, giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs), as adjuvants of the cellular function of human cells postprinting, or in future as the complete replacement of human cells. We analyzed the impact of two nozzle-based bioprinting methods (drop-on-demand and extrusion bioprinting) on the structure, stability, and function of GUVs. We showed that over 65% of the GUVs remain intact when printing at 0.5 bar, demonstrating the potential of using GUVs as a synthetic cell source. We further increased the stability of GUVs in a cell culture medium by introducing polyethylene glycol (PEG) into the GUV lipid membrane. The presence of PEG, however, diminished the structural properties of GUVs postprinting, and reduced the interaction of GUVs with human cells. Although the design of PEG-GUVs can still be modified in future studies for better cell-GUV interactions, we demonstrated that GUVs are functional postprinting. Chlorin e6-PEG-GUVs loaded with a fluorescent dye were bioprinted, and they released the dye postprinting only upon illumination. This is a new strategy to deliver carriers, such as growth factors, drugs, nutrients, or gases, inside large bioprinted specimens on a millimeter to centimeter scale. Overall, we showed that printed GUVs can augment the functionality of manufactured human tissues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ole Thaden
- Bioprinting & Tissue Engineering Group, Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH), Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Nicole Schneider
- Bioprinting & Tissue Engineering Group, Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH), Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Tobias Walther
- Biophysical Engineering of Life Group, Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH), Heidelberg 69120, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Erin Spiller
- Bioprinting & Tissue Engineering Group, Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH), Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Alexandre Taoum
- Bioprinting & Tissue Engineering Group, Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH), Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Kerstin Göpfrich
- Biophysical Engineering of Life Group, Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH), Heidelberg 69120, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Daniela Duarte Campos
- Bioprinting & Tissue Engineering Group, Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH), Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
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.
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Erguven H, Wang L, Gutierrez B, Beaven AH, Sodt AJ, Izgu EC. Biomimetic Vesicles with Designer Phospholipids Can Sense Environmental Redox Cues. JACS AU 2024; 4:1841-1853. [PMID: 38818047 PMCID: PMC11134385 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.4c00041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Cell-like materials that sense environmental cues can serve as next-generation biosensors and help advance the understanding of intercellular communication. Currently, bottom-up engineering of protocell models from molecular building blocks remains a grand challenge chemists face. Herein, we describe giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) with biomimetic lipid membranes capable of sensing environmental redox cues. The GUVs employ activity-based sensing through designer phospholipids that are fluorescently activated in response to specific reductive (hydrogen sulfide) or oxidative (hydrogen peroxide) conditions. These synthetic phospholipids are derived from 1,2-dipalmitoyl-rac-glycero-3-phosphocholine and they possess a headgroup with heterocyclic aromatic motifs. Despite their structural deviation from the phosphocholine headgroup, the designer phospholipids (0.5-1.0 mol %) mixed with natural lipids can vesiculate, and the resulting GUVs (7-20 μm in diameter) remain intact over the course of redox sensing. All-atom molecular dynamics simulations gave insight into how these lipids are positioned within the hydrophobic core of the membrane bilayer and at the membrane-water interface. This work provides a purely chemical method to investigate potential redox signaling and opens up new design opportunities for soft materials that mimic protocells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huseyin Erguven
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers
University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Liming Wang
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers
University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Bryan Gutierrez
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers
University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Andrew H. Beaven
- Unit
on Membrane Chemical Physics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute
of Child Health and Human Development, National
Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
- Postdoctoral
Research Associate Program, National Institute
of General Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Alexander J. Sodt
- Unit
on Membrane Chemical Physics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute
of Child Health and Human Development, National
Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Enver Cagri Izgu
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers
University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08854, United States
- Cancer
Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, United States
- Rutgers
Center for Lipid Research, New Jersey Institute
for Food, Nutrition, and Health, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, United States
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Hakami N, Burgstaller A, Gao N, Rutz A, Mann S, Staufer O. Functional Integration of Synthetic Cells into 3D Microfluidic Devices for Artificial Organ-On-Chip Technologies. Adv Healthc Mater 2024:e2303334. [PMID: 38794823 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202303334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Microfluidics plays a pivotal role in organ-on-chip technologies and in the study of synthetic cells, especially in the development and analysis of artificial cell models. However, approaches that use synthetic cells as integral functional components for microfluidic systems to shape the microenvironment of natural living cells cultured on-chip are not explored. Here, colloidosome-based synthetic cells are integrated into 3D microfluidic devices, pioneering the concept of synthetic cell-based microenvironments for organs-on-chip. Methods are devised to create dense and stable networks of silica colloidosomes, enveloped by supported lipid bilayers, within microfluidic channels. These networks promote receptor-ligand interactions with on-chip cultured cells. Furthermore, a technique is introduced for the controlled release of growth factors from the synthetic cells into the channels, using a calcium alginate-based hydrogel formation within the colloidosomes. To demonstrate the potential of the technology, a modular plug-and-play lymph-node-on-a-chip prototype that guides the expansion of primary human T cells by stimulating receptor ligands on the T cells and modulating their cytokine environment is presented. This integration of synthetic cells into microfluidic systems offers a new direction for organ-on-chip technologies and suggests further avenues for exploration in potential therapeutic applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Niki Hakami
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
- INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Campus D2 2, 66123, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Anna Burgstaller
- INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Campus D2 2, 66123, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Ning Gao
- Centre for Protolife Research and Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TS, UK
| | - Angela Rutz
- INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Campus D2 2, 66123, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Stephen Mann
- Centre for Protolife Research and Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TS, UK
- Max Planck Bristol Centre for Minimal Biology, School of Chemistry, Bristol, BS8 1TS, UK
| | - Oskar Staufer
- INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Campus D2 2, 66123, Saarbrücken, Germany
- Max Planck Bristol Centre for Minimal Biology, School of Chemistry, Bristol, BS8 1TS, UK
- Center for Biophysics, Saarland University, Campus Saarland, 66123, Saarbrücken, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland, Helmholtz Center for Infection Research, Campus E8 1, 66123, Saarbrücken, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Bailoni E, Patiño-Ruiz MF, Stan AR, Schuurman-Wolters GK, Exterkate M, Driessen AJM, Poolman B. Synthetic Vesicles for Sustainable Energy Recycling and Delivery of Building Blocks for Lipid Biosynthesis †. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:1549-1561. [PMID: 38632869 PMCID: PMC11106768 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.4c00073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
ATP is a universal energy currency that is essential for life. l-Arginine degradation via deamination is an elegant way to generate ATP in synthetic cells, which is currently limited by a slow l-arginine/l-ornithine exchange. We are now implementing a new antiporter with better kinetics to obtain faster ATP recycling. We use l-arginine-dependent ATP formation for the continuous synthesis and export of glycerol 3-phosphate by including glycerol kinase and the glycerol 3-phosphate/Pi antiporter. Exported glycerol 3-phosphate serves as a precursor for the biosynthesis of phospholipids in a second set of vesicles, which forms the basis for the expansion of the cell membrane. We have therefore developed an out-of-equilibrium metabolic network for ATP recycling, which has been coupled to lipid synthesis. This feeder-utilizer system serves as a proof-of-principle for the systematic buildup of synthetic cells, but the vesicles can also be used to study the individual reaction networks in confinement.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Bailoni
- Department
of Biochemistry, and Department of Molecular Microbiology, Groningen
Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology
Institute, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Miyer F. Patiño-Ruiz
- Department
of Biochemistry, and Department of Molecular Microbiology, Groningen
Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology
Institute, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Andreea R. Stan
- Department
of Biochemistry, and Department of Molecular Microbiology, Groningen
Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology
Institute, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Gea K. Schuurman-Wolters
- Department
of Biochemistry, and Department of Molecular Microbiology, Groningen
Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology
Institute, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marten Exterkate
- Department
of Membrane Biogenesis and Lipidomics, Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraβe
1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Arnold J. M. Driessen
- Department
of Biochemistry, and Department of Molecular Microbiology, Groningen
Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology
Institute, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Bert Poolman
- Department
of Biochemistry, and Department of Molecular Microbiology, Groningen
Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology
Institute, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Daly ML, Nishi K, Klawa SJ, Hinton KY, Gao Y, Freeman R. Designer peptide-DNA cytoskeletons regulate the function of synthetic cells. Nat Chem 2024:10.1038/s41557-024-01509-w. [PMID: 38654104 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-024-01509-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
The bottom-up engineering of artificial cells requires a reconfigurable cytoskeleton that can organize at distinct locations and dynamically modulate its structural and mechanical properties. Here, inspired by the vast array of actin-binding proteins and their ability to reversibly crosslink or bundle filaments, we have designed a library of peptide-DNA crosslinkers varying in length, valency and geometry. Peptide filaments conjoint through DNA hybridization give rise to tactoid-shaped bundles with tunable aspect ratios and mechanics. When confined in cell-sized water-in-oil droplets, the DNA crosslinker design guides the localization of cytoskeletal structures at the cortex or within the lumen of the synthetic cells. The tunable spatial arrangement regulates the passive diffusion of payloads within the droplets and complementary DNA handles allow for the reversible recruitment and release of payloads on and off the cytoskeleton. Heat-induced reconfiguration of peptide-DNA architectures triggers shape deformations of droplets, regulated by DNA melting temperatures. Altogether, the modular design of peptide-DNA architectures is a powerful strategy towards the bottom-up assembly of synthetic cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Margaret L Daly
- Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kengo Nishi
- Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Stephen J Klawa
- Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kameryn Y Hinton
- Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Yuan Gao
- Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Ronit Freeman
- Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Ngocho K, Yang X, Wang Z, Hu C, Yang X, Shi H, Wang K, Liu J. Synthetic Cells from Droplet-Based Microfluidics for Biosensing and Biomedical Applications. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024:e2400086. [PMID: 38563581 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202400086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Synthetic cells function as biological mimics of natural cells by mimicking salient features of cells such as metabolism, response to stimuli, gene expression, direct metabolism, and high stability. Droplet-based microfluidic technology presents the opportunity for encapsulating biological functional components in uni-lamellar liposome or polymer droplets. Verified by its success in the fabrication of synthetic cells, microfluidic technology is widely replacing conventional labor-intensive, expensive, and sophisticated techniques justified by its ability to miniaturize and perform batch production operations. In this review, an overview of recent research on the preparation of synthetic cells through droplet-based microfluidics is provided. Different synthetic cells including lipid vesicles (liposome), polymer vesicles (polymersome), coacervate microdroplets, and colloidosomes, are systematically discussed. Efforts are then made to discuss the design of a variety of microfluidic chips for synthetic cell preparation since the combination of microfluidics with bottom-up synthetic biology allows for reproductive and tunable construction of batches of synthetic cell models from simple structures to higher hierarchical structures. The recent advances aimed at exploiting them in biosensors and other biomedical applications are then discussed. Finally, some perspectives on the challenges and future developments of synthetic cell research with microfluidics for biomimetic science and biomedical applications are provided.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kleins Ngocho
- State key laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Key Laboratory for Bio-Nanotechnology and Molecular Engineering of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, P. R. China
| | - Xilei Yang
- State key laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Key Laboratory for Bio-Nanotechnology and Molecular Engineering of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, P. R. China
| | - Zefeng Wang
- State key laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Key Laboratory for Bio-Nanotechnology and Molecular Engineering of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, P. R. China
| | - Cunjie Hu
- State key laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Key Laboratory for Bio-Nanotechnology and Molecular Engineering of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, P. R. China
| | - Xiaohai Yang
- State key laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Key Laboratory for Bio-Nanotechnology and Molecular Engineering of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, P. R. China
| | - Hui Shi
- State key laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Key Laboratory for Bio-Nanotechnology and Molecular Engineering of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, P. R. China
| | - Kemin Wang
- State key laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Key Laboratory for Bio-Nanotechnology and Molecular Engineering of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, P. R. China
| | - Jianbo Liu
- State key laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Key Laboratory for Bio-Nanotechnology and Molecular Engineering of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Macher M, Obermeier A, Fabritz S, Kube M, Kempf H, Dietz H, Platzman I, Spatz JP. An Efficient Method for the Production of High-Purity Bioinspired Large Unilamellar Vesicles. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:781-791. [PMID: 38423534 PMCID: PMC10949243 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
In order to recapitulate complex eukaryotic compartmentalization, synthetic biology aims to recreate cellular membrane-lined compartments from the bottom-up. Many important cellular organelles and cell-produced extracellular vesicles are in the size range of several hundreds of nanometers. Although attaining a fundamental characterization and mimicry of their cellular functions is a compelling goal, the lack of methods for controlled vesicle formation in this size range has hindered full understanding. Here, we show the optimization of a simple and efficient protocol for the production of large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) with a median diameter in the range of 450-550 nm with high purity. Importantly, we rely on commercial reagents and common laboratory equipment. We thoroughly characterize the influence of different experimental parameters on the concentration and size of the resulting vesicles and assess changes in their lipid composition and surface charge. We provide guidance for researchers to optimize LUV production further to suit specific applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meline Macher
- Max
Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, Heidelberg 69121, Germany
- Max
Planck School Matter to Life, Jahnstraße 29, Heidelberg 69121, Germany
- Institute
of Molecular Systems Engineering and Advanced Materials, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Amelie Obermeier
- Max
Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, Heidelberg 69121, Germany
| | - Sebastian Fabritz
- Max
Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, Heidelberg 69121, Germany
| | - Massimo Kube
- Technical
University of Munich, Am Coulombwall 4a, Garching 85748, Germany
| | - Hannah Kempf
- Max
Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, Heidelberg 69121, Germany
| | - Hendrik Dietz
- Max
Planck School Matter to Life, Jahnstraße 29, Heidelberg 69121, Germany
- Technical
University of Munich, Am Coulombwall 4a, Garching 85748, Germany
| | - Ilia Platzman
- Max
Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, Heidelberg 69121, Germany
- Institute
of Molecular Systems Engineering and Advanced Materials, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Joachim P. Spatz
- Max
Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, Heidelberg 69121, Germany
- Max
Planck School Matter to Life, Jahnstraße 29, Heidelberg 69121, Germany
- Institute
of Molecular Systems Engineering and Advanced Materials, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Wang K, Liu X, Hu KKY, Haritos VS. Artificial Methylotrophic Cells via Bottom-Up Integration of a Methanol-Utilizing Pathway. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:888-900. [PMID: 38359048 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Methanol has gained substantial attention as a substrate for biomanufacturing due to plentiful stocks and nonreliance on agriculture, and it can be sourced renewably. However, due to inevitable complexities in cell metabolism, microbial methanol conversion requires further improvement before industrial applicability. Here, we present a novel, parallel strategy using artificial cells to provide a simplified and well-defined environment for methanol utilization as artificial methylotrophic cells. We compartmentalized a methanol-utilizing enzyme cascade, including NAD-dependent methanol dehydrogenase (Mdh) and pyruvate-dependent aldolase (KHB aldolase), in cell-sized lipid vesicles using the inverted emulsion method. The reduction of cofactor NAD+ to NADH was used to quantify the conversion of methanol within individual artificial methylotrophic cells via flow cytometry. Compartmentalization of the reaction cascade in liposomes led to a 4-fold higher NADH production compared with bulk enzyme experiments, and the incorporation of KHB aldolase facilitated another 2-fold increase above the Mdh-only reaction. This methanol-utilizing platform can serve as an alternative route to speed up methanol biological conversion, eventually shifting sugar-based bioproduction toward a sustainable methanol bioeconomy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ke Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Monash University, Clayton 3800, Australia
| | - Xueqing Liu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Monash University, Clayton 3800, Australia
| | - Kevin K Y Hu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Monash University, Clayton 3800, Australia
| | - Victoria S Haritos
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Monash University, Clayton 3800, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Maffeis V, Heuberger L, Nikoletić A, Schoenenberger C, Palivan CG. Synthetic Cells Revisited: Artificial Cells Construction Using Polymeric Building Blocks. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2305837. [PMID: 37984885 PMCID: PMC10885666 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202305837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
The exponential growth of research on artificial cells and organelles underscores their potential as tools to advance the understanding of fundamental biological processes. The bottom-up construction from a variety of building blocks at the micro- and nanoscale, in combination with biomolecules is key to developing artificial cells. In this review, artificial cells are focused upon based on compartments where polymers are the main constituent of the assembly. Polymers are of particular interest due to their incredible chemical variety and the advantage of tuning the properties and functionality of their assemblies. First, the architectures of micro- and nanoscale polymer assemblies are introduced and then their usage as building blocks is elaborated upon. Different membrane-bound and membrane-less compartments and supramolecular structures and how they combine into advanced synthetic cells are presented. Then, the functional aspects are explored, addressing how artificial organelles in giant compartments mimic cellular processes. Finally, how artificial cells communicate with their surrounding and each other such as to adapt to an ever-changing environment and achieve collective behavior as a steppingstone toward artificial tissues, is taken a look at. Engineering artificial cells with highly controllable and programmable features open new avenues for the development of sophisticated multifunctional systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Viviana Maffeis
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of BaselMattenstrasse 22BaselCH‐4002Switzerland
- NCCR‐Molecular Systems EngineeringBPR 1095, Mattenstrasse 24aBaselCH‐4058Switzerland
| | - Lukas Heuberger
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of BaselMattenstrasse 22BaselCH‐4002Switzerland
| | - Anamarija Nikoletić
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of BaselMattenstrasse 22BaselCH‐4002Switzerland
- Swiss Nanoscience InstituteUniversity of BaselKlingelbergstrasse 82BaselCH‐4056Switzerland
| | | | - Cornelia G. Palivan
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of BaselMattenstrasse 22BaselCH‐4002Switzerland
- NCCR‐Molecular Systems EngineeringBPR 1095, Mattenstrasse 24aBaselCH‐4058Switzerland
- Swiss Nanoscience InstituteUniversity of BaselKlingelbergstrasse 82BaselCH‐4056Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
López GP, Gannon WL. Developing a Graduate Class on Synthetic Cells at a Minority Serving Institution: Lessons from the University of New Mexico. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:3562-3566. [PMID: 37976421 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
This article describes the development, methodology, enrollment, and outcomes of a graduate technical elective course on synthetic cells and organelles offered at the University of New Mexico, a minority-majority institution, in Fall 2022. The course had a significant ethics component and took advantage of readily available, low cost, and no-cost teaching materials that are available online. The course was effective in attracting a diverse enrollment of graduate students and senior undergraduates, some of whom participated in a survey of their backgrounds and motivations after the course was over. The article also provides results from this survey. Courses such as the one described have the potential to increase access and participation in emerging fields of research and technology such as synthetic cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel P López
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - William L Gannon
- Department of Biology and Graduate Studies, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Lu T, Javed S, Bonfio C, Spruijt E. Interfacing Coacervates with Membranes: From Artificial Organelles and Hybrid Protocells to Intracellular Delivery. SMALL METHODS 2023; 7:e2300294. [PMID: 37354057 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202300294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
Compartmentalization is crucial for the functioning of cells. Membranes enclose and protect the cell, regulate the transport of molecules entering and exiting the cell, and organize cellular machinery in subcompartments. In addition, membraneless condensates, or coacervates, offer dynamic compartments that act as biomolecular storage centers, organizational hubs, or reaction crucibles. Emerging evidence shows that phase-separated membraneless bodies in the cell are involved in a wide range of functional interactions with cellular membranes, leading to transmembrane signaling, membrane remodeling, intracellular transport, and vesicle formation. Such functional and dynamic interplay between phase-separated droplets and membranes also offers many potential benefits to artificial cells, as shown by recent studies involving coacervates and liposomes. Depending on the relative sizes and interaction strength between coacervates and membranes, coacervates can serve as artificial membraneless organelles inside liposomes, as templates for membrane assembly and hybrid artificial cell formation, as membrane remodelers for tubulation and possibly division, and finally, as cargo containers for transport and delivery of biomolecules across membranes by endocytosis or direct membrane crossing. Here, recent experimental examples of each of these functions are reviewed and the underlying physicochemical principles and possible future applications are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tiemei Lu
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
| | - Sadaf Javed
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
| | - Claudia Bonfio
- Institut de Science et d'Ingénierie Supramoléculaires (ISIS), CNRS UMR 7006, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, 67083, France
| | - Evan Spruijt
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Li Q, Song Q, Guo W, Cao Y, Cui X, Chen D, Shum HC. Synthetic Membraneless Droplets for Synaptic-Like Clustering of Lipid Vesicles. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202313096. [PMID: 37728515 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202313096] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
In eukaryotic cells, the membraneless organelles (MLOs) formed via liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) are found to interact intimately with membranous organelles (MOs). One major mode is the clustering of MOs by MLOs, such as the formation of clusters of synaptic vesicles at nerve terminals mediated by the synapsin-rich MLOs. Aqueous droplets, including complex coacervates and aqueous two-phase systems, have been plausible MLO-mimics to emulate or elucidate biological processes. However, neither of them can cluster lipid vesicles (LVs) like MLOs. In this work, we develop a synthetic droplet assembled from a combination of two different interactions underlying the formation of these two droplets, namely, associative and segregative interactions, which we call segregative-associative (SA) droplets. The SA droplets cluster and disperse LVs recapitulating the key functional features of synapsin condensates, which can be attributed to the weak electrostatic interaction environment provided by SA droplets. This work suggests LLPS with combined segregative and associative interactions as a possible route for synaptic clustering of lipid vesicles and highlights SA droplets as plausible MLO-mimics and models for studying and mimicking related cellular dynamics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qingchuan Li
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, National Engineering Research Center for Colloidal Materials, Shandong University, 27 Shanda Nanlu, Jinan, Shandong, P.R.China
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
- Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre, Hong Kong Science Park, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong (SAR), Hong Kong, China
| | - Qingchun Song
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wei Guo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
- Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre, Hong Kong Science Park, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong (SAR), Hong Kong, China
| | - Yang Cao
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xinyu Cui
- Department of Public Health, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, 157000, P. R. China
| | - Dairong Chen
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, National Engineering Research Center for Colloidal Materials, Shandong University, 27 Shanda Nanlu, Jinan, Shandong, P.R.China
| | - Ho Cheung Shum
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
- Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre, Hong Kong Science Park, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong (SAR), Hong Kong, China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Xu C, Fracassi A, Baryiames CP, Bhattacharya A, Devaraj NK, Baiz CR. Sponge-phase Lipid Droplets as Synthetic Organelles: An Ultrafast Study of Hydrogen Bonding and Interfacial Environments. Chemphyschem 2023; 24:e202300404. [PMID: 37486881 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202300404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Bottom-up design of biomimetic organelles has gained recent attention as a route towards understanding the transition between non-living matter and life. Despite various artificial lipid membranes being developed, the specific relations between lipid structure, composition, interfacial properties, and morphology are not currently understood. Sponge-phase droplets contain dense, nonlamellar lipid bilayer networks that capture the complexities of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), making them ideal artificial models of such organelles. Here, we combine ultrafast two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the interfacial H-bond networks in sponge-phase droplets composed of glycolipid and nonionic detergents. In the sponge phase, the interfacial environments are more hydrated and water molecules confined to the nanometer-scale aqueous channels in the sponge phase exhibit dynamics that are significantly slower compared to bulk water. Surfactant configurations and microscopic phase separation play a dominant role in determining membrane curvature and slow dynamics observed in the sponge phase. The studies suggest that H-bond networks within the nanometer-scale channels are disrupted not only by confinement but also by the interactions of surfactants, which extend 1-2 nm from the bilayer surface. The results provide a molecular-level description for controlling phase and morphology in the design of synthetic lipid organelles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cong Xu
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, 105 E. 24th St. Stop A5300, 78712-1224, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Alessandro Fracassi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Natural Sciences Building 3328, 92093, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Christopher P Baryiames
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, 105 E. 24th St. Stop A5300, 78712-1224, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Ahanjit Bhattacharya
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Natural Sciences Building 3328, 92093, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Neal K Devaraj
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Natural Sciences Building 3328, 92093, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Carlos R Baiz
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, 105 E. 24th St. Stop A5300, 78712-1224, Austin, TX, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Jahnke K, Göpfrich K. Engineering DNA-based cytoskeletons for synthetic cells. Interface Focus 2023; 13:20230028. [PMID: 37577007 PMCID: PMC10415745 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2023.0028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The development and bottom-up assembly of synthetic cells with a functional cytoskeleton sets a major milestone to understand cell mechanics and to develop man-made machines on the nano- and microscale. However, natural cytoskeletal components can be difficult to purify, deliberately engineer and reconstitute within synthetic cells which therefore limits the realization of multifaceted functions of modern cytoskeletons in synthetic cells. Here, we review recent progress in the development of synthetic cytoskeletons made from deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) as a complementary strategy. In particular, we explore the capabilities and limitations of DNA cytoskeletons to mimic functions of natural cystoskeletons like reversible assembly, cargo transport, force generation, mechanical support and guided polymerization. With recent examples, we showcase the power of rationally designed DNA cytoskeletons for bottom-up assembled synthetic cells as fully engineerable entities. Nevertheless, the realization of dynamic instability, self-replication and genetic encoding as well as contractile force generating motors remains a fruitful challenge for the complete integration of multifunctional DNA-based cytoskeletons into synthetic cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Jahnke
- Biophysical Engineering Group, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kerstin Göpfrich
- Biophysical Engineering Group, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 329, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Häfner G, Müller M. Reaction-driven assembly: controlling changes in membrane topology by reaction cycles. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:7281-7292. [PMID: 37605887 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm00876b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
Chemical reaction cycles are prototypical examples how to drive systems out of equilibrium and introduce novel, life-like properties into soft-matter systems. We report simulations of amphiphilic molecules in aqueous solution. The molecule's head group is permanently hydrophilic, whereas the reaction cycle switches the molecule's tail from hydrophilic (precursor) to hydrophobic (amphiphile) and vice versa. The reaction cycle leads to an arrest in coalescence and results in uniform vesicle sizes that can be controlled by the reaction rate. Using a continuum description and particle-based simulation, we study the scaling of the vesicle size with the reaction rate. The chemically active vesicles are inflated by precursor, imparting tension onto the membrane and, for specific parameters, stabilize pores.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gregor Häfner
- Institute for Theoretical Physics, Georg-August University, Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
- Max Planck School Matter to Life, Jahnstraße 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marcus Müller
- Institute for Theoretical Physics, Georg-August University, Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Richter L, Szalai AM, Manzanares-Palenzuela CL, Kamińska I, Tinnefeld P. Exploring the Synergies of Single-Molecule Fluorescence and 2D Materials Coupled by DNA. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2303152. [PMID: 37670535 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202303152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
The world of 2D materials is steadily growing, with numerous researchers attempting to discover, elucidate, and exploit their properties. Approaches relying on the detection of single fluorescent molecules offer a set of advantages, for instance, high sensitivity and specificity, that allow the drawing of conclusions with unprecedented precision. Herein, it is argued how the study of 2D materials benefits from fluorescence-based single-molecule modalities, and vice versa. A special focus is placed on DNA, serving as a versatile adaptor when anchoring single dye molecules to 2D materials. The existing literature on the fruitful combination of the two fields is reviewed, and an outlook on the additional synergies that can be created between them provided.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lars Richter
- Department of Chemistry and Center for NanoScience (CeNS), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Butenandtstraße 5-13, Haus E, 81377, München, Germany
| | - Alan M Szalai
- Department of Chemistry and Center for NanoScience (CeNS), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Butenandtstraße 5-13, Haus E, 81377, München, Germany
| | - C Lorena Manzanares-Palenzuela
- Department of Chemistry and Center for NanoScience (CeNS), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Butenandtstraße 5-13, Haus E, 81377, München, Germany
| | - Izabela Kamińska
- Department of Chemistry and Center for NanoScience (CeNS), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Butenandtstraße 5-13, Haus E, 81377, München, Germany
- Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Philip Tinnefeld
- Department of Chemistry and Center for NanoScience (CeNS), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Butenandtstraße 5-13, Haus E, 81377, München, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Li J, Yang C, Zhang L, Li C, Xie S, Fu T, Zhang Z, Li L, Qi L, Lyu Y, Chen F, He L, Tan W. Phase Separation of DNA-Encoded Artificial Cells Boosts Signal Amplification for Biosensing. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202306691. [PMID: 37455257 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202306691] [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: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Life-like hierarchical architecture shows great potential for advancing intelligent biosensing, but modular expansion of its sensitivity and functionality remains a challenge. Drawing inspiration from intracellular liquid-liquid phase separation, we discovered that a DNA-encoded artificial cell with a liquid core (LAC) can enhance peroxidase-like activity of Hemin and its DNA G-quadruplex aptamer complex (DGAH) without substrate-selectivity, unlike its gelled core (GAC) counterpart. The LAC is easily engineered as an ultrasensitive biosensing system, benefiting from DNA's high programmability and unique signal amplification capability mediated by liquid-liquid phase separation. As proof of concept, its versatility was successfully demonstrated by coupling with two molecular recognition elements to monitor tumor-related microRNA and profile cancer cell phenotypes. This scalable design philosophy offers new insights into the design of next generation of artificial cells-based biosensors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juncai Li
- The Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province for Aptamers and Theranostics, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
- Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Cai Yang
- The Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province for Aptamers and Theranostics, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Biology, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Lizhuan Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province for Aptamers and Theranostics, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
| | - Chunying Li
- The Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province for Aptamers and Theranostics, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
| | - Sitao Xie
- The Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province for Aptamers and Theranostics, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
| | - Ting Fu
- The Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province for Aptamers and Theranostics, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Biology, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Ziwen Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province for Aptamers and Theranostics, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
| | - Longjie Li
- The Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province for Aptamers and Theranostics, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
| | - Lubin Qi
- The Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province for Aptamers and Theranostics, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
- Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Yifan Lyu
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Biology, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Fengming Chen
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Biology, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Lei He
- The Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province for Aptamers and Theranostics, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
| | - Weihong Tan
- The Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province for Aptamers and Theranostics, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Biology, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
- Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM), Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Liu L, Tang H, Wang Y. Nanotechnology-Boosted Biomaterials for Osteoarthritis Treatment: Current Status and Future Perspectives. Int J Nanomedicine 2023; 18:4969-4983. [PMID: 37693887 PMCID: PMC10487746 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s423737] [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: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent global health concern, posing a significant and increasing public health challenge worldwide. Recently, nanotechnology-boosted biomaterials have emerged as a highly promising strategy for OA therapy due to their exceptional physicochemical properties and capacity to regulate pathological processes. However, there is an urgent need for a deeper understanding of the potential therapeutic applications of these biomaterials in the clinical management of diseases, particularly in the treatment of OA. In this comprehensive review, we present an extensive discussion of the current status and future prospects concerning nanotechnology-boosted biomaterials for OA therapy. Initially, we discuss the pathophysiology of OA and the constraints associated with existing treatment modalities. Subsequently, various types of nanomaterials utilized for OA therapy, including nanoparticles, nanofibers, and nanocomposites, are thoroughly discussed and summarized, elucidating their respective advantages and challenges. Furthermore, we analyze recent preclinical and clinical studies that highlight the potential of nanotechnology-boosted biomaterials in OA therapy. Additionally, future research directions in this evolving field are highlighted. By establishing a link between the structural properties of nanotechnology-boosted biomaterials and their therapeutic functions in OA treatment, we aim to foster advances in designing sophisticated nanomaterials for OA, ultimately resulting in improved therapeutic efficacy of OA therapy through translation into clinical setting in the near future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lin Liu
- Department of Emergency, Honghui Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710054, People’s Republic of China
| | - Haifeng Tang
- Department of Emergency, Honghui Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710054, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yanjun Wang
- Department of Emergency, Honghui Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710054, People’s Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Zhang Z, Feng Z, Zhao X, Jean D, Yu Z, Chapman ER. Functionalization and higher-order organization of liposomes with DNA nanostructures. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5256. [PMID: 37644062 PMCID: PMC10465589 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41013-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) are indispensable model membranes, organelle mimics, and drug and vaccine carriers. However, the lack of robust techniques to functionalize or organize preformed SUVs limits their applications. Here we use DNA nanostructures to coat, cluster, and pattern sub-100-nm liposomes, generating distance-controlled vesicle networks, strings and dimers, among other configurations. The DNA coating also enables attachment of proteins to liposomes, and temporal control of membrane fusion driven by SNARE protein complexes. Such a convenient and versatile method of engineering premade vesicles both structurally and functionally is highly relevant to bottom-up biology and targeted delivery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhao Zhang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA.
| | - Zhaomeng Feng
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Xiaowei Zhao
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, CryoEM Shared Resource, Janelia Research Campus, 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Dominique Jean
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, CryoEM Shared Resource, Janelia Research Campus, 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Zhiheng Yu
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, CryoEM Shared Resource, Janelia Research Campus, 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Edwin R Chapman
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Fumadó Navarro J, Lomora M. Mechanoresponsive Drug Delivery Systems for Vascular Diseases. Macromol Biosci 2023; 23:e2200466. [PMID: 36670512 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202200466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Mechanoresponsive drug delivery systems (DDS) have emerged as promising candidates to improve the current effectiveness and lower the side effects typically associated with direct drug administration in the context of vascular diseases. Despite tremendous research efforts to date, designing drug delivery systems able to respond to mechanical stimuli to potentially treat these diseases is still in its infancy. By understanding relevant biological forces emerging in healthy and pathological vascular endothelium, it is believed that better-informed design strategies can be deduced for the fabrication of simple-to-complex macromolecular assemblies capable of sensing mechanical forces. These responsive systems are discussed through insights into essential parameter design (composition, size, shape, and aggregation state) , as well as their functionalization with (macro)molecules that are intrinsically mechanoresponsive (e.g., mechanosensitive ion channels and mechanophores). Mechanical forces, including the pathological shear stress and exogenous stimuli (e.g., ultrasound, magnetic fields), used for the activation of mechanoresponsive DDS are also introduced, followed by in vitro and in vivo experimental models used to investigate and validate such novel therapies. Overall, this review aims to propose a fresh perspective through identified challenges and proposed solutions that could be of benefit for the further development of this exciting field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Josep Fumadó Navarro
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of Galway, University Road, Galway, H91 TK33, Ireland
- CÚRAM, SFI Research Centre for Medical Devices, University of Galway, Upper Newcastle, Galway, H91 W2TY, Ireland
| | - Mihai Lomora
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of Galway, University Road, Galway, H91 TK33, Ireland
- CÚRAM, SFI Research Centre for Medical Devices, University of Galway, Upper Newcastle, Galway, H91 W2TY, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Sheshachala S, Huber B, Schuetzke J, Mikut R, Scharnweber T, Domínguez CM, Mutlu H, Niemeyer CM. Charge controlled interactions between DNA-modified silica nanoparticles and fluorosurfactants in microfluidic water-in-oil droplets. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2023; 5:3914-3923. [PMID: 37496619 PMCID: PMC10367961 DOI: 10.1039/d3na00124e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidic droplets are an important tool for studying and mimicking biological systems, e.g., to examine with high throughput the interaction of biomolecular components and the functionality of natural cells, or to develop basic principles for the engineering of artificial cells. Of particular importance is the approach to generate a biomimetic membrane by supramolecular self-assembly of nanoparticle components dissolved in the aqueous phase of the droplets at the inner water/oil interface, which can serve both to mechanically reinforce the droplets and as an interaction surface for cells and other components. While this interfacial assembly driven by electrostatic interaction of surfactants is quite well developed for water/mineral oil (W/MO) systems, no approaches have yet been described to exploit this principle for water/fluorocarbon oil (W/FO) emulsion droplets. Since W/FO systems exhibit not only better compartmentalization but also gas solubility properties, which is particularly crucial for live cell encapsulation and cultivation, we report here the investigation of charged fluorosurfactants for the self-assembly of DNA-modified silica nanoparticles (SiNP-DNA) at the interface of microfluidic W/FO emulsions. To this end, an efficient multicomponent Ugi reaction was used to synthesize the novel fluorosurfactant M4SURF to study the segregation and accumulation of negatively charged SiNP-DNA at the inner interface of microfluidic droplets. Comparative measurements were performed with the negatively charged fluorosurfactant KRYTOX, which can also induce SiNP-DNA segregation in the presence of cations. The segregation dynamics is characterized and preliminary results of cell encapsulation in the SiNP-DNA functionalized droplets are shown.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sahana Sheshachala
- Institute for Biological Interfaces (IBG 1), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen Germany
| | - Birgit Huber
- Soft Matter Synthesis Laboratory, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1 D-76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen Germany
| | - Jan Schuetzke
- Institute for Automation and Applied Informatics (IAI), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen Germany
| | - Ralf Mikut
- Institute for Automation and Applied Informatics (IAI), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen Germany
| | - Tim Scharnweber
- Institute for Biological Interfaces (IBG 1), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen Germany
| | - Carmen M Domínguez
- Institute for Biological Interfaces (IBG 1), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen Germany
| | - Hatice Mutlu
- Soft Matter Synthesis Laboratory, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1 D-76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen Germany
| | - Christof M Niemeyer
- Institute for Biological Interfaces (IBG 1), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen Germany
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Ji Y, Chakraborty T, Wegner SV. Self-Regulated and Bidirectional Communication in Synthetic Cell Communities. ACS NANO 2023; 17:8992-9002. [PMID: 37156507 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c09908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Cell-to-cell communication is not limited to a sender releasing a signaling molecule and a receiver perceiving it but is often self-regulated and bidirectional. Yet, in communities of synthetic cells, such features that render communication efficient and adaptive are missing. Here, we report the design and implementation of adaptive two-way signaling with lipid-vesicle-based synthetic cells. The first layer of self-regulation derives from coupling the temporal dynamics of the signal, H2O2, production in the sender to adhesions between sender and receiver cells. This way the receiver stays within the signaling range for the duration sender produces the signal and detaches once the signal fades. Specifically, H2O2 acts as both a forward signal and a regulator of the adhesions by activating photoswitchable proteins at the surface for the duration of the chemiluminescence. The second layer of self-regulation arises when the adhesions render the receiver permeable and trigger the release of a backward signal, resulting in bidirectional exchange. These design rules provide a concept for engineering multicellular systems with adaptive communication.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuhao Ji
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Taniya Chakraborty
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Seraphine V Wegner
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Jin Z, Vighi A, Dong Y, Bureau JA, Ignea C. Engineering membrane architecture for biotechnological applications. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 64:108118. [PMID: 36773706 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Cellular membranes, predominantly described as a dynamic bilayer, are composed of different lipids, transmembrane proteins, and carbohydrates. Most research on biological membranes focuses on the identification, characterization, and mechanistic aspects of their different components. These studies provide a fundamental understanding of membrane structure, function, and dynamics, establishing a basis for the development of membrane engineering strategies. To date, approaches in this field concentrate on membrane adaptation to harsh conditions during industrial fermentation, which can be caused by temperature, osmotic, or organic solvent stress. With advances in the field of metabolic engineering and synthetic biology, recent breakthroughs include proof of concept microbial production of essential medicines, such as cannabinoids and vinblastine. However, long pathways, low yields, and host adaptation continue to pose challenges to the efficient scale up production of many important compounds. The lipid bilayer is profoundly linked to the activity of heterologous membrane-bound enzymes and transport of metabolites. Therefore, strategies for improving enzyme performance, facilitating pathway reconstruction, and enabling storage of products to increase the yields directly involve cellular membranes. At the forefront of membrane engineering research are re-emerging approaches in lipid research and synthetic biology that manipulate membrane size and composition and target lipid profiles across species. This review summarizes engineering strategies applied to cellular membranes and discusses the challenges and future perspectives, particularly with regards to their applications in host engineering and bioproduction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zimo Jin
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0E9, Canada
| | - Asia Vighi
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0E9, Canada
| | - Yueming Dong
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0E9, Canada
| | | | - Codruta Ignea
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0E9, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Maingi V, Zhang Z, Thachuk C, Sarraf N, Chapman ER, Rothemund PWK. Digital nanoreactors to control absolute stoichiometry and spatiotemporal behavior of DNA receptors within lipid bilayers. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1532. [PMID: 36941256 PMCID: PMC10027858 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36996-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Interactions between membrane proteins are essential for cell survival but are often poorly understood. Even the biologically functional ratio of components within a multi-subunit membrane complex-the native stoichiometry-is difficult to establish. Here we demonstrate digital nanoreactors that can control interactions between lipid-bound molecular receptors along three key dimensions: stoichiometric, spatial, and temporal. Each nanoreactor is based on a DNA origami ring, which both templates the synthesis of a liposome and provides tethering sites for DNA-based receptors (modelling membrane proteins). Receptors are released into the liposomal membrane using strand displacement and a DNA logic gate measures receptor heterodimer formation. High-efficiency tethering of receptors enables the kinetics of receptors in 1:1 and 2:2 absolute stoichiometries to be observed by bulk fluorescence, which in principle is generalizable to any ratio. Similar single-molecule-in-bulk experiments using DNA-linked membrane proteins could determine native stoichiometry and the kinetics of membrane protein interactions for applications ranging from signalling research to drug discovery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vishal Maingi
- Department of Bioengineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
| | - Zhao Zhang
- Department of Neuroscience and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1111 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Chris Thachuk
- Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Namita Sarraf
- Department of Bioengineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Edwin R Chapman
- Department of Neuroscience and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1111 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
| | - Paul W K Rothemund
- Department of Bioengineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
- Department of Computation & Neural Systems, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
- Department of Computation + Mathematical Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Arulkumaran N, Singer M, Howorka S, Burns JR. Creating complex protocells and prototissues using simple DNA building blocks. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1314. [PMID: 36898984 PMCID: PMC10006096 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36875-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Building synthetic protocells and prototissues hinges on the formation of biomimetic skeletal frameworks. Recreating the complexity of cytoskeletal and exoskeletal fibers, with their widely varying dimensions, cellular locations and functions, represents a major material hurdle and intellectual challenge which is compounded by the additional demand of using simple building blocks to ease fabrication and control. Here we harness simplicity to create complexity by assembling structural frameworks from subunits that can support membrane-based protocells and prototissues. We show that five oligonucleotides can anneal into nanotubes or fibers whose tunable thicknesses and lengths spans four orders of magnitude. We demonstrate that the assemblies' location inside protocells is controllable to enhance their mechanical, functional and osmolar stability. Furthermore, the macrostructures can coat the outside of protocells to mimic exoskeletons and support the formation of millimeter-scale prototissues. Our strategy could be exploited in the bottom-up design of synthetic cells and tissues, to the generation of smart material devices in medicine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nishkantha Arulkumaran
- Bloomsbury Institute of Intensive Care Medicine, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Mervyn Singer
- Bloomsbury Institute of Intensive Care Medicine, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Stefan Howorka
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University Collegfige London, London, WC1H 0AJ, UK
| | - Jonathan R Burns
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University Collegfige London, London, WC1H 0AJ, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Gonçalves JP, Promlok D, Ivanov T, Tao S, Rheinberger T, Jo SM, Yu Y, Graf R, Wagner M, Crespy D, Wurm FR, Caire da Silva L, Jiang S, Landfester K. Confining the Sol-Gel Reaction at the Water/Oil Interface: Creating Compartmentalized Enzymatic Nano-Organelles for Artificial Cells. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202216966. [PMID: 36517933 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202216966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Living organisms compartmentalize their catalytic reactions in membranes for increased efficiency and selectivity. To mimic the organelles of eukaryotic cells, we develop a mild approach for in situ encapsulating enzymes in aqueous-core silica nanocapsules. In order to confine the sol-gel reaction at the water/oil interface of miniemulsion, we introduce an aminosilane to the silica precursors, which serves as both catalyst and an amphiphilic anchor that electrostatically assembles with negatively charged hydrolyzed alkoxysilanes at the interface. The semi-permeable shell protects enzymes from proteolytic attack, and allows the transport of reactants and products. The enzyme-carrying nanocapsules, as synthetic nano-organelles, are able to perform cascade reactions when enveloped in a polymer vesicle, mimicking the hierarchically compartmentalized reactions in eukaryotic cells. This in situ encapsulation approach provides a versatile platform for the delivery of biomacromolecules.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jenifer Pendiuk Gonçalves
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany.,Federal University of Paraná, Av. Cel Francisco H dos Santos, s/n, CEP, 81530-980, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Duangkamol Promlok
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Tsvetomir Ivanov
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Shijia Tao
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Timo Rheinberger
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Seong-Min Jo
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Yingjie Yu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Robert Graf
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Manfred Wagner
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Daniel Crespy
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Molecular Science and Engineering, Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology (VISTEC), Rayong, 21210, Thailand
| | - Frederik R Wurm
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Lucas Caire da Silva
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Shuai Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Katharina Landfester
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Thermally mediated double emulsion droplets formation in a six-way junction microfluidic device. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2023.130961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
|
30
|
Dreher Y, Fichtler J, Karfusehr C, Jahnke K, Xin Y, Keller A, Göpfrich K. Genotype-phenotype mapping with polyominos made from DNA origami tiles. Biophys J 2022; 121:4840-4848. [PMID: 36088535 PMCID: PMC9811662 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The correlation between genetic information and characteristics of a living cell-its genotype and its phenotype-constitutes the basis of genetics. Here, we experimentally realize a primitive form of genotype-phenotype mapping with DNA origami. The DNA origami can polymerize into two-dimensional lattices (phenotype) via blunt-end stacking facilitated by edge staples at the seam of the planar DNA origami. There are 80 binding positions for edge staples, which allow us to translate an 80-bit long binary code (genotype) onto the DNA origami. The presence of an edge staple thus corresponds to a "1" and its absence to a "0." The interactions of our DNA-based system can be reproduced by a polyomino model. Polyomino growth simulations qualitatively reproduce our experimental results. We show that not only the absolute number of base stacks but also their sequence position determine the cluster size and correlation length of the orientation of single DNA origami within the cluster. Importantly, the mutation of a few bits can result in major morphology changes of the DNA origami cluster, while more often, major sequence changes have no impact. Our experimental realization of a correlation between binary information ("genotype") and cluster morphology ("phenotype") thus reproduces key properties of genotype-phenotype maps known from living systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yannik Dreher
- Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Biophysical Engineering Group, Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julius Fichtler
- Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Biophysical Engineering Group, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christoph Karfusehr
- Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Biophysical Engineering Group, Heidelberg, Germany; Max Planck School Matter to Life, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kevin Jahnke
- Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Biophysical Engineering Group, Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yang Xin
- Paderborn University, Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, Paderborn, Germany
| | - Adrian Keller
- Paderborn University, Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, Paderborn, Germany
| | - Kerstin Göpfrich
- Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Biophysical Engineering Group, Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Avalos-Padilla Y, Georgiev VN, Ewins E, Robinson T, Orozco E, Lipowsky R, Dimova R. Stepwise remodeling and subcompartment formation in individual vesicles by three ESCRT-III proteins. iScience 2022; 26:105765. [PMID: 36590172 PMCID: PMC9800321 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) is a multi-protein machinery involved in several membrane remodeling processes. Different approaches have been used to resolve how ESCRT proteins scission membranes. However, the underlying mechanisms generating membrane deformations are still a matter of debate. Here, giant unilamellar vesicles, microfluidic technology, and micropipette aspiration are combined to continuously follow the ESCRT-III-mediated membrane remodeling on the single-vesicle level for the first time. With this approach, we identify different mechanisms by which a minimal set of three ESCRT-III proteins from Entamoeba histolytica reshape the membrane. These proteins modulate the membrane stiffness and spontaneous curvature to regulate bud size and generate intraluminal vesicles even in the absence of ATP. We demonstrate that the bud stability depends on the protein concentration and membrane tension. The approaches introduced here should open the road to diverse applications in synthetic biology for establishing artificial cells with several membrane compartments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yunuen Avalos-Padilla
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Science Park Golm, 14476 Potsdam, Germany,Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, ES-08028 Barcelona, Spain,Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona), Rosselló 149-153, ES-08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Vasil N. Georgiev
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Science Park Golm, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Eleanor Ewins
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Science Park Golm, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Tom Robinson
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Science Park Golm, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Esther Orozco
- Departamento de Infectómica y Patogénesis Molecular, CINVESTAV IPN, 07360 Ciudad de México, México
| | - Reinhard Lipowsky
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Science Park Golm, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Rumiana Dimova
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Science Park Golm, 14476 Potsdam, Germany,Corresponding author
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Fletcher M, Zhu J, Rubio-Sánchez R, Sandler SE, Nahas KA, Michele LD, Keyser UF, Tivony R. DNA-Based Optical Quantification of Ion Transport across Giant Vesicles. ACS NANO 2022; 16:17128-17138. [PMID: 36222833 PMCID: PMC9620405 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c07496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Accurate measurements of ion permeability through cellular membranes remains challenging due to the lack of suitable ion-selective probes. Here we use giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) as membrane models for the direct visualization of mass translocation at the single-vesicle level. Ion transport is indicated with a fluorescently adjustable DNA-based sensor that accurately detects sub-millimolar variations in K+ concentration. In combination with microfluidics, we employed our DNA-based K+ sensor for extraction of the permeation coefficient of potassium ions. We measured K+ permeability coefficients at least 1 order of magnitude larger than previously reported values from bulk experiments and show that permeation rates across the lipid bilayer increase in the presence of octanol. In addition, an analysis of the K+ flux in different concentration gradients allows us to estimate the complementary H+ flux that dissipates the charge imbalance across the GUV membrane. Subsequently, we show that our sensor can quantify the K+ transport across prototypical cation-selective ion channels, gramicidin A and OmpF, revealing their relative H+/K+ selectivity. Our results show that gramicidin A is much more selective to protons than OmpF with a H+/K+ permeability ratio of ∼104.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Fletcher
- Cavendish
Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J.J. Thomson Avenue, CambridgeCB3 0HE, U.K.
| | - Jinbo Zhu
- Cavendish
Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J.J. Thomson Avenue, CambridgeCB3 0HE, U.K.
| | - Roger Rubio-Sánchez
- Department
of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, LondonW12 0BZ, U.K.
- fabriCELL,
Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial
College London, LondonW12 0BZ, U.K.
| | - Sarah E Sandler
- Cavendish
Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J.J. Thomson Avenue, CambridgeCB3 0HE, U.K.
| | - Kareem Al Nahas
- Cavendish
Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J.J. Thomson Avenue, CambridgeCB3 0HE, U.K.
| | - Lorenzo Di Michele
- Department
of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, LondonW12 0BZ, U.K.
- fabriCELL,
Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial
College London, LondonW12 0BZ, U.K.
| | - Ulrich F Keyser
- Cavendish
Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J.J. Thomson Avenue, CambridgeCB3 0HE, U.K.
| | - Ran Tivony
- Cavendish
Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J.J. Thomson Avenue, CambridgeCB3 0HE, U.K.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Stimuli-responsive vesicles as distributed artificial organelles for bacterial activation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2206563119. [PMID: 36223394 PMCID: PMC9586261 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2206563119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Intercellular communication is a hallmark of living systems. As such, engineering artificial cells that possess this behavior has been at the heart of activities in bottom-up synthetic biology. Communication between artificial and living cells has potential to confer novel capabilities to living organisms that could be exploited in biomedicine and biotechnology. However, most current approaches rely on the exchange of chemical signals that cannot be externally controlled. Here, we report two types of remote-controlled vesicle-based artificial organelles that translate physical inputs into chemical messages that lead to bacterial activation. Upon light or temperature stimulation, artificial cell membranes are activated, releasing signaling molecules that induce protein expression in Escherichia coli. This distributed approach differs from established methods for engineering stimuli-responsive bacteria. Here, artificial cells (as opposed to bacterial cells themselves) are the design unit. Having stimuli-responsive elements compartmentalized in artificial cells has potential applications in therapeutics, tissue engineering, and bioremediation. It will underpin the design of hybrid living/nonliving systems where temporal control over population interactions can be exerted.
Collapse
|
34
|
Hirschi S, Ward TR, Meier WP, Müller DJ, Fotiadis D. Synthetic Biology: Bottom-Up Assembly of Molecular Systems. Chem Rev 2022; 122:16294-16328. [PMID: 36179355 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The bottom-up assembly of biological and chemical components opens exciting opportunities to engineer artificial vesicular systems for applications with previously unmet requirements. The modular combination of scaffolds and functional building blocks enables the engineering of complex systems with biomimetic or new-to-nature functionalities. Inspired by the compartmentalized organization of cells and organelles, lipid or polymer vesicles are widely used as model membrane systems to investigate the translocation of solutes and the transduction of signals by membrane proteins. The bottom-up assembly and functionalization of such artificial compartments enables full control over their composition and can thus provide specifically optimized environments for synthetic biological processes. This review aims to inspire future endeavors by providing a diverse toolbox of molecular modules, engineering methodologies, and different approaches to assemble artificial vesicular systems. Important technical and practical aspects are addressed and selected applications are presented, highlighting particular achievements and limitations of the bottom-up approach. Complementing the cutting-edge technological achievements, fundamental aspects are also discussed to cater to the inherently diverse background of the target audience, which results from the interdisciplinary nature of synthetic biology. The engineering of proteins as functional modules and the use of lipids and block copolymers as scaffold modules for the assembly of functionalized vesicular systems are explored in detail. Particular emphasis is placed on ensuring the controlled assembly of these components into increasingly complex vesicular systems. Finally, all descriptions are presented in the greater context of engineering valuable synthetic biological systems for applications in biocatalysis, biosensing, bioremediation, or targeted drug delivery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Hirschi
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bühlstrasse 28, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.,Molecular Systems Engineering, National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR), 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Thomas R Ward
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, St. Johanns-Ring 19, 4056 Basel, Switzerland.,Molecular Systems Engineering, National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR), 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Wolfgang P Meier
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, St. Johanns-Ring 19, 4056 Basel, Switzerland.,Molecular Systems Engineering, National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR), 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Daniel J Müller
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland.,Molecular Systems Engineering, National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR), 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dimitrios Fotiadis
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bühlstrasse 28, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.,Molecular Systems Engineering, National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR), 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Implanted synthetic cells trigger tissue angiogenesis through de novo production of recombinant growth factors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2207525119. [PMID: 36095208 PMCID: PMC9499519 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2207525119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Progress in bottom-up synthetic biology has stimulated the development of synthetic cells (SCs), autonomous protein-manufacturing particles, as dynamic biomimetics for replacing diseased natural cells and addressing medical needs. Here, we report that SCs genetically encoded to produce proangiogenic factors triggered the physiological process of neovascularization in mice. The SCs were constructed of giant lipid vesicles and were optimized to facilitate enhanced protein production. When introduced with the appropriate genetic code, the SCs synthesized a recombinant human basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), reaching expression levels of up to 9⋅106 protein copies per SC. In culture, the SCs induced endothelial cell proliferation, migration, tube formation, and angiogenesis-related intracellular signaling, confirming their proangiogenic activity. Integrating the SCs with bioengineered constructs bearing endothelial cells promoted the remodeling of mature vascular networks, supported by a collagen-IV basement membrane-like matrix. In vivo, prolonged local administration of the SCs in mice triggered the infiltration of blood vessels into implanted Matrigel plugs without recorded systemic immunogenicity. These findings emphasize the potential of SCs as therapeutic platforms for activating physiological processes by autonomously producing biological drugs inside the body.
Collapse
|
36
|
Seo H, Lee H. Spatiotemporal control of signal-driven enzymatic reaction in artificial cell-like polymersomes. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5179. [PMID: 36056018 PMCID: PMC9440086 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32889-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Living cells can spatiotemporally control biochemical reactions to dynamically assemble membraneless organelles and remodel cytoskeleton. Herein, we present a microfluidic approach to prepare semi-permeable polymersomes comprising of amphiphilic triblock copolymer to achieve external signal-driven complex coacervation as well as biophysical reconstitution of cytoskeleton within the polymersomes. We also show that the microfluidic synthesis of polymersomes enables precise control over size, efficient encapsulation of enzymes as well as regulation of substrates without the use of biopores. Moreover, we demonstrate that the resulting triblock copolymer-based membrane in polymersomes is size-selective, allowing phosphoenol pyruvate to readily diffuse through the membrane and induce enzymatic reaction and successive coacervation or actin polymerization in the presence of pyruvate kinase and adenosine diphosphate inside the polymersomes. We envision that the Pluronic-based polymersomes presented in this work will shed light in the design of in vitro enzymatic reactions in artificial cell-like vesicles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hanjin Seo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyomin Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Guerzoni LPB, de Goes AVC, Kalacheva M, Haduła J, Mork M, De Laporte L, Boersma AJ. High Macromolecular Crowding in Liposomes from Microfluidics. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2201169. [PMID: 35904258 PMCID: PMC9507340 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202201169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The intracellular environment is crowded with macromolecules that influence biochemical equilibria and biomacromolecule diffusion. The incorporation of such crowding in synthetic cells would be needed to mimic the biochemistry of living cells. However, only a few methods provide crowded artificial cells, moreover providing cells with either heterogeneous size and composition or containing a significant oil fraction. Therefore, a method that generates monodisperse liposomes with minimal oil content and tunable macromolecular crowding using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based microfluidics is presented. Lipid stabilized water-in-oil-in-water emulsions that are stable for at least several months and with a high macromolecular crowder concentration that can be controlled with the external osmolality are formed. A crucial feature is that the oil phase can be removed using high flow conditions at any point after production, providing the highly crowded liposomes. Genetically encoded macromolecular crowding sensors show that the high level of macromolecular crowding in the emulsions is fully retained throughout the generation of minimal-oil lipid bilayers. This modular and robust platform will serve the study of biochemistry under physiologically relevant crowding conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luis P. B. Guerzoni
- DWI‐Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstrasse 5052074AachenGermany
| | - André V. C. de Goes
- DWI‐Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstrasse 5052074AachenGermany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular ChemistryRWTH Aachen UniversityWorringerweg 152074AachenGermany
| | - Milara Kalacheva
- DWI‐Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstrasse 5052074AachenGermany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular ChemistryRWTH Aachen UniversityWorringerweg 152074AachenGermany
| | - Jakub Haduła
- DWI‐Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstrasse 5052074AachenGermany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular ChemistryRWTH Aachen UniversityWorringerweg 152074AachenGermany
| | - Matthias Mork
- DWI‐Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstrasse 5052074AachenGermany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular ChemistryRWTH Aachen UniversityWorringerweg 152074AachenGermany
| | - Laura De Laporte
- DWI‐Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstrasse 5052074AachenGermany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular ChemistryRWTH Aachen UniversityWorringerweg 152074AachenGermany
- Department Advanced Materials for BiomedicineInstitute of Applied Medical EngineeringUniversity Hospital RWTH AachenForckenbeckstrasse 5552074AachenGermany
| | - Arnold J. Boersma
- DWI‐Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstrasse 5052074AachenGermany
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Ganar KA, Leijten L, Deshpande S. Actinosomes: Condensate-Templated Containers for Engineering Synthetic Cells. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:2869-2879. [PMID: 35948429 PMCID: PMC9396703 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Engineering synthetic cells has a broad appeal, from
understanding
living cells to designing novel biomaterials for therapeutics, biosensing,
and hybrid interfaces. A key prerequisite to creating synthetic cells
is a three-dimensional container capable of orchestrating biochemical
reactions. In this study, we present an easy and effective technique
to make cell-sized porous containers, coined actinosomes, using the
interactions between biomolecular condensates and the actin cytoskeleton.
This approach uses polypeptide/nucleoside triphosphate condensates
and localizes actin monomers on their surface. By triggering actin
polymerization and using osmotic gradients, the condensates are transformed
into containers, with the boundary made up of actin filaments and
polylysine polymers. We show that the guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-to-adenosine
triphosphate (ATP) ratio is a crucial parameter for forming actinosomes:
insufficient ATP prevents condensate dissolution, while excess ATP
leads to undesired crumpling. Permeability studies reveal the porous
surface of actinosomes, allowing small molecules to pass through while
restricting bigger macromolecules within the interior. We show the
functionality of actinosomes as bioreactors by carrying out in vitro protein translation within them. Actinosomes are
a handy addition to the synthetic cell platform, with appealing properties
like ease of production, inherent encapsulation capacity, and a potentially
active surface to trigger signaling cascades and form multicellular
assemblies, conceivably useful for biotechnological applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ketan A Ganar
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University and Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Liza Leijten
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University and Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Siddharth Deshpande
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University and Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE Wageningen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Dionisi S, Piera K, Baumschlager A, Khammash M. Implementation of a Novel Optogenetic Tool in Mammalian Cells Based on a Split T7 RNA Polymerase. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:2650-2661. [PMID: 35921263 PMCID: PMC9396705 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Optogenetic tools are widely used to control gene expression
dynamics
both in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. These tools are used in
a variety of biological applications from stem cell differentiation
to metabolic engineering. Despite some tools already available in
bacteria, no light-inducible system currently exists to control gene
expression independently from mammalian transcriptional and/or translational
machineries thus working orthogonally to endogenous regulatory mechanisms.
Such a tool would be particularly important in synthetic biology,
where orthogonality is advantageous to achieve robust activation of
synthetic networks. Here we implement, characterize, and optimize
a new optogenetic tool in mammalian cells based on a previously published
system in bacteria called Opto-T7RNAPs. The tool is orthogonal to
the cellular machinery for transcription and consists of a split T7
RNA polymerase coupled with the blue light-inducible magnets system
(mammalian OptoT7–mOptoT7). In our study we exploited the T7
polymerase’s viral origins to tune our system’s expression
level, reaching up to an almost 20-fold change activation over the
dark control. mOptoT7 is used here to generate mRNA for protein expression,
shRNA for protein inhibition, and Pepper aptamer for RNA visualization.
Moreover, we show that mOptoT7 can mitigate the gene expression burden
when compared to another optogenetic construct. These properties make
mOptoT7 a powerful new tool to use when orthogonality and viral RNA
species (that lack endogenous RNA modifications) are desired.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Dionisi
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Karol Piera
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Armin Baumschlager
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mustafa Khammash
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Abstract
Recent years have seen substantial efforts aimed at constructing artificial cells from various molecular components with the aim of mimicking the processes, behaviours and architectures found in biological systems. Artificial cell development ultimately aims to produce model constructs that progress our understanding of biology, as well as forming the basis for functional bio-inspired devices that can be used in fields such as therapeutic delivery, biosensing, cell therapy and bioremediation. Typically, artificial cells rely on a bilayer membrane chassis and have fluid aqueous interiors to mimic biological cells. However, a desire to more accurately replicate the gel-like properties of intracellular and extracellular biological environments has driven increasing efforts to build cell mimics based on hydrogels. This has enabled researchers to exploit some of the unique functional properties of hydrogels that have seen them deployed in fields such as tissue engineering, biomaterials and drug delivery. In this Review, we explore how hydrogels can be leveraged in the context of artificial cell development. We also discuss how hydrogels can potentially be incorporated within the next generation of artificial cells to engineer improved biological mimics and functional microsystems.
Collapse
|
41
|
Samanta A, Hörner M, Liu W, Weber W, Walther A. Signal-processing and adaptive prototissue formation in metabolic DNA protocells. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3968. [PMID: 35803944 PMCID: PMC9270428 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31632-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The fundamental life-defining processes in living cells, such as replication, division, adaptation, and tissue formation, occur via intertwined metabolic reaction networks that process signals for downstream effects with high precision in a confined, crowded environment. Hence, it is crucial to understand and reenact some of these functions in wholly synthetic cell-like entities (protocells) to envision designing soft materials with life-like traits. Herein, we report on all-DNA protocells composed of a liquid DNA interior and a hydrogel-like shell, harboring a catalytically active DNAzyme, that converts DNA signals into functional metabolites that lead to downstream adaptation processes via site-selective strand displacement reactions. The downstream processes include intra-protocellular phenotype-like changes, prototissue formation via multivalent interactions, and chemical messenger communication between active sender and dormant receiver cell populations for sorted heteroprototissue formation. The approach integrates several tools of DNA-nanoscience in a synchronized way to mimic life-like behavior in artificial systems for future interactive materials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Avik Samanta
- A3BMS Lab, University of Mainz, Department of Chemistry, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128, Mainz, Germany.
| | - Maximilian Hörner
- Faculty of Biology, Cluster of Excellence CIBSS - Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Wei Liu
- A3BMS Lab, University of Mainz, Department of Chemistry, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Wilfried Weber
- Faculty of Biology, Cluster of Excellence CIBSS - Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Walther
- A3BMS Lab, University of Mainz, Department of Chemistry, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128, Mainz, Germany. .,Cluster of Excellence livMatS @ FIT - Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, University of Freiburg, 79110, Freiburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Del Grosso E, Franco E, Prins LJ, Ricci F. Dissipative DNA nanotechnology. Nat Chem 2022; 14:600-613. [PMID: 35668213 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-022-00957-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
DNA nanotechnology has emerged as a powerful tool to precisely design and control molecular circuits, machines and nanostructures. A major goal in this field is to build devices with life-like properties, such as directional motion, transport, communication and adaptation. Here we provide an overview of the nascent field of dissipative DNA nanotechnology, which aims at developing life-like systems by combining programmable nucleic-acid reactions with energy-dissipating processes. We first delineate the notions, terminology and characteristic features of dissipative DNA-based systems and then we survey DNA-based circuits, devices and materials whose functions are controlled by chemical fuels. We emphasize how energy consumption enables these systems to perform work and cyclical tasks, in contrast with DNA devices that operate without dissipative processes. The ability to take advantage of chemical fuel molecules brings dissipative DNA systems closer to the active molecular devices that exist in nature.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erica Del Grosso
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Rome, Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Elisa Franco
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Leonard J Prins
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
| | - Francesco Ricci
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Rome, Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Gentili PL, Stano P. Chemical Neural Networks Inside Synthetic Cells? A Proposal for Their Realization and Modeling. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:927110. [PMID: 35733531 PMCID: PMC9208290 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.927110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Pier Luigi Gentili
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, Università Degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, Italy
- *Correspondence: Pier Luigi Gentili, ; Pasquale Stano,
| | - Pasquale Stano
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies (DiSTeBA), University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
- *Correspondence: Pier Luigi Gentili, ; Pasquale Stano,
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Wagner AM, Quandt J, Söder D, Garay‐Sarmiento M, Joseph A, Petrovskii VS, Witzdam L, Hammoor T, Steitz P, Haraszti T, Potemkin II, Kostina NY, Herrmann A, Rodriguez‐Emmenegger C. Ionic Combisomes: A New Class of Biomimetic Vesicles to Fuse with Life. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2200617. [PMID: 35393756 PMCID: PMC9189634 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202200617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The construction of biomembranes that faithfully capture the properties and dynamic functions of cell membranes remains a challenge in the development of synthetic cells and their application. Here a new concept for synthetic cell membranes based on the self-assembly of amphiphilic comb polymers into vesicles, termed ionic combisomes (i-combisomes) is introduced. These combs consist of a polyzwitterionic backbone to which hydrophobic tails are linked by electrostatic interactions. Using a range of microscopies and molecular simulations, the self-assembly of a library of combs in water is screened. It is discovered that the hydrophobic tails form the membrane's core and force the backbone into a rod conformation with nematic-like ordering confined to the interface with water. This particular organization resulted in membranes that combine the stability of classic polymersomes with the biomimetic thickness, flexibility, and lateral mobility of liposomes. Such unparalleled matching of biophysical properties and the ability to locally reconfigure the molecular topology of its constituents enable the harboring of functional components of natural membranes and fusion with living bacteria to "hijack" their periphery. This provides an almost inexhaustible palette to design the chemical and biological makeup of the i-combisomes membrane resulting in a powerful platform for fundamental studies and technological applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna M. Wagner
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular ChemistryRWTH Aachen UniversityWorringerweg 2Aachen52074Germany
| | - Jonas Quandt
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular ChemistryRWTH Aachen UniversityWorringerweg 2Aachen52074Germany
| | - Dominik Söder
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular ChemistryRWTH Aachen UniversityWorringerweg 2Aachen52074Germany
| | - Manuela Garay‐Sarmiento
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
- Chair of BiotechnologyRWTH Aachen UniversityWorringerweg 3Aachen52074Germany
| | - Anton Joseph
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular ChemistryRWTH Aachen UniversityWorringerweg 2Aachen52074Germany
| | - Vladislav S. Petrovskii
- Physics DepartmentLomonosov Moscow State UniversityLeninskie Gory 1–2Moscow119991Russian Federation
| | - Lena Witzdam
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular ChemistryRWTH Aachen UniversityWorringerweg 2Aachen52074Germany
| | - Thomas Hammoor
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
| | - Philipp Steitz
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
| | - Tamás Haraszti
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
| | - Igor I. Potemkin
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
- Physics DepartmentLomonosov Moscow State UniversityLeninskie Gory 1–2Moscow119991Russian Federation
- National Research, South Ural State UniversityChelyabinsk454080Russian Federation
| | - Nina Yu. Kostina
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular ChemistryRWTH Aachen UniversityWorringerweg 2Aachen52074Germany
| | - Andreas Herrmann
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular ChemistryRWTH Aachen UniversityWorringerweg 2Aachen52074Germany
| | - Cesar Rodriguez‐Emmenegger
- DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstraße 50Aachen52074Germany
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC)Carrer de Baldiri Reixac, 10, 12Barcelona08028Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA)Passeig Lluís Companys 23Barcelona08010Spain
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Hanke M, Dornbusch D, Hadlich C, Rossberg A, Hansen N, Grundmeier G, Tsushima S, Keller A, Fahmy K. Anion-specific structure and stability of guanidinium-bound DNA origami. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:2611-2623. [PMID: 35685373 PMCID: PMC9163702 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.05.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
While the folding of DNA into rationally designed DNA origami nanostructures has been studied extensively with the aim of increasing structural diversity and introducing functionality, the fundamental physical and chemical properties of these nanostructures remain largely elusive. Here, we investigate the correlation between atomistic, molecular, nanoscopic, and thermodynamic properties of DNA origami triangles. Using guanidinium (Gdm) as a DNA-stabilizing but potentially also denaturing cation, we explore the dependence of DNA origami stability on the identity of the accompanying anions. The statistical analyses of atomic force microscopy (AFM) images and circular dichroism (CD) spectra reveals that sulfate and chloride exert stabilizing and destabilizing effects, respectively, already below the global melting temperature of the DNA origami triangles. We identify structural transitions during thermal denaturation and show that heat capacity changes ΔCp determine the temperature sensitivity of structural damage. The different hydration shells of the anions and their potential to form Gdm+ ion pairs in concentrated salt solutions modulate ΔCp by altered wetting properties of hydrophobic DNA surface regions as shown by molecular dynamics simulations. The underlying structural changes on the molecular scale become amplified by the large number of structurally coupled DNA segments and thereby find nanoscopic correlations in AFM images.
Collapse
|
46
|
Synthetic cells with self-activating optogenetic proteins communicate with natural cells. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2328. [PMID: 35484097 PMCID: PMC9050678 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29871-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Development of regulated cellular processes and signaling methods in synthetic cells is essential for their integration with living materials. Light is an attractive tool to achieve this, but the limited penetration depth into tissue of visible light restricts its usability for in-vivo applications. Here, we describe the design and implementation of bioluminescent intercellular and intracellular signaling mechanisms in synthetic cells, dismissing the need for an external light source. First, we engineer light generating SCs with an optimized lipid membrane and internal composition, to maximize luciferase expression levels and enable high-intensity emission. Next, we show these cells’ capacity to trigger bioprocesses in natural cells by initiating asexual sporulation of dark-grown mycelial cells of the fungus Trichoderma atroviride. Finally, we demonstrate regulated transcription and membrane recruitment in synthetic cells using bioluminescent intracellular signaling with self-activating fusion proteins. These functionalities pave the way for deploying synthetic cells as embeddable microscale light sources that are capable of controlling engineered processes inside tissues. Synthetic biology and engineering approaches are harnessed to incorporate new capabilities in synthetic cells. Here, the authors designed bioluminescent signaling mechanisms for intracellular and intercellular synthetic-to-natural cell communication.
Collapse
|
47
|
Abstract
Crude oil is a viscous dark liquid resource composed by a mix of hydrocarbons which, after refining, is used for the elaboration of distinct products. A major concern is that many petroleum components are highly toxic due to their teratogenic, hemotoxic, and carcinogenic effects, becoming an environmental concern on a global scale, which must be solved through innovative, efficient, and sustainable techniques. One of the most widely used procedures to totally degrade contaminants are biological methods such as bioremediation. Synthetic biology is a scientific field based on biology and engineering principles, with the purpose of redesigning and restructuring microorganisms to optimize or create new biological systems with enhanced features. The use of this discipline offers improvement of bioremediation processes. This article will review some of the techniques that use synthetic biology as a platform to be used in the area of hydrocarbon bioremediation.
Collapse
|
48
|
Hernandez Bücher JE, Staufer O, Ostertag L, Mersdorf U, Platzman I, Spatz JP. Bottom-up assembly of target-specific cytotoxic synthetic cells. Biomaterials 2022; 285:121522. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
|
49
|
Abele T, Messer T, Jahnke K, Hippler M, Bastmeyer M, Wegener M, Göpfrich K. Two-Photon 3D Laser Printing Inside Synthetic Cells. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2022; 34:e2106709. [PMID: 34800321 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202106709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Toward the ambitious goal of manufacturing synthetic cells from the bottom up, various cellular components have already been reconstituted inside lipid vesicles. However, the deterministic positioning of these components inside the compartment has remained elusive. Here, by using two-photon 3D laser printing, 2D and 3D hydrogel architectures are manufactured with high precision and nearly arbitrary shape inside preformed giant unilamellar lipid vesicles (GUVs). The required water-soluble photoresist is brought into the GUVs by diffusion in a single mixing step. Crucially, femtosecond two-photon printing inside the compartment does not destroy the GUVs. Beyond this proof-of-principle demonstration, early functional architectures are realized. In particular, a transmembrane structure acting as a pore is 3D printed, thereby allowing for the transport of biological cargo, including DNA, into the synthetic compartment. These experiments show that two-photon 3D laser microprinting can be an important addition to the existing toolbox of synthetic biology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Abele
- Biophysical Engineering Group, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tobias Messer
- Institute of Applied Physics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Wolfgang-Gaede-Str. 1, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Kevin Jahnke
- Biophysical Engineering Group, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marc Hippler
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
- Zoological Institute, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Fritz-Haber-Weg 4, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Martin Bastmeyer
- Zoological Institute, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Fritz-Haber-Weg 4, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
- Institute for Biological and Chemical Systems - Biological Information Processing (IBCS-BIP), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Martin Wegener
- Institute of Applied Physics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Wolfgang-Gaede-Str. 1, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Kerstin Göpfrich
- Biophysical Engineering Group, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Enhancing membrane-based soft materials with magnetic reconfiguration events. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1703. [PMID: 35105905 PMCID: PMC8807651 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05501-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Adaptive and bioinspired droplet-based materials are built using the droplet interface bilayer (DIB) technique, assembling networks of lipid membranes through adhered microdroplets. The properties of these lipid membranes are linked to the properties of the droplets forming the interface. Consequently, rearranging the relative positions of the droplets within the network will also alter the properties of the lipid membranes formed between them, modifying the transmembrane exchanges between neighboring compartments. In this work, we achieved this through the use of magnetic fluids or ferrofluids selectively dispersed within the droplet-phase of DIB structures. First, the ferrofluid DIB properties are optimized for reconfiguration using a coupled experimental-computational approach, exploring the ideal parameters for droplet manipulation through magnetic fields. Next, these findings are applied towards larger, magnetically-heterogeneous collections of DIBs to investigate magnetically-driven reconfiguration events. Activating electromagnets bordering the DIB networks generates rearrangement events by separating and reforming the interfacial membranes bordering the dispersed magnetic compartments. These findings enable the production of dynamic droplet networks capable of modifying their underlying membranous architecture through magnetic forces.
Collapse
|