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Norrild RK, Mason TO, Boyens-Thiele L, Ray S, Mortensen JB, Fritsch AW, Iglesias-Artola JM, Klausen LK, Stender EGP, Jensen H, Buell AK. Taylor Dispersion-Induced Phase Separation for the Efficient Characterisation of Protein Condensate Formation. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202404018. [PMID: 38593269 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202404018] [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: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates have emerged as important structures in cellular function and disease, and are thought to form through liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). Thorough and efficient in vitro experiments are therefore needed to elucidate the driving forces of protein LLPS and the possibility to modulate it with drugs. Here we present Taylor dispersion-induced phase separation (TDIPS), a method to robustly measure condensation phenomena using a commercially available microfluidic platform. It uses only nanoliters of sample, does not require extrinsic fluorescent labels, and is straightforward to implement. We demonstrate TDIPS by screening the phase behaviour of two proteins that form biomolecular condensates in vivo, PGL-3 and Ddx4. Uniquely accessible to this method, we find an unexpected re-entrant behaviour at very low ionic strength, where LLPS is inhibited for both proteins. TDIPS can also probe the reversibility of assemblies, which was shown for both α-synuclein and for lysozyme, relevant for health and biotechnology, respectively. Finally, we highlight how effective inhibition concentrations and partitioning of LLPS-modifying compounds can be screened highly efficiently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rasmus K Norrild
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 227, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Thomas O Mason
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 227, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Lars Boyens-Thiele
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 227, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Soumik Ray
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 227, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Joachim B Mortensen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 227, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Anatol W Fritsch
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Juan M Iglesias-Artola
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Louise K Klausen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 227, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Henrik Jensen
- FIDA Biosystems Aps, Generatorvej 6 A+B, 2860, Søborg, Denmark
| | - Alexander K Buell
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 227, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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2
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Du J, Shi LL, Jiang WW, Liu XA, Wu XH, Huang XX, Huo MW, Shi LZ, Dong J, Jiang X, Huang R, Cao QR, Zhang W. Crafting Docetaxel-Loaded Albumin Nanoparticles Through a Novel Thermal-Driven Self-Assembly/Microfluidic Combination Technology: Formulation, Process Optimization, Stability, and Bioavailability. Int J Nanomedicine 2024; 19:5071-5094. [PMID: 38846644 PMCID: PMC11155381 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s457482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The commercial docetaxel (DTX) formulation causes severe side effects due to polysorbate 80 and ethanol. Novel surfactant-free nanoparticle (NP) systems are needed to improve bioavailability and reduce side effects. However, controlling the particle size and stability of NPs and improving the batch-to-batch variation are the major challenges. Methods DTX-loaded bovine serum albumin nanoparticles (DTX-BSA-NPs) were prepared by a novel thermal-driven self-assembly/microfluidic technology. Single-factor analysis and orthogonal test were conducted to obtain the optimal formulation of DTX-BSA-NPs in terms of particle size, encapsulation efficiency (EE), and drug loading (DL). The effects of oil/water flow rate and pump pressure on the particle size, EE, and DL were investigated to optimize the preparation process of DTX-BSA-NPs. The drug release, physicochemical properties, stability, and pharmacokinetics of NPs were evaluated. Results The optimized DTX-BSA-NPs were uniform, with a particle size of 118.30 nm, EE of 89.04%, and DL of 8.27%. They showed a sustained release of 70% over 96 hours and an increased stability. There were some interactions between the drug and excipients in DTX-BSA-NPs. The half-life, mean residence time, and area under the curve (AUC) of DTX-BSA-NPs increased, but plasma clearance decreased when compared with DTX. Conclusion The thermal-driven self-assembly/microfluidic combination method effectively produces BSA-based NPs that improve the bioavailability and stability of DTX, offering a promising alternative to traditional formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Du
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450008, People’s Republic of China
| | - Li-Li Shi
- College of Medicine, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wei-Wei Jiang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xue-Ai Liu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xin-Hong Wu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiang-Xiang Huang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ming-Wei Huo
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ling-Zhi Shi
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jingjian Dong
- College of Medicine, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaohong Jiang
- College of Medicine, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Renyu Huang
- College of Social Science, Soochow University, Institute of Culture and Tourism Development, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qing-Ri Cao
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wenzhou Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450008, People’s Republic of China
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3
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Karger S, Miali ME, Solomonov A, Eliaz D, Varsano N, Shimanovich U. Protein Compartments Modulate Fibrillar Self-Assembly. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2308069. [PMID: 38148317 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202308069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
A notable feature of complex cellular environments is protein-rich compartments that are formed via liquid-liquid phase separation. Recent studies have shown that these biomolecular condensates can play both promoting and inhibitory roles in fibrillar protein self-assembly, a process that is linked to Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, and various prion diseases. Yet, the exact regulatory role of these condensates in protein aggregation remains unknown. By employing microfluidics to create artificial protein compartments, the self-assembly behavior of the fibrillar protein lysozyme within them can be characterized. It is observed that the volumetric parameters of protein-rich compartments can change the kinetics of protein self-assembly. Depending on the change in compartment parameters, the lysozyme fibrillation process either accelerated or decelerated. Furthermore, the results confirm that the volumetric parameters govern not only the nucleation and growth phases of the fibrillar aggregates but also affect the crosstalk between the protein-rich and protein-poor phases. The appearance of phase-separated compartments in the vicinity of natively folded protein complexes triggers their abrupt percolation into the compartments' core and further accelerates protein aggregation. Overall, the results of the study shed more light on the complex behavior and functions of protein-rich phases and, importantly, on their interaction with the surrounding environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shay Karger
- Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel
| | - Marco E Miali
- Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel
| | - Aleksei Solomonov
- Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel
| | - Dror Eliaz
- Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel
| | - Neta Varsano
- Department of Chemical Research Support, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel
| | - Ulyana Shimanovich
- Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel
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4
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Ibrahim KA, Naidu AS, Miljkovic H, Radenovic A, Yang W. Label-Free Techniques for Probing Biomolecular Condensates. ACS NANO 2024; 18:10738-10757. [PMID: 38609349 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c01534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates play important roles in a wide array of fundamental biological processes, such as cellular compartmentalization, cellular regulation, and other biochemical reactions. Since their discovery and first observations, an extensive and expansive library of tools has been developed to investigate various aspects and properties, encompassing structural and compositional information, material properties, and their evolution throughout the life cycle from formation to eventual dissolution. This Review presents an overview of the expanded set of tools and methods that researchers use to probe the properties of biomolecular condensates across diverse scales of length, concentration, stiffness, and time. In particular, we review recent years' exciting development of label-free techniques and methodologies. We broadly organize the set of tools into 3 categories: (1) imaging-based techniques, such as transmitted-light microscopy (TLM) and Brillouin microscopy (BM), (2) force spectroscopy techniques, such as atomic force microscopy (AFM) and the optical tweezer (OT), and (3) microfluidic platforms and emerging technologies. We point out the tools' key opportunities, challenges, and future perspectives and analyze their correlative potential as well as compatibility with other techniques. Additionally, we review emerging techniques, namely, differential dynamic microscopy (DDM) and interferometric scattering microscopy (iSCAT), that have huge potential for future applications in studying biomolecular condensates. Finally, we highlight how some of these techniques can be translated for diagnostics and therapy purposes. We hope this Review serves as a useful guide for new researchers in this field and aids in advancing the development of new biophysical tools to study biomolecular condensates.
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5
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Seltmann K, Hettich B, Abele S, Gurri S, Mantella V, Leroux J, Werner S. Transport of CLCA2 to the nucleus by extracellular vesicles controls keratinocyte survival and migration. J Extracell Vesicles 2024; 13:e12430. [PMID: 38602325 PMCID: PMC11007793 DOI: 10.1002/jev2.12430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Chloride channel accessory 2 (CLCA2) is a transmembrane protein, which promotes adhesion of keratinocytes and their survival in response to hyperosmotic stress. Here we show that CLCA2 is transported to the nucleus of keratinocytes via extracellular vesicles. The nuclear localization is functionally relevant, since wild-type CLCA2, but not a mutant lacking the nuclear localization signal, suppressed migration of keratinocytes and protected them from hyperosmotic stress-induced cell death. In the nucleus, CLCA2 bound to and activated β-catenin, resulting in enhanced expression of Wnt target genes. Mass-spectrometry-based interaction screening and functional rescue studies identified RNA binding protein 3 as a key effector of nuclear CLCA2. This is of likely relevance in vivo because both proteins co-localize in the human epidermis. Together, these results identify an unexpected nuclear function of CLCA2 in keratinocytes under homeostatic and stress conditions and suggest a role of extracellular vesicles and their nuclear transport in the control of key cellular activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Seltmann
- Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Department of BiologySwiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Britta Hettich
- Department of Chemistry and Applied BiosciencesInstitute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Seraina Abele
- Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Department of BiologySwiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Selina Gurri
- Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Department of BiologySwiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Valeria Mantella
- Department of Chemistry and Applied BiosciencesInstitute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Jean‐Christophe Leroux
- Department of Chemistry and Applied BiosciencesInstitute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Sabine Werner
- Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Department of BiologySwiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) ZurichZurichSwitzerland
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6
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Ray S, Buell AK. Emerging experimental methods to study the thermodynamics of biomolecular condensate formation. J Chem Phys 2024; 160:091001. [PMID: 38445729 DOI: 10.1063/5.0190160] [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: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The formation of biomolecular condensates in vivo is increasingly recognized to underlie a multitude of crucial cellular functions. Furthermore, the evolution of highly dynamic protein condensates into progressively less reversible assemblies is thought to be involved in a variety of disorders, from cancer over neurodegeneration to rare genetic disorders. There is an increasing need for efficient experimental methods to characterize the thermodynamics of condensate formation and that can be used in screening campaigns to identify and rationally design condensate modifying compounds. Theoretical advances in the field are also identifying the key parameters that need to be measured in order to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the underlying interactions and driving forces. Here, we review recent progress in the development of efficient and quantitative experimental methods to study the driving forces behind and the temporal evolution of biomolecular condensates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumik Ray
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Alexander K Buell
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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7
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Wang S, Liu T, Nan N, Lu C, Liang M, Wang S, Wang H, He B, Chen X, Xu X, Zheng Y. Exosomes from Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells Facilitates Injured Endometrial Restoring in Early Repair Period through miR-202-3p Mediating Formation of ECM. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2023; 19:1954-1964. [PMID: 37226011 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-023-10549-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Endometrial damage repair disorder is the main reason of intrauterine adhesions (IUA) and thin endometrium (TA), which is caused by curettage or infection. Exosomal miRNAs derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hucMSCs) were reported to play an important role in damage repair disorder, including endometrial fibrosis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of hucMSCs-derived exosomal microRNA-202-3p (miR-202-3p) in endometrial damage repair. We established rat endometrial injury model according to curettage to mimic women curettage abortion operation. The miRNA array analysis indicated that miR-202-3p was increased and matrix metallopeptidase 11 (MMP11) was decreased in the exosomes-treated rat uterine tissues. Bioinformatics analysis suggested that MMP11 is the target gene of miR-202-3p. We observed that the mRNA and protein of MMP11 were significantly decreased in exosome treatment group on day 3, and the components of extracellular matrix (ECM) COL1A1, COL3A1, COLVI and fibronectin (FN) protein were increased. And we found that when the injured human stromal cells were treated with miR-202-3p overexpression exosomes, the COLVI and FN were also upregulated in protein and mRNA expression level. For the first time MMP11 was proved to be the target gene of miR-202-3p by dual luciferase reporter system. At last, we found the state of stromal cells was better in miR-202-3p overexpression exosomes group compared to exosomes group, and miR-202-3p overexpression exosomes markedly upregulated the FN and collagen on day 3 after endometrial injury. We thought that miR-202-3p overexpression exosomes promoted endometrial repair by regulating ECM remodeling in early repair of damaged endometrium. Taken together, these experimental findings may provide a theoretical basis for understanding endometrial repair and an insight into the clinical treatment for IUA. Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells exosomal miR-202-3p could regulate the expression of MMP11 and promote the accumulation of extracellular matrix, such as COL1A1, COL3A1, COLVI, FN, in the early repair period of endometrial injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shufang Wang
- Department of Reproduction and Physiology, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, 100081, China
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100081 & 100730, China
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453003, Henan, China
| | - Tingting Liu
- Department of Reproduction and Physiology, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, 100081, China
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100081 & 100730, China
| | - Nan Nan
- Department of Reproduction and Physiology, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, 100081, China
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100081 & 100730, China
| | - Cong Lu
- Department of Reproduction and Physiology, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, 100081, China
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100081 & 100730, China
| | - Min Liang
- Department of Reproduction and Physiology, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, 100081, China
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100081 & 100730, China
| | - Siyu Wang
- Department of Reproduction and Physiology, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, 100081, China
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100081 & 100730, China
| | - Hu Wang
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100081 & 100730, China
| | - Bin He
- Department of Reproduction and Physiology, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, 100081, China
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100081 & 100730, China
| | - Xihua Chen
- Department of Reproduction and Physiology, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, 100081, China.
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100081 & 100730, China.
| | - Xiangbo Xu
- Department of Reproduction and Physiology, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, 100081, China.
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100081 & 100730, China.
| | - Yufeng Zheng
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
- International Research Organization for Advanced Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Chuo-Ku, Kumamoto, 860-8555, Japan.
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8
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Saar KL, Qian D, Good LL, Morgunov AS, Collepardo-Guevara R, Best RB, Knowles TPJ. Theoretical and Data-Driven Approaches for Biomolecular Condensates. Chem Rev 2023; 123:8988-9009. [PMID: 37171907 PMCID: PMC10375482 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensation processes are increasingly recognized as a fundamental mechanism that living cells use to organize biomolecules in time and space. These processes can lead to the formation of membraneless organelles that enable cells to perform distinct biochemical processes in controlled local environments, thereby supplying them with an additional degree of spatial control relative to that achieved by membrane-bound organelles. This fundamental importance of biomolecular condensation has motivated a quest to discover and understand the molecular mechanisms and determinants that drive and control this process. Within this molecular viewpoint, computational methods can provide a unique angle to studying biomolecular condensation processes by contributing the resolution and scale that are challenging to reach with experimental techniques alone. In this Review, we focus on three types of dry-lab approaches: theoretical methods, physics-driven simulations and data-driven machine learning methods. We review recent progress in using these tools for probing biomolecular condensation across all three fields and outline the key advantages and limitations of each of the approaches. We further discuss some of the key outstanding challenges that we foresee the community addressing next in order to develop a more complete picture of the molecular driving forces behind biomolecular condensation processes and their biological roles in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kadi L. Saar
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
- Transition
Bio Ltd., Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Daoyuan Qian
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Lydia L. Good
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
- Laboratory
of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive
and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes
of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Alexey S. Morgunov
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Rosana Collepardo-Guevara
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
- Department
of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, United Kingdom
| | - Robert B. Best
- Laboratory
of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive
and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes
of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Tuomas P. J. Knowles
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
- Cavendish
Laboratory, Department of Physics, University
of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
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9
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Cochard-Marchewka P, Bremond N, Baudry J. Droplet-based microfluidic platform for viscosity measurement over extended concentration range. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:2276-2285. [PMID: 37070737 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00073g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Rheology of concentrated protein solutions is crucial for the understanding of macromolecular crowding dynamics as well as the formulation of protein therapeutics. The cost and scarcity of most protein samples prevents wide-scale rheological studies as conventional viscosity measurement methods require large sample volume. There is a growing need for a precise and robust viscosity measurement tool that minimizes consumption and simplifies the handling of highly concentrated protein solutions. This objective is achieved by combining microfluidics and microrheology: we developed a specific microsystem to study the viscosity of aqueous solutions at high concentrations. The PDMS chip allows in situ production, storing and monitoring of water-in-oil nanoliter droplets. We perform precise viscosity measurements inside individual droplets by particle-tracking microrheology of fluorescent probes. Pervaporation of water through a PDMS membrane induces aqueous droplet shrinking, concentrating the sample up to 150 times, thus allowing viscosity measurements along an extended concentration range in just one experiment. The methodology is precisely validated by studying the viscosity of sucrose solutions. Two model proteins are also studied with sample consumption reduced to as little as 1 μL of diluted solution, showcasing the viability of our approach for the study of biopharmaceuticals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Cochard-Marchewka
- Laboratoire Colloïdes et Matériaux Divisés, Institut Chimie, Biologie, Innovation, UMR 8231, ESPCI Paris, CNRS, Université Paris Sciences et Lettres, 75005 Paris, France.
| | - Nicolas Bremond
- Laboratoire Colloïdes et Matériaux Divisés, Institut Chimie, Biologie, Innovation, UMR 8231, ESPCI Paris, CNRS, Université Paris Sciences et Lettres, 75005 Paris, France.
| | - Jean Baudry
- Laboratoire Colloïdes et Matériaux Divisés, Institut Chimie, Biologie, Innovation, UMR 8231, ESPCI Paris, CNRS, Université Paris Sciences et Lettres, 75005 Paris, France.
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10
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Wu K, Fang Q, Zhao Z, Li Z. CoID-LAMP: Color-Encoded, Intelligent Digital LAMP for Multiplex Nucleic Acid Quantification. Anal Chem 2023; 95:5069-5078. [PMID: 36892003 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c05665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
Abstract
Multiplex, digital nucleic acid tests have important biomedical applications, but existing methods mostly use fluorescent probes that are target-specific and difficult to optimize, limiting their widespread applications. Here, we report color-encoded, intelligent digital loop-mediated isothermal amplification (CoID-LAMP) for the coidentification of multiple nucleic acid targets. CoID-LAMP supplements different primer solutions with different dyes, generates primer droplets and sample droplets, and collectively pairs these two types of droplets in a microwell array device to perform LAMP. After imaging, the droplet colors were analyzed to decode the primer information, and the precipitate byproducts within droplets were detected to determine the target occupancy and calculate the concentrations. We first established an image analysis pipeline based on a deep learning algorithm for reliable droplet detection and validated the analytical performance in nucleic acid quantification. We then implemented CoID-LAMP using fluorescent dyes as the coding materials and established an 8-plex digital nucleic acid assay, confirming the reliable coding performance and the capability of multiplex nucleic acid quantification. We further implemented CoID-LAMP using brightfield dyes for a 4-plex assay, suggesting that the assay could be realized solely by brightfield imaging with minimal demand on the optics. Leveraging the advantages of droplet microfluidics in multiplexing and deep learning in intelligent image analysis, CoID-LAMP offers a useful tool for multiplex nucleic acid quantification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Wu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Qi Fang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Zhantao Zhao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Zida Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
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11
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Tarim EA, Anil Inevi M, Ozkan I, Kecili S, Bilgi E, Baslar MS, Ozcivici E, Oksel Karakus C, Tekin HC. Microfluidic-based technologies for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of COVID-19: recent advances and future directions. Biomed Microdevices 2023; 25:10. [PMID: 36913137 PMCID: PMC10009869 DOI: 10.1007/s10544-023-00649-z] [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] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant challenges to existing healthcare systems around the world. The urgent need for the development of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for COVID-19 has boomed the demand for new technologies that can improve current healthcare approaches, moving towards more advanced, digitalized, personalized, and patient-oriented systems. Microfluidic-based technologies involve the miniaturization of large-scale devices and laboratory-based procedures, enabling complex chemical and biological operations that are conventionally performed at the macro-scale to be carried out on the microscale or less. The advantages microfluidic systems offer such as rapid, low-cost, accurate, and on-site solutions make these tools extremely useful and effective in the fight against COVID-19. In particular, microfluidic-assisted systems are of great interest in different COVID-19-related domains, varying from direct and indirect detection of COVID-19 infections to drug and vaccine discovery and their targeted delivery. Here, we review recent advances in the use of microfluidic platforms to diagnose, treat or prevent COVID-19. We start by summarizing recent microfluidic-based diagnostic solutions applicable to COVID-19. We then highlight the key roles microfluidics play in developing COVID-19 vaccines and testing how vaccine candidates perform, with a focus on RNA-delivery technologies and nano-carriers. Next, microfluidic-based efforts devoted to assessing the efficacy of potential COVID-19 drugs, either repurposed or new, and their targeted delivery to infected sites are summarized. We conclude by providing future perspectives and research directions that are critical to effectively prevent or respond to future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Alperay Tarim
- Department of Bioengineering, Izmir Institute of Technology, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Muge Anil Inevi
- Department of Bioengineering, Izmir Institute of Technology, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Ilayda Ozkan
- Department of Bioengineering, Izmir Institute of Technology, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Seren Kecili
- Department of Bioengineering, Izmir Institute of Technology, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Eyup Bilgi
- Department of Bioengineering, Izmir Institute of Technology, Izmir, Turkey
| | - M Semih Baslar
- Department of Bioengineering, Izmir Institute of Technology, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Engin Ozcivici
- Department of Bioengineering, Izmir Institute of Technology, Izmir, Turkey
| | | | - H Cumhur Tekin
- Department of Bioengineering, Izmir Institute of Technology, Izmir, Turkey.
- METU MEMS Center, Ankara, Turkey.
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12
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Meggiolaro A, Moccia V, Brun P, Pierno M, Mistura G, Zappulli V, Ferraro D. Microfluidic Strategies for Extracellular Vesicle Isolation: Towards Clinical Applications. BIOSENSORS 2022; 13:bios13010050. [PMID: 36671885 PMCID: PMC9855931 DOI: 10.3390/bios13010050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are double-layered lipid membrane vesicles released by cells. Currently, EVs are attracting a lot of attention in the biological and medical fields due to their role as natural carriers of proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Thus, they can transport useful genomic information from their parental cell through body fluids, promoting cell-to-cell communication even between different organs. Due to their functionality as cargo carriers and their protein expression, they can play an important role as possible diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in various types of diseases, e.g., cancers, neurodegenerative, and autoimmune diseases. Today, given the invaluable importance of EVs, there are some pivotal challenges to overcome in terms of their isolation. Conventional methods have some limitations: they are influenced by the starting sample, might present low throughput and low purity, and sometimes a lack of reproducibility, being operator dependent. During the past few years, several microfluidic approaches have been proposed to address these issues. In this review, we summarize the most important microfluidic-based devices for EV isolation, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages compared to existing technology, as well as the current state of the art from the perspective of the use of these devices in clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Meggiolaro
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Padua, Via Marzolo 8, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Valentina Moccia
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
| | - Paola Brun
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Via Gabelli 63, 35121 Padua, Italy
| | - Matteo Pierno
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Padua, Via Marzolo 8, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Giampaolo Mistura
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Padua, Via Marzolo 8, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Valentina Zappulli
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
| | - Davide Ferraro
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Padua, Via Marzolo 8, 35131 Padua, Italy
- Correspondence:
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13
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Biomolecular condensate phase diagrams with a combinatorial microdroplet platform. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7845. [PMID: 36543777 PMCID: PMC9768726 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35265-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The assembly of biomolecules into condensates is a fundamental process underlying the organisation of the intracellular space and the regulation of many cellular functions. Mapping and characterising phase behaviour of biomolecules is essential to understand the mechanisms of condensate assembly, and to develop therapeutic strategies targeting biomolecular condensate systems. A central concept for characterising phase-separating systems is the phase diagram. Phase diagrams are typically built from numerous individual measurements sampling different parts of the parameter space. However, even when performed in microwell plate format, this process is slow, low throughput and requires significant sample consumption. To address this challenge, we present here a combinatorial droplet microfluidic platform, termed PhaseScan, for rapid and high-resolution acquisition of multidimensional biomolecular phase diagrams. Using this platform, we characterise the phase behaviour of a wide range of systems under a variety of conditions and demonstrate that this approach allows the quantitative characterisation of the effect of small molecules on biomolecular phase transitions.
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14
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Erkamp NA, Qi R, Welsh TJ, Knowles TPJ. Microfluidics for multiscale studies of biomolecular condensates. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 23:9-24. [PMID: 36269080 PMCID: PMC9764808 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00622g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Membraneless organelles formed through condensation of biomolecules in living cells have become the focus of sustained efforts to elucidate their mechanisms of formation and function. These condensates perform a range of vital functions in cells and are closely connected to key processes in functional and aberrant biology. Since these systems occupy a size scale intermediate between single proteins and conventional protein complexes on the one hand, and cellular length scales on the other hand, they have proved challenging to probe using conventional approaches from either protein science or cell biology. Additionally, condensate can form, solidify and perform functions on various time-scales. From a physical point of view, biomolecular condensates are colloidal soft matter systems, and microfluidic approaches, which originated in soft condensed matter research, have successfully been used to study biomolecular condensates. This review explores how microfluidics have aided condensate research into the thermodynamics, kinetics and other properties of condensates, by offering high-throughput and novel experimental setups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia A Erkamp
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, Centre for Misfolding Diseases, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - Runzhang Qi
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, Centre for Misfolding Diseases, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - Timothy J Welsh
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, Centre for Misfolding Diseases, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - Tuomas P J Knowles
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, Centre for Misfolding Diseases, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
- Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, J J Thomson Ave, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK
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15
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Jeyhani M, Navi M, Chan KWY, Kieda J, Tsai SSH. Water-in-water droplet microfluidics: A design manual. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2022; 16:061503. [PMID: 36406338 PMCID: PMC9674389 DOI: 10.1063/5.0119316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Droplet microfluidics is utilized in a wide range of applications in biomedicine and biology. Applications include rapid biochemical analysis, materials generation, biochemical assays, and point-of-care medicine. The integration of aqueous two-phase systems (ATPSs) into droplet microfluidic platforms has potential utility in oil-free biological and biomedical applications, namely, reducing cytotoxicity and preserving the native form and function of costly biomolecular reagents. In this review, we present a design manual for the chemist, biologist, and engineer to design experiments in the context of their biological applications using all-in-water droplet microfluidic systems. We describe the studies achievable using these systems and the corresponding fabrication and stabilization methods. With this information, readers may apply the fundamental principles and recent advancements in ATPS droplet microfluidics to their research. Finally, we propose a development roadmap of opportunities to utilize ATPS droplet microfluidics in applications that remain underexplored.
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16
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Villois A, Capasso Palmiero U, Mathur P, Perone G, Schneider T, Li L, Salvalaglio M, deMello A, Stavrakis S, Arosio P. Droplet Microfluidics for the Label-Free Extraction of Complete Phase Diagrams and Kinetics of Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation in Finite Volumes. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2202606. [PMID: 36180409 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202202606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Liquid-liquid phase separation of polymer and protein solutions is central in many areas of biology and material sciences. Here, an experimental and theoretical framework is provided to investigate the thermodynamics and kinetics of liquid-liquid phase separation in volumes comparable to cells. The strategy leverages droplet microfluidics to accurately measure the volume of the dense phase generated by liquid-liquid phase separation of solutions confined in micro-sized compartments. It is shown that the measurement of the volume fraction of the dense phase at different temperatures allows the evaluation of the binodal lines that determine the coexistence region of the two phases in the temperature-concentration phase diagram. By applying a thermodynamic model of phase separation in finite volumes, it is further shown that the platform can predict and validate kinetic barriers associated with the formation of a dense droplet in a parent dilute phase, therefore connecting thermodynamics and kinetics of liquid-liquid phase separation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Villois
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Umberto Capasso Palmiero
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Prerit Mathur
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Gaia Perone
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Timo Schneider
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Lunna Li
- Thomas Young Centre and Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, London, WC1E 7JE, UK
| | - Matteo Salvalaglio
- Thomas Young Centre and Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, London, WC1E 7JE, UK
| | - Andrew deMello
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Stavros Stavrakis
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Paolo Arosio
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8093, Switzerland
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17
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Bergmann AM, Donau C, Späth F, Jahnke K, Göpfrich K, Boekhoven J. Evolution and Single‐Droplet Analysis of Fuel‐Driven Compartments by Droplet‐Based Microfluidics. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202203928. [PMID: 35657164 PMCID: PMC9400878 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202203928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander M. Bergmann
- Department of Chemistry Technical University of Munich Lichtenbergstrasse 4 85748 Garching Germany
| | - Carsten Donau
- Department of Chemistry Technical University of Munich Lichtenbergstrasse 4 85748 Garching Germany
| | - Fabian Späth
- Department of Chemistry Technical University of Munich Lichtenbergstrasse 4 85748 Garching 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
| | - 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
| | - Job Boekhoven
- Department of Chemistry Technical University of Munich Lichtenbergstrasse 4 85748 Garching Germany
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18
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Chan KWY, Navi M, Kieda J, Moran T, Hammers D, Lee S, Tsai SSH. Phase transition modulation and biophysical characterization of biomolecular condensates using microfluidics. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:2647-2656. [PMID: 35616128 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00037g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Membraneless organelles (MLOs) formed through liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) are becoming increasingly relevant to understanding viral-host interactions, neurodegenerative disease, and cancer. The modulation of LLPS involves many parameters and components. To describe these modulators, typical in vitro studies require laborious, manual sample preparation of different concentrations and costly biological reagents. Here, we introduce a minimal reagent, microfluidic platform to systematically generate samples of different concentrations and trigger phase separation. We demonstrate the platform's utility by constructing phase diagrams describing the modulation of LLPS using an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) and an MLO-based phase separating system. We also show on-chip biophysical characterization typical of in vitro studies. We expect that this platform will be utilized by scientists to study the growing number of MLOs and inform clinical treatments for pathology related to LLPS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine W Y Chan
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Engineering, Ryerson University, Toronto M5B 2K3, Canada.
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto M5B 2K3, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Technology (iBEST) - A partnership between Ryerson University and St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto M5B 1W8, Canada
| | - Maryam Navi
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Engineering, Ryerson University, Toronto M5B 2K3, Canada.
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto M5B 2K3, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Technology (iBEST) - A partnership between Ryerson University and St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto M5B 1W8, Canada
| | - Jennifer Kieda
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Engineering, Ryerson University, Toronto M5B 2K3, Canada.
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto M5B 2K3, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Technology (iBEST) - A partnership between Ryerson University and St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto M5B 1W8, Canada
| | - Thomas Moran
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA
| | - Daniel Hammers
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA
- Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA
| | - Shaun Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA
- Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA
- Institution for Precision Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA
| | - Scott S H Tsai
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Engineering, Ryerson University, Toronto M5B 2K3, Canada.
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto M5B 2K3, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Technology (iBEST) - A partnership between Ryerson University and St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto M5B 1W8, Canada
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Ryerson University, Toronto M5B 2K3, Canada
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19
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Bergmann AM, Donau C, Späth F, Jahnke K, Göpfrich K, Boekhoven J. Evolution and Single‐Droplet Analysis of Fuel‐Driven Compartments by Droplet‐Based Microfluidics. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202203928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Carsten Donau
- Technische Universität München: Technische Universitat Munchen Chemistry GERMANY
| | - Fabian Späth
- TU München: Technische Universitat Munchen Chemistry GERMANY
| | - Kevin Jahnke
- Max-Planck-Institute for Medical Research: Max-Planck-Institut fur medizinische Forschung Medical Research GERMANY
| | - Kerstin Göpfrich
- Max-Planck-Institute for Medical Research: Max-Planck-Institut fur medizinische Forschung Medical Research GERMANY
| | - Job Boekhoven
- Technical University of Munchen Chemistry Lichtenbergstrasse 485748Germany 85748 Garching GERMANY
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20
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Nix C, Ghassemi M, Crommen J, Fillet M. Overview on microfluidics devices for monitoring brain disorder biomarkers. Trends Analyt Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2022.116693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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21
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Maeki M, Uno S, Niwa A, Okada Y, Tokeshi M. Microfluidic technologies and devices for lipid nanoparticle-based RNA delivery. J Control Release 2022; 344:80-96. [PMID: 35183654 PMCID: PMC8851889 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
In 2021, mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 were approved by the Food and Drug Administration. mRNA vaccines are important for preventing severe COVID-19 and returning to normal life. The development of RNA-delivery technology, including mRNA vaccines, has been investigated worldwide for ~30 years. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are a breakthrough technology that stably delivers RNA to target organs, and RNA-loaded LNP-based nanomedicines have been studied for the development of vaccines and nanomedicines for RNA-, gene-, and cell-based therapies. Recently, microfluidic devices and technologies have attracted attention for the production of LNPs, particularly RNA-loaded LNPs. Microfluidics provides many advantages for RNA-loaded LNP production, including precise LNP size controllability, high reproducibility, high-throughput optimization of LNP formulation, and continuous LNP-production processes. In this review, we summarize microfluidic-based RNA-loaded LNP production and its applications in RNA-based therapy and genome editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masatoshi Maeki
- Division of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Kita 13 Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan; JST PRESTO, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan.
| | - Shuya Uno
- Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Hokkaido University, Kita 13 Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan
| | - Ayuka Niwa
- Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Hokkaido University, Kita 13 Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan
| | - Yuto Okada
- Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Hokkaido University, Kita 13 Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan
| | - Manabu Tokeshi
- Division of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Kita 13 Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan.
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22
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Rangharajan KK, Prakash S. Voltage-gated nanofluidic devices for protein capture, concentration, and release. Analyst 2022; 147:3817-3821. [DOI: 10.1039/d2an00745b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
A nanofluidic device with spatially, non-uniformly distributed gate electrodes is reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaushik K. Rangharajan
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Ohio State University, 201 W. 19th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
| | - Shaurya Prakash
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Ohio State University, 201 W. 19th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
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23
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Capasso Palmiero U, Paganini C, Kopp MRG, Linsenmeier M, Küffner AM, Arosio P. Programmable Zwitterionic Droplets as Biomolecular Sorters and Model of Membraneless Organelles. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2022; 34:e2104837. [PMID: 34664748 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202104837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Increasing evidence indicates that cells can regulate biochemical functions in time and space by generating membraneless compartments with well-defined mesoscopic properties. One important mechanism underlying this control is simple coacervation driven by associative disordered proteins that encode multivalent interactions. Inspired by these observations, programmable droplets based on simple coacervation of responsive synthetic polymers that mimic the "stickers-and-spacers" architecture of biological disordered proteins are developed. Zwitterionic polymers that undergo an enthalpy-driven liquid-liquid phase separation process and form liquid droplets that remarkably exclude most molecules are developed. Starting from this reference material, different functional groups in the zwitterionic polymer are progressively added to encode an increasing number of different intermolecular interactions. This strategy allowed the multiple emerging properties of the droplets to be controlled independently, such as stimulus-responsiveness, polarity, selective uptake of client molecules, fusion times, and miscibility. By exploiting this high programmability, a model of cellular compartmentalization is reproduced and droplets capable of confining different molecules in space without physical barriers are generated. Moreover, these biomolecular sorters are demonstrated to be able to localize, separate, and enable the detection of target molecules even within complex mixtures, opening attractive applications in bioseparation, and diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umberto Capasso Palmiero
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Carolina Paganini
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Marie R G Kopp
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Miriam Linsenmeier
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Andreas M Küffner
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Paolo Arosio
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8093, Switzerland
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24
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Li P, Zeng X, Li S, Xiang X, Chen P, Li Y, Liu BF. Rapid Determination of Phase Diagrams for Biomolecular Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation with Microfluidics. Anal Chem 2021; 94:687-694. [PMID: 34936324 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c02700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Biomolecular phase separation is currently emerging in both the medical and life science fields. Meanwhile, the application of liquid-liquid phase separation has been extended to many fields including drug discovery, fibrous material fabrication, 3D printing, and polymer design. Although more than 8600 proteins and other synthetic macromolecules are capable of phase separation as recently reported, there is still a lack of a high-throughput approach to quantitatively characterize its phase behaviors. To meet this requirement, here, we proposed fast and high-resolution acquisition of biomolecular phase diagrams using microfluidic chips. Using this platform, we demonstrated the phase behavior of polyU/RRASLRRASLRRASL in a quantitative manner. Up to 1750 concentration conditions can be generated in 140 min. The detection limitation of our device to capture the saturation concentration for phase separation is about 5 times lower than that of the traditional turbidity method. Thus, our results provide a basis for the rapid acquisition of phase diagrams with high-throughput and pave the way for its wide application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengjie Li
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Xuemei Zeng
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Shunji Li
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Xufu Xiang
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Peng Chen
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Yiwei Li
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Bi-Feng Liu
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
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25
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Capillary flow experiments for thermodynamic and kinetic characterization of protein liquid-liquid phase separation. Nat Commun 2021; 12:7289. [PMID: 34911929 PMCID: PMC8674230 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27433-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Liquid-liquid phase separation or LLPS of proteins is a field of mounting importance and the value of quantitative kinetic and thermodynamic characterization of LLPS is increasingly recognized. We present a method, Capflex, which allows rapid and accurate quantification of key parameters for LLPS: Dilute phase concentration, relative droplet size distributions, and the kinetics of droplet formation and maturation into amyloid fibrils. The binding affinity between the polypeptide undergoing LLPS and LLPS-modulating compounds can also be determined. We apply Capflex to characterize the LLPS of Human DEAD-box helicase-4 and the coacervate system ssDNA/RP3. Furthermore, we study LLPS and the aberrant liquid-to-solid phase transition of α-synuclein. We quantitatively measure the decrease in dilute phase concentration as the LLPS of α-synuclein is followed by the formation of Thioflavin-T positive amyloid aggregates. The high information content, throughput and the versatility of Capflex makes it a valuable tool for characterizing biomolecular LLPS.
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26
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Bacchin P, Leng J, Salmon JB. Microfluidic Evaporation, Pervaporation, and Osmosis: From Passive Pumping to Solute Concentration. Chem Rev 2021; 122:6938-6985. [PMID: 34882390 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Evaporation, pervaporation, and forward osmosis are processes leading to a mass transfer of solvent across an interface: gas/liquid for evaporation and solid/liquid (membrane) for pervaporation and osmosis. This Review provides comprehensive insight into the use of these processes at the microfluidic scales for applications ranging from passive pumping to the screening of phase diagrams and micromaterials engineering. Indeed, for a fixed interface relative to the microfluidic chip, these processes passively induce flows driven only by gradients of chemical potential. As a consequence, these passive-transport phenomena lead to an accumulation of solutes that cannot cross the interface and thus concentrate solutions in the microfluidic chip up to high concentration regimes, possibly up to solidification. The purpose of this Review is to provide a unified description of these processes and associated microfluidic applications to highlight the differences and similarities between these three passive-transport phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrice Bacchin
- Laboratoire de Génie Chimique, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INPT, UPS, 31000 Toulouse, France
| | - Jacques Leng
- CNRS, Solvay, LOF, UMR 5258, Université de Bordeaux, 33600 Pessac, France
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27
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Kato S, Garenne D, Noireaux V, Maeda YT. Phase Separation and Protein Partitioning in Compartmentalized Cell-Free Expression Reactions. Biomacromolecules 2021; 22:3451-3459. [PMID: 34258998 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.1c00546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is important to control a wide range of reactions from gene expression to protein degradation in a cell-sized space. To bring a better understanding of the compatibility of such phase-separated structures with protein synthesis, we study emergent LLPS in a cell-free transcription-translation (TXTL) reaction. When the TXTL reaction composed of many proteins is concentrated, the uniformly mixed state becomes unstable, and membrane-less phases form spontaneously. This LLPS droplet formation is induced when the TXTL reaction is enclosed in water-in-oil emulsion droplets, in which water evaporates from the surface. As the emulsion droplets shrink, smaller LLPS droplets appear inside the emulsion droplets and coalesce into large phase-separated domains that partition the localization of synthesized reporter proteins. The presence of PEG in the TXTL reaction is important not only for versatile cell-free protein synthesis but also for the formation of two large domains capable of protein partitioning. Our results may shed light on the dynamic interplay of LLPS formation and cell-free protein synthesis toward the construction of synthetic organelles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuzo Kato
- Department of Physics, Kyushu University, Motooka 744, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - David Garenne
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, 115 Union Street Se, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Vincent Noireaux
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, 115 Union Street Se, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Yusuke T Maeda
- Department of Physics, Kyushu University, Motooka 744, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
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28
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Ruff KM, Dar F, Pappu RV. Polyphasic linkage and the impact of ligand binding on the regulation of biomolecular condensates. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2021; 2:021302. [PMID: 34179888 PMCID: PMC8211317 DOI: 10.1063/5.0050059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Cellular matter can be spatially and temporally organized into membraneless biomolecular condensates. The current thinking is that these condensates form and dissolve via phase transitions driven by one or more condensate-specific multivalent macromolecules known as scaffolds. Cells likely regulate condensate formation and dissolution by exerting control over the concentrations of regulatory molecules, which we refer to as ligands. Wyman and Gill introduced the framework of polyphasic linkage to explain how ligands can exert thermodynamic control over phase transitions. This review focuses on describing the concepts of polyphasic linkage and the relevance of such a mechanism for controlling condensate formation and dissolution. We describe how ligand-mediated control over scaffold phase behavior can be quantified experimentally. Further, we build on recent studies to highlight features of ligands that make them suppressors vs drivers of phase separation. Finally, we highlight areas where advances are needed to further understand ligand-mediated control of condensates in complex cellular environments. These advances include understanding the effects of networks of ligands on condensate behavior and how ligands modulate phase transitions controlled by different combinations of homotypic and heterotypic interactions among scaffold macromolecules. Insights gained from the application of polyphasic linkage concepts should be useful for designing novel pharmaceutical ligands to regulate condensates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiersten M. Ruff
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Center for Science and Engineering of Living Systems (CSELS), Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, USA
| | - Furqan Dar
- Department of Physics, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, USA
| | - Rohit V. Pappu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Center for Science and Engineering of Living Systems (CSELS), Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, USA
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29
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Ng HY, Lee WC, Kung CT, Li LC, Lee CT, Fu LM. Recent Advances in Microfluidic Devices for Contamination Detection and Quality Inspection of Milk. MICROMACHINES 2021; 12:558. [PMID: 34068982 PMCID: PMC8156775 DOI: 10.3390/mi12050558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Milk is a necessity for human life. However, it is susceptible to contamination and adulteration. Microfluidic analysis devices have attracted significant attention for the high-throughput quality inspection and contaminant analysis of milk samples in recent years. This review describes the major proposals presented in the literature for the pretreatment, contaminant detection, and quality inspection of milk samples using microfluidic lab-on-a-chip and lab-on-paper platforms in the past five years. The review focuses on the sample separation, sample extraction, and sample preconcentration/amplification steps of the pretreatment process and the determination of aflatoxins, antibiotics, drugs, melamine, and foodborne pathogens in the detection process. Recent proposals for the general quality inspection of milk samples, including the viscosity and presence of adulteration, are also discussed. The review concludes with a brief perspective on the challenges facing the future development of microfluidic devices for the analysis of milk samples in the coming years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hwee-Yeong Ng
- Division of Nephrology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan; (H.-Y.N.); (W.-C.L.); (L.-C.L.); (C.-T.L.)
| | - Wen-Chin Lee
- Division of Nephrology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan; (H.-Y.N.); (W.-C.L.); (L.-C.L.); (C.-T.L.)
| | - Chia-Te Kung
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan;
| | - Lung-Chih Li
- Division of Nephrology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan; (H.-Y.N.); (W.-C.L.); (L.-C.L.); (C.-T.L.)
| | - Chien-Te Lee
- Division of Nephrology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan; (H.-Y.N.); (W.-C.L.); (L.-C.L.); (C.-T.L.)
| | - Lung-Ming Fu
- Department of Engineering Science, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
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30
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Zhang P, Chang KC, Abate AR. Precision ejection of microfluidic droplets into air with a superhydrophobic outlet. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:1484-1491. [PMID: 33656500 PMCID: PMC8189694 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc01327g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Dispensing micron-scale droplets from a suspended nozzle is important for applications in bioprinting, analytical chemistry, and pharmaceutical formulation. Here, we describe a general approach to eject droplets from microfluidic devices using superhydrophobic patterning; this facilitates release of wetted fluids, allowing droplets to break contact with channel surfaces and travel along regular paths to achieve a printing accuracy of ∼3 μm. We demonstrate the utility of the approach by using it to print droplets of varied composition from a microfluidic mixing device. Our approach is compatible with common fabrication techniques making it applicable to devices configured for diverse applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Zhang
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Kai-Chun Chang
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Adam R Abate
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. and California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA and Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, USA
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31
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Berlanda SF, Breitfeld M, Dietsche CL, Dittrich PS. Recent Advances in Microfluidic Technology for Bioanalysis and Diagnostics. Anal Chem 2020; 93:311-331. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c04366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simon F. Berlanda
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Maximilian Breitfeld
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Claudius L. Dietsche
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Petra S. Dittrich
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland
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32
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Bremer A, Mittag T, Heymann M. Microfluidic characterization of macromolecular liquid-liquid phase separation. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:4225-4234. [PMID: 33057557 PMCID: PMC7658026 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc00613k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Liquid-liquid phase separation plays important roles in the compartmentalization of cells. Developing an understanding of how phase separation is encoded in biomacromolecules requires quantitative mapping of their phase behavior. Given that such experiments require large quantities of the biomolecule of interest, these efforts have been lagging behind the recent breadth of biological insights. Herein, we present a microfluidic phase chip that enables the measurement of saturation concentrations over at least three orders of magnitude for a broad spectrum of biomolecules and solution conditions. The phase chip consists of five units, each made of twenty individual sample chambers to allow the measurement of five sample conditions simultaneously. The analytes are slowly concentrated via evaporation of water, which is replaced by oil, until the sample undergoes phase separation into a dilute and dense phase. We show that the phase chip lowers the required sample quantity by 98% while offering six-fold better statistics in comparison to standard manual experiments that involve centrifugal separation of dilute and dense phases. We further show that the saturation concentrations measured in chips are in agreement with previously reported data for a variety of biomolecules. Concomitantly, time-dependent changes of the dense phase morphology and potential off-pathway processes, including aggregation, can be monitored microscopically. In summary, the phase chip is suited to exploring sequence-to-binodal relationships by enabling the determination of a large number of saturation concentrations at low protein cost.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Bremer
- Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis, TN, USA.
| | - Tanja Mittag
- Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis, TN, USA.
| | - Michael Heymann
- Institute for Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems, University Stuttgart, Germany.
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33
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Del Rio JA, Ferrer I. Potential of Microfluidics and Lab-on-Chip Platforms to Improve Understanding of " prion-like" Protein Assembly and Behavior. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:570692. [PMID: 33015021 PMCID: PMC7506036 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.570692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Human aging is accompanied by a relevant increase in age-associated chronic pathologies, including neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases. The appearance and evolution of numerous neurodegenerative diseases is paralleled by the appearance of intracellular and extracellular accumulation of misfolded proteins in affected brains. In addition, recent evidence suggests that most of these amyloid proteins can behave and propagate among neural cells similarly to infective prions. In order to improve understanding of the seeding and spreading processes of these "prion-like" amyloids, microfluidics and 3D lab-on-chip approaches have been developed as highly valuable tools. These techniques allow us to monitor changes in cellular and molecular processes responsible for amyloid seeding and cell spreading and their parallel effects in neural physiology. Their compatibility with new optical and biochemical techniques and their relative availability have increased interest in them and in their use in numerous laboratories. In addition, recent advances in stem cell research in combination with microfluidic platforms have opened new humanized in vitro models for myriad neurodegenerative diseases affecting different cellular targets of the vascular, muscular, and nervous systems, and glial cells. These new platforms help reduce the use of animal experimentation. They are more reproducible and represent a potential alternative to classical approaches to understanding neurodegeneration. In this review, we summarize recent progress in neurobiological research in "prion-like" protein using microfluidic and 3D lab-on-chip approaches. These approaches are driven by various fields, including chemistry, biochemistry, and cell biology, and they serve to facilitate the development of more precise human brain models for basic mechanistic studies of cell-to-cell interactions and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose A Del Rio
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (Ciberned), Barcelona, Spain.,Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Isidre Ferrer
- Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (Ciberned), Barcelona, Spain.,Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Bellvitge University Hospital, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.,Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
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34
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Linsenmeier M, Kopp MRG, Stavrakis S, de Mello A, Arosio P. Analysis of biomolecular condensates and protein phase separation with microfluidic technology. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2020; 1868:118823. [PMID: 32800925 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2020.118823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
An increasing body of evidence shows that membraneless organelles are key components in cellular organization. These observations open a variety of outstanding questions about the physico-chemical rules underlying their assembly, disassembly and functions. Some molecular determinants of biomolecular condensates are challenging to probe and understand in complex in vivo systems. Minimalistic in vitro reconstitution approaches can fill this gap, mimicking key biological features, while maintaining sufficient simplicity to enable the analysis of fundamental aspects of biomolecular condensates. In this context, microfluidic technologies are highly attractive tools for the analysis of biomolecular phase transitions. In addition to enabling high-throughput measurements on small sample volumes, microfluidic tools provide for exquisite control of self-assembly in both time and space, leading to accurate quantitative analysis of biomolecular phase transitions. Here, with a specific focus on droplet-based microfluidics, we describe the advantages of microfluidic technology for the analysis of several aspects of phase separation. These include phase diagrams, dynamics of assembly and disassembly, rheological and surface properties, exchange of materials with the surrounding environment and the coupling between compartmentalization and biochemical reactions. We illustrate these concepts with selected examples, ranging from simple solutions of individual proteins to more complex mixtures of proteins and RNA, which represent synthetic models of biological membraneless organelles. Finally, we discuss how this technology may impact the bottom-up fabrication of synthetic artificial cells and for the development of synthetic protein materials in biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Linsenmeier
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich 8093, Switzerland
| | - Marie R G Kopp
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich 8093, Switzerland
| | - Stavros Stavrakis
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich 8093, Switzerland
| | - Andrew de Mello
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich 8093, Switzerland
| | - Paolo Arosio
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich 8093, Switzerland.
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