1
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Liu HL, Nan H, Zhao WW, Wan XB, Fan XJ. Phase separation in DNA double-strand break response. Nucleus 2024; 15:2296243. [PMID: 38146123 PMCID: PMC10761171 DOI: 10.1080/19491034.2023.2296243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA double-strand break (DSB) is the most dangerous type of DNA damage, which may lead to cell death or oncogenic mutations. Homologous recombination (HR) and nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) are two typical DSB repair mechanisms. Recently, many studies have revealed that liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) plays a pivotal role in DSB repair and response. Through LLPS, the crucial biomolecules are quickly recruited to damaged sites with a high concentration to ensure DNA repair is conducted quickly and efficiently, which facilitates DSB repair factors activating downstream proteins or transmitting signals. In addition, the dysregulation of the DSB repair factor's phase separation has been reported to promote the development of a variety of diseases. This review not only provides a comprehensive overview of the emerging roles of LLPS in the repair of DSB but also sheds light on the regulatory patterns of phase separation in relation to the DNA damage response (DDR).
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan-Lei Liu
- Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China
- Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest AF University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Hao Nan
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest AF University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Wan-Wen Zhao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Xiang-Bo Wan
- Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China
- Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Xin-Juan Fan
- Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China
- Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
- Department of Pathology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
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2
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Smokers IB, Visser BS, Slootbeek AD, Huck WTS, Spruijt E. How Droplets Can Accelerate Reactions─Coacervate Protocells as Catalytic Microcompartments. Acc Chem Res 2024; 57:1885-1895. [PMID: 38968602 PMCID: PMC11256357 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.4c00114] [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: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
ConspectusCoacervates are droplets formed by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and are often used as model protocells-primitive cell-like compartments that could have aided the emergence of life. Their continued presence as membraneless organelles in modern cells gives further credit to their relevance. The local physicochemical environment inside coacervates is distinctly different from the surrounding dilute solution and offers an interesting microenvironment for prebiotic reactions. Coacervates can selectively take up reactants and enhance their effective concentration, stabilize products, destabilize reactants and lower transition states, and can therefore play a similar role as micellar catalysts in providing rate enhancement and selectivity in reaction outcome. Rate enhancement and selectivity must have been essential for the origins of life by enabling chemical reactions to occur at appreciable rates and overcoming competition from hydrolysis.In this Accounts, we dissect the mechanisms by which coacervate protocells can accelerate reactions and provide selectivity. These mechanisms can similarly be exploited by membraneless organelles to control cellular processes. First, coacervates can affect the local concentration of reactants and accelerate reactions by copartitioning of reactants or exclusion of a product or inhibitor. Second, the local environment inside the coacervate can change the energy landscape for reactions taking place inside the droplets. The coacervate is more apolar than the surrounding solution and often rich in charged moieties, which can affect the stability of reactants, transition states and products. The crowded nature of the droplets can favor complexation of large molecules such as ribozymes. Their locally different proton and water activity can facilitate reactions involving a (de)protonation step, condensation reactions and reactions that are sensitive to hydrolysis. Not only the coacervate core, but also the surface can accelerate reactions and provides an interesting site for chemical reactions with gradients in pH, water activity and charge. The coacervate is often rich in catalytic amino acids and can localize catalysts like divalent metal ions, leading to further rate enhancement inside the droplets. Lastly, these coacervate properties can favor certain reaction pathways, and thereby give selectivity over the reaction outcome.These mechanisms are further illustrated with a case study on ribozyme reactions inside coacervates, for which there is a fine balance between concentration and reactivity that can be tuned by the coacervate composition. Furthermore, coacervates can both catalyze ribozyme reactions and provide product selectivity, demonstrating that coacervates could have functioned as enzyme-like catalytic microcompartments at the origins of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris B.
A. Smokers
- Institute for Molecules and
Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6523 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Brent S. Visser
- Institute for Molecules and
Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6523 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Annemiek D. Slootbeek
- Institute for Molecules and
Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6523 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Wilhelm T. S. Huck
- Institute for Molecules and
Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6523 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Evan Spruijt
- Institute for Molecules and
Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6523 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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3
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Jaworek MW, Oliva R, Winter R. Enabling High Activation of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Activity Through Liquid Condensate Formation and Compression. Chemistry 2024; 30:e202400690. [PMID: 38471074 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202400690] [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: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Droplet formation via liquid-liquid phase separation is thought to be involved in the regulation of various biological processes, including enzymatic reactions. We investigated a glycolytic enzymatic reaction, the conversion of glucose-6-phosphate to 6-phospho-D-glucono-1,5-lactone with concomitant reduction of NADP+ to NADPH both in the absence and presence of dynamically controlled liquid droplet formation. Here, the nucleotide serves as substrate as well as the scaffold required for the formation of liquid droplets. To further expand the process parameter space, temperature and pressure dependent measurements were performed. Incorporation of the reactants in the liquid droplet phase led to a boost in enzymatic activity, which was most pronounced at medium-high pressures. The crowded environment of the droplet phase induced a marked increase of the affinity of the enzyme and substrate. An increase in turnover number in the droplet phase at high pressure contributed to a further strong increase in catalytic efficiency. Enzyme systems that are dynamically coupled to liquid condensate formation may be the key to deciphering many biochemical reactions. Expanding the process parameter space by adjusting temperature and pressure conditions can be a means to further increase the efficiency of industrial enzyme utilization and help uncover regulatory mechanisms adopted by extremophiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel W Jaworek
- Physical Chemistry I - Biophysical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 4a, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Rosario Oliva
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia 4, 80126, Napoli, Italy
| | - Roland Winter
- Physical Chemistry I - Biophysical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 4a, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
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4
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Morrison C, Chan EP, Lee T, Deming TJ. Switchable Coacervate Formation via Amino Acid Functionalization of Poly(dehydroalanine). Biomacromolecules 2024; 25:2554-2562. [PMID: 38426942 PMCID: PMC11005011 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.4c00048] [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: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Our group recently developed a family of side-chain amino acid-functionalized poly(S-alkyl-l-homocysteines), Xaa-CH (Xaa = generic amino acid), which possess the ability to form environmentally responsive coacervates in water. In an effort to further study how the molecular structure affects polypeptide coacervate formation, we prepared side-chain amino acid-functionalized poly(S-alkyl-rac-cysteines), Xaa-rac-C, via post-polymerization modification of poly(dehydroalanine), ADH. The use of the ADH platform allowed straightforward synthesis of a diverse range of side-chain amino acid-functionalized polypeptides via direct reaction of unprotected l-amino acid 2-mercaptoethylamides with ADH. Despite their differences in the main-chain structure, we found that Xaa-rac-C can form coacervates with properties similar to those seen with Xaa-CH. These results suggest that the incorporation of side-chain amino acids onto polypeptides may be a way to generally favor coacervation. The incorporation of l-methionine in Met-rac-C allowed the preparation of coacervates with improved stability against high ionic strength media. Further, the presence of additional thioether groups in Met-rac-C resulted in an increased solubility change upon oxidation allowing facile reversible redox switching of coacervate formation in aqueous media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey
A. Morrison
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Ethan P. Chan
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Thatcher Lee
- Department
of Chemistry, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts 01063, United States
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Timothy J. Deming
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California,
Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
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5
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Solra M, Kapila R, Das S, Bhatt P, Rana S. Transient Metallo-Lipidoid Assemblies Amplify Covalent Catalysis of Aqueous and Non-Aqueous Reactions. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202400348. [PMID: 38315883 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202400348] [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: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Dissipative supramolecular assemblies are hallmarks of living systems, contributing to their complex, dynamic structures and emerging functions. Living cells can spatiotemporally control diverse biochemical reactions in membrane compartments and condensates, regulating metabolite levels, signal transduction or remodeling of the cytoskeleton. Herein, we constructed membranous compartments using self-assembly of lipid-like amphiphiles (lipidoid) in aqueous medium. The new double-tailed lipidoid features Cu(II) coordinated with a tetravalent chelator that dictates the binding of two amphiphilic ligands in cis-orientation. Hydrophobic interactions between the lipidoids coupled with intermolecular hydrogen bonding led to a well-defined bilayer vesicle structure. Oil-soluble SNAr reaction is efficiently upregulated in the hydrophobic cavity, acting as a catalytic crucible. The modular system allows easy incorporation of exposed primary amine groups, which augments the catalysis of retro aldol and C-N bond formation reactions. Moreover, a higher-affinity chelator enables consumption of the Cu(II) template leveraging the differential thermodynamic stability, which allows a controllable lifetime of the vesicular assemblies. Concomitant temporal upregulation of the catalytic reactions could be tuned by the metal ion concentration. This work offers new possibilities for metal ion-mediated dynamic supramolecular systems, opening up a massive repertoire of functionally active dynamic "life-like" materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manju Solra
- Materials Research Centre, Division of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, C. V. Raman Road, Bangalore, 560012, India
| | - Rohit Kapila
- Materials Research Centre, Division of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, C. V. Raman Road, Bangalore, 560012, India
| | - Sourav Das
- Materials Research Centre, Division of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, C. V. Raman Road, Bangalore, 560012, India
| | - Preeti Bhatt
- Materials Research Centre, Division of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, C. V. Raman Road, Bangalore, 560012, India
| | - Subinoy Rana
- Materials Research Centre, Division of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, C. V. Raman Road, Bangalore, 560012, India
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6
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Green CM, Sementa D, Mathur D, Melinger JS, Deshpande P, Elbaum-Garfinkle S, Medintz IL, Ulijn RV, Díaz SA. Sequestration within peptide coacervates improves the fluorescence intensity, kinetics, and limits of detection of dye-based DNA biosensors. Commun Chem 2024; 7:49. [PMID: 38424154 PMCID: PMC10904739 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-024-01124-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Peptide-based liquid-liquid phase separated domains, or coacervates, are a biomaterial gaining new interest due to their exciting potential in fields ranging from biosensing to drug delivery. In this study, we demonstrate that coacervates provide a simple and biocompatible medium to improve nucleic acid biosensors through the sequestration of both the biosensor and target strands within the coacervate, thereby increasing their local concentration. Using the well-established polyarginine (R9) - ATP coacervate system and an energy transfer-based DNA molecular beacon we observed three key improvements: i) a greater than 20-fold reduction of the limit of detection within coacervates when compared to control buffer solutions; ii) an increase in the kinetics, equilibrium was reached more than 4-times faster in coacervates; and iii) enhancement in the dye fluorescent quantum yields within the coacervates, resulting in greater signal-to-noise. The observed benefits translate into coacervates greatly improving bioassay functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M Green
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering Code 6900, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, 20375, USA
| | - Deborah Sementa
- Nanoscience Initiative at Advanced Science Research Center, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY, 10031, USA
| | - Divita Mathur
- Department of Chemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Joseph S Melinger
- Electronics Sciences and Technology Division Code 6816, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, 20375, USA
| | - Priyasha Deshpande
- Structural Biology Initiative at Advanced Science Research Center, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY, 10031, USA
| | - Shana Elbaum-Garfinkle
- Structural Biology Initiative at Advanced Science Research Center, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY, 10031, USA
- Ph.D. Programs in Biochemistry and Chemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Igor L Medintz
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering Code 6900, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, 20375, USA
| | - Rein V Ulijn
- Nanoscience Initiative at Advanced Science Research Center, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY, 10031, USA
- Ph.D. Programs in Biochemistry and Chemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Department of Chemistry Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Sebastián A Díaz
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering Code 6900, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, 20375, USA.
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7
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Wang J, Abbas M, Wang J, Spruijt E. Selective amide bond formation in redox-active coacervate protocells. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8492. [PMID: 38129391 PMCID: PMC10739716 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44284-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: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Coacervate droplets are promising protocell models because they sequester a wide range of guest molecules and may catalyze their conversion. However, it remains unclear how life's building blocks, including peptides, could be synthesized from primitive precursor molecules inside such protocells. Here, we develop a redox-active protocell model formed by phase separation of prebiotically relevant ferricyanide (Fe(CN)63-) molecules and cationic peptides. Their assembly into coacervates can be regulated by redox chemistry and the coacervates act as oxidizing hubs for sequestered metabolites, like NAD(P)H and gluthathione. Interestingly, the oxidizing potential of Fe(CN)63- inside coacervates can be harnessed to drive the formation of new amide bonds between prebiotically relevant amino acids and α-amidothioacids. Aminoacylation is enhanced in Fe(CN)63-/peptide coacervates and selective for amino acids that interact less strongly with the coacervates. We finally use Fe(CN)63--containing coacervates to spatially control assembly of fibrous networks inside and at the surface of coacervate protocells. These results provide an important step towards the prebiotically relevant integration of redox chemistry in primitive cell-like compartments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahua Wang
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Department of Radiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Manzar Abbas
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Junyou Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China.
| | - Evan Spruijt
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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8
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Nobeyama T, Furuki T, Shiraki K. Phase-Diagram Observation of Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation in the Poly(l-lysine)/ATP System and a Proposal for Diagram-Based Application Strategy. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:17043-17049. [PMID: 37967197 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c01640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is essential to understanding the biomacromolecule compartmentalization in living cells and to developing soft-matter structures for chemical reactions and drug delivery systems. However, the importance of detailed experimental phase diagrams of modern LLPS systems tends to be overlooked in recent times. Even for the poly(l-lysine) (PLL)/ATP system, which is one of the most widely used LLPS models, any detailed phase diagram of LLPS has not been reported. Herein, we report the first phase diagram of the PLL/ATP system and demonstrate the feasibility of phase-diagram-based research design for understanding the physical properties of LLPS systems and realizing biophysical and medical applications. We established an experimentally handy model for the droplet formation-disappearance process by generating a concentration gradient in a chamber for extracting a suitable condition on the phase diagram, including the two-phase droplet region. As a proof of concept of pharmaceutical application, we added a human immunoglobulin G (IgG) solution to the PLL/ATP system. Using the knowledge from the phase diagram, we realized the formation of IgG/PLL droplets in a pharmaceutically required IgG concentration of ca. 10 mg/mL. Thus, this study provides guidance for using the phase diagram to analyze and utilize LLPS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomohiro Nobeyama
- Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8573, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Furuki
- Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8573, Japan
| | - Kentaro Shiraki
- Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8573, Japan
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9
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Lin Z, Beneyton T, Baret JC, Martin N. Coacervate Droplets for Synthetic Cells. SMALL METHODS 2023; 7:e2300496. [PMID: 37462244 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202300496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
The design and construction of synthetic cells - human-made microcompartments that mimic features of living cells - have experienced a real boom in the past decade. While many efforts have been geared toward assembling membrane-bounded compartments, coacervate droplets produced by liquid-liquid phase separation have emerged as an alternative membrane-free compartmentalization paradigm. Here, the dual role of coacervate droplets in synthetic cell research is discussed: encapsulated within membrane-enclosed compartments, coacervates act as surrogates of membraneless organelles ubiquitously found in living cells; alternatively, they can be viewed as crowded cytosol-like chassis for constructing integrated synthetic cells. After introducing key concepts of coacervation and illustrating the chemical diversity of coacervate systems, their physicochemical properties and resulting bioinspired functions are emphasized. Moving from suspensions of free floating coacervates, the two nascent roles of these droplets in synthetic cell research are highlighted: organelle-like modules and cytosol-like templates. Building the discussion on recent studies from the literature, the potential of coacervate droplets to assemble integrated synthetic cells capable of multiple life-inspired functions is showcased. Future challenges that are still to be tackled in the field are finally discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi Lin
- Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal, UMR5031, 115 avenue du Dr. Schweitzer, 33600, Pessac, France
| | - Thomas Beneyton
- Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal, UMR5031, 115 avenue du Dr. Schweitzer, 33600, Pessac, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Baret
- Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal, UMR5031, 115 avenue du Dr. Schweitzer, 33600, Pessac, France
| | - Nicolas Martin
- Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal, UMR5031, 115 avenue du Dr. Schweitzer, 33600, Pessac, France
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10
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Liu X, Mokarizadeh AH, Narayanan A, Mane P, Pandit A, Tseng YM, Tsige M, Joy A. Multiphasic Coacervates Assembled by Hydrogen Bonding and Hydrophobic Interactions. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:23109-23120. [PMID: 37820374 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c06675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Coacervation has emerged as a prevalent mechanism to compartmentalize biomolecules in living cells. Synthetic coacervates help in understanding the assembly process and mimic the functions of biological coacervates as simplified artificial systems. Though the molecular mechanism and mesoscopic properties of coacervates formed from charged coacervates have been well investigated, the details of the assembly and stabilization of nonionic coacervates remain largely unknown. Here, we describe a library of coacervate-forming polyesteramides and show that the water-tertiary amide bridging hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions stabilize these nonionic, single-component coacervates. Analogous to intracellular biological coacervates, these coacervates exhibit "liquid-like" features with low viscosity and low interfacial energy, and form coacervates with as few as five repeating units. By controlling the temperature and engineering the molar ratio between hydrophobic interaction sites and bridging hydrogen bonding sites, we demonstrate the tuneability of the viscosity and interfacial tension of polyesteramide-based coacervates. Taking advantage of the differences in the mesoscopic properties of these nonionic coacervates, we engineered multiphasic coacervates with core-shell architectures similar to those of intracellular biological coacervates, such as nucleoli and stress granule-p-body complexes. The multiphasic structures produced from these synthetic nonionic polyesteramide coacervates may serve as a valuable tool for investigating physicochemical principles deployed by living cells to spatiotemporally control cargo partitioning, biochemical reaction rates, and interorganellar signal transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinhao Liu
- School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Abdol Hadi Mokarizadeh
- School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Amal Narayanan
- School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Prathamesh Mane
- School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Avanti Pandit
- School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Yen-Ming Tseng
- School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Mesfin Tsige
- School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Abraham Joy
- School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
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11
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Meyer MO, Yamagami R, Choi S, Keating CD, Bevilacqua PC. RNA folding studies inside peptide-rich droplets reveal roles of modified nucleosides at the origin of life. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadh5152. [PMID: 37729412 PMCID: PMC10511188 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh5152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Compartmentalization of RNA in biopolymer-rich membraneless organelles is now understood to be pervasive and critical for the function of extant biology and has been proposed as a prebiotically plausible way to accumulate RNA. However, compartment-RNA interactions that drive encapsulation have the potential to influence RNA structure and function in compartment- and RNA sequence-dependent ways. Here, we detail next-generation sequencing (NGS) experiments performed in membraneless compartments called complex coacervates to characterize the fold of many different transfer RNAs (tRNAs) simultaneously under the potentially denaturing conditions of these compartments. Notably, we find that natural modifications favor the native fold of tRNAs in these compartments. This suggests that covalent RNA modifications could have played a critical role in metabolic processes at the origin of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- McCauley O. Meyer
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Center for RNA Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Ryota Yamagami
- Center for RNA Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Saehyun Choi
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Christine D. Keating
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Philip C. Bevilacqua
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Center for RNA Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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12
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Lu T, Hu X, van Haren MHI, Spruijt E, Huck WTS. Structure-Property Relationships Governing Membrane-Penetrating Behaviour of Complex Coacervates. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2303138. [PMID: 37218010 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202303138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Complex coacervates are phase-separated liquid droplets composed of oppositely charged multivalent molecules. The unique material properties of the complex coacervate interior favours the sequestration of biomolecules and facilitates reactions. Recently, it is shown that coacervates can be used for direct cytosolic delivery of sequestered biomolecules in living cells. Here, it is studied that the physical properties required for complex coacervates composed of oligo-arginine and RNA to cross phospholipid bilayers and enter liposomes penetration depends on two main parameters: the difference in ζ-potential between the complex coacervates and the liposomes, and the partitioning coefficient (Kp ) of lipids into the complex coacervates. Following these guidelines, a range of complex coacervates is found that is able to penetrate the membrane of living cells, thus paving the way for further development of coacervates as delivery vehicles of therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiemei Lu
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, the Netherlands
| | - Xinyu Hu
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, the Netherlands
| | - Merlijn H I van Haren
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, the Netherlands
| | - Evan Spruijt
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, the Netherlands
| | - Wilhelm T S Huck
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, the Netherlands
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13
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Le Vay KK, Salibi E, Ghosh B, Tang TYD, Mutschler H. Ribozyme activity modulates the physical properties of RNA-peptide coacervates. eLife 2023; 12:e83543. [PMID: 37326308 DOI: 10.7554/elife.83543] [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: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Condensed coacervate phases are now understood to be important features of modern cell biology, as well as valuable protocellular models in origin-of-life studies and synthetic biology. In each of these fields, the development of model systems with varied and tuneable material properties is of great importance for replicating properties of life. Here, we develop a ligase ribozyme system capable of concatenating short RNA fragments into long chains. Our results show that the formation of coacervate microdroplets with the ligase ribozyme and poly(L-lysine) enhances ribozyme rate and yield, which in turn increases the length of the anionic polymer component of the system and imparts specific physical properties to the droplets. Droplets containing active ribozyme sequences resist growth, do not wet or spread on unpassivated surfaces, and exhibit reduced transfer of RNA between droplets when compared to controls containing inactive sequences. These altered behaviours, which stem from RNA sequence and catalytic activity, constitute a specific phenotype and potential fitness advantage, opening the door to selection and evolution experiments based on a genotype-phenotype linkage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristian Kyle Le Vay
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Elia Salibi
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Basusree Ghosh
- Max-Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - T Y Dora Tang
- Max-Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Hannes Mutschler
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Dortmund, Germany
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14
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Hu Z, Zhang R, Xu S, Wang J, Li X, Hu J, Reheman A. Construction of nano-drug delivery and antitumor system of stimuli-responsive polypeptides. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2023; 226:113310. [PMID: 37054465 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2023.113310] [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: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
The size of the nanoparticles is moderate and the dispersion is well, which will not be recognized nonspecifically and clearance by the endothelial reticular system. In this study, stimuli-responsive polypeptides nano-delivery system has been constructed, which can realize the response to various stimuli in the tumor microenvironment. Tertiary amine groups are grafted to the side chain of polypeptides as the point of charge reversal and particle expansion. In addition, a new kind of liquid crystal monomer was prepared by substituting cholesterol-cysteamine, which can promote polymers to realize the transformation of spatial conformation by adjusting the ordered arrangement of macromolecules. The introduction of hydrophobic elements greatly enhanced the self-assembly performance of polypeptides, which could effectively improve the drug loading and encapsulation rate of nanoparticles. Nanoparticles could achieve targeted aggregation in tumor tissues, and there were no toxicity and side effects on normal bodies during treatment, with good safety in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuang Hu
- Center for Molecular Science and Engineering, College of Science, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, PR China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Center for Molecular Science and Engineering, College of Science, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, PR China
| | - Shiying Xu
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Toxicant and Drug Toxicology, Medical College, Ningde Normal University, Ningde, Fujian 352100, PR China
| | - Jiwei Wang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Toxicant and Drug Toxicology, Medical College, Ningde Normal University, Ningde, Fujian 352100, PR China; Fujian Province University Engineering Research Center of Mindong She Medicine, Medical College, Ningde Normal University, Ningde, Fujian 352100, PR China
| | - Xianjun Li
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Toxicant and Drug Toxicology, Medical College, Ningde Normal University, Ningde, Fujian 352100, PR China; Fujian Province University Engineering Research Center of Mindong She Medicine, Medical College, Ningde Normal University, Ningde, Fujian 352100, PR China.
| | - Jianshe Hu
- Center for Molecular Science and Engineering, College of Science, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, PR China.
| | - Aikebaier Reheman
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Toxicant and Drug Toxicology, Medical College, Ningde Normal University, Ningde, Fujian 352100, PR China; Fujian Province University Engineering Research Center of Mindong She Medicine, Medical College, Ningde Normal University, Ningde, Fujian 352100, PR China
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15
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Herrera SE, Agazzi ML, Apuzzo E, Cortez ML, Marmisollé WA, Tagliazucchi M, Azzaroni O. Polyelectrolyte-multivalent molecule complexes: physicochemical properties and applications. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:2013-2041. [PMID: 36811333 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm01507b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The complexation of polyelectrolytes with other oppositely charged structures gives rise to a great variety of functional materials with potential applications in a wide spectrum of technological fields. Depending on the assembly conditions, polyelectrolyte complexes can acquire different macroscopic configurations such as dense precipitates, nanosized colloids and liquid coacervates. In the past 50 years, much progress has been achieved to understand the principles behind the phase separation induced by the interaction of two oppositely charged polyelectrolytes in aqueous solutions, especially for symmetric systems (systems in which both polyions have similar molecular weight and concentration). However, in recent years, the complexation of polyelectrolytes with alternative building blocks such as small charged molecules (multivalent inorganic species, oligopeptides, and oligoamines, among others) has gained attention in different areas. In this review, we discuss the physicochemical characteristics of the complexes formed by polyelectrolytes and multivalent small molecules, putting a special emphasis on their similarities with the well-known polycation-polyanion complexes. In addition, we analyze the potential of these complexes to act as versatile functional platforms in various technological fields, such as biomedicine and advanced materials engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago E Herrera
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Analítica y Química Física, INQUIMAE, CONICET. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón 2, Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina.
| | - Maximiliano L Agazzi
- Instituto para el Desarrollo Agroindustrial y de la Salud (IDAS), (UNRC, CONICET), Ruta Nacional 36 KM 601, 5800 Río Cuarto, Argentina.
| | - Eugenia Apuzzo
- Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas (INIFTA), (UNLP, CONICET), Sucursal 4, Casilla de Correo 16, 1900 La Plata, Argentina.
| | - M Lorena Cortez
- Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas (INIFTA), (UNLP, CONICET), Sucursal 4, Casilla de Correo 16, 1900 La Plata, Argentina.
| | - Waldemar A Marmisollé
- Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas (INIFTA), (UNLP, CONICET), Sucursal 4, Casilla de Correo 16, 1900 La Plata, Argentina.
| | - Mario Tagliazucchi
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Analítica y Química Física, INQUIMAE, CONICET. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón 2, Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina.
| | - Omar Azzaroni
- Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas (INIFTA), (UNLP, CONICET), Sucursal 4, Casilla de Correo 16, 1900 La Plata, Argentina.
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16
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Chen M, Liu G, Zhang M, Li Y, Hong X, Yang H. Programmatically Dynamic Microcompartmentation in Coacervate-in-Pickering Emulsion Protocell. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2206437. [PMID: 36564366 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202206437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The desire for exploration of cellular functional mechanisms has substantially increased the rapid development of artificial cells. However, the construction of synthetic cells with high organizational complexity remains challenging due to the lack of facile approaches ensuring dynamic multi-compartments of cytoplasm and stability of membranes in protocells. Herein, a stable coacervate-in-Pickering emulsion protocell model comprising a membraneless coacervate phase formed by poly-l-lysine (PLys) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) encapsulated in Pickering emulsion is put forward only through simple one-step emulsification. The dynamic distribution of intracellular components (coacervates in this protocell model) can be manipulated by changes in temperature or pH. This coacervate-in-Pickering emulsion protocell system exhibits repeatable cycle stability in response to external stimuli (at least 24 cycles for temperature and 3 cycles for pH). By encapsulating antagonistic enzymes into coacervates, glucose oxidase (GOx) and urease as an example, the control of local enzyme concentration is achieved by introducing glucose and urea to adjust the pH value in Pickering emulsion droplets. This hybrid protocell model with programmatically dynamic microcompartmentation and sufficient stability is expected to be further studied and applied in cellular biology, facilitating the development of lifelike systems with potential in practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengqing Chen
- College of Chemistry and Molecule Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Guoliang Liu
- College of Chemistry and Molecule Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Ming Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, China
| | - Yanyan Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, China
| | - Xinlin Hong
- College of Chemistry and Molecule Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Hengquan Yang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, China
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17
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Meyer MO, Yamagami R, Choi S, Keating CD, Bevilacqua PC. RNA folding studies inside peptide-rich droplets reveal roles of modified nucleosides at the origin of life. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.27.530264. [PMID: 36909509 PMCID: PMC10002651 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.27.530264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
Compartmentalization of RNA in biopolymer-rich membraneless organelles is now understood to be pervasive and critical for the function of extant biology and has been proposed as a prebiotically-plausible way to accumulate RNA. However, compartment-RNA interactions that drive encapsulation have the potential to influence RNA structure and function in compartment- and RNA sequence-dependent ways. Herein, we detail Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) experiments performed for the first time in membraneless compartments called complex coacervates to characterize the fold of many different transfer RNAs (tRNAs) simultaneously under the potentially denaturing conditions of these compartments. Strikingly, we find that natural modifications favor the native fold of tRNAs in these compartments. This suggests that covalent RNA modifications could have played a critical role in metabolic processes at the origin of life. One Sentence Summary We demonstrate that RNA folds into native secondary and tertiary structures in protocell models and that this is favored by covalent modifications, which is critical for the origins of life.
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18
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Ma L, Fang X, Wang C. Peptide-based coacervates in therapeutic applications. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 10:1100365. [PMID: 36686257 PMCID: PMC9845597 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.1100365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Coacervates are droplets formed by liquid‒liquid phase separation. An increasing number of studies have reported that coacervates play an important role in living cells, such as in the generation of membraneless organelles, and peptides contribute to condensate droplet formation. Peptides with versatile functional groups and special secondary structures, including α-helices, β-sheets and intrinsically disordered regions, provide novel insights into coacervation, such as biomimetic protocells, neurodegenerative diseases, modulations of signal transmission, and drug delivery systems. In this review, we introduce different types of peptide-based coacervates and the principles of their interactions. Additionally, we summarize the thermodynamic and kinetic mechanisms of peptide-based coacervates and the associated factors, including salt, pH, and temperature, affecting the phase separation process. We illustrate recent studies on modulating the functions of peptide-based coacervates applied in biological diseases. Finally, we propose their promising broad applications and describe the challenges of peptide-based coacervates in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilusi Ma
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaocui Fang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Xiaocui Fang, ; Chen Wang,
| | - Chen Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Xiaocui Fang, ; Chen Wang,
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19
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Paganini C, Capasso Palmiero U, Picciotto S, Molinelli A, Porello I, Adamo G, Manno M, Bongiovanni A, Arosio P. High-Yield Separation of Extracellular Vesicles Using Programmable Zwitterionic Coacervates. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2204736. [PMID: 36367966 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202204736] [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: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Programmable coacervates based on zwitterionic polymers are designed as dynamic materials for ion exchange bioseparation. These coacervates are proposed as promising materials for the purification of soft nanoparticles such as liposomes and extracellular vesicles (EVs). It is shown that the stimulus-responsiveness of the coacervates and the recruitment of desired molecules can be independently programmed by polymer design. Moreover, the polymeric coacervates can recruit and release intact liposomes, human EVs, and nanoalgosomes in high yields and separate vesicles from different types of impurities, including proteins and nucleic acids. This approach combines the speed and simplicity of precipitation methods and the programmability of chromatography with the gentleness of aqueous two-phase separation, thereby guaranteeing product stability. This material represents a promising alternative for providing a low-shear, gentle, and selective purification method for EVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Paganini
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, Zürich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Umberto Capasso Palmiero
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, Zürich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Sabrina Picciotto
- Institute for Research and Biomedical Innovation, National Research Council of Italy, Via Ugo la Malfa 153, Palermo, 90146, Italy
- Department of Biological Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Palermo, Palermo, 90146, Italy
| | - Alessandro Molinelli
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, Zürich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Ilaria Porello
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, Zürich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Giorgia Adamo
- Institute for Research and Biomedical Innovation, National Research Council of Italy, Via Ugo la Malfa 153, Palermo, 90146, Italy
| | - Mauro Manno
- Institute of Biophysics, National Research Council of Italy, Via Ugo la Malfa 153, Palermo, 90146, Italy
| | - Antonella Bongiovanni
- Institute for Research and Biomedical Innovation, National Research Council of Italy, Via Ugo la Malfa 153, Palermo, 90146, Italy
| | - Paolo Arosio
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, Zürich, 8093, Switzerland
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20
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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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21
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Saha A, Yi R, Fahrenbach AC, Wang A, Jia TZ. A Physicochemical Consideration of Prebiotic Microenvironments for Self-Assembly and Prebiotic Chemistry. LIFE (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:life12101595. [PMID: 36295030 PMCID: PMC9604842 DOI: 10.3390/life12101595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The origin of life on Earth required myriads of chemical and physical processes. These include the formation of the planet and its geological structures, the formation of the first primitive chemicals, reaction, and assembly of these primitive chemicals to form more complex or functional products and assemblies, and finally the formation of the first cells (or protocells) on early Earth, which eventually evolved into modern cells. Each of these processes presumably occurred within specific prebiotic reaction environments, which could have been diverse in physical and chemical properties. While there are resources that describe prebiotically plausible environments or nutrient availability, here, we attempt to aggregate the literature for the various physicochemical properties of different prebiotic reaction microenvironments on early Earth. We introduce a handful of properties that can be quantified through physical or chemical techniques. The values for these physicochemical properties, if they are known, are then presented for each reaction environment, giving the reader a sense of the environmental variability of such properties. Such a resource may be useful for prebiotic chemists to understand the range of conditions in each reaction environment, or to select the medium most applicable for their targeted reaction of interest for exploratory studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arpita Saha
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, 600 1st Ave, Floor 1, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
- Amity Institute of Applied Sciences, Amity University, Kolkata 700135, India
| | - Ruiqin Yi
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-IE-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Albert C. Fahrenbach
- School of Chemistry, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for Astrobiology, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- UNSW RNA Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Anna Wang
- School of Chemistry, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for Astrobiology, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- UNSW RNA Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Correspondence: (A.W.); (T.Z.J.)
| | - Tony Z. Jia
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, 600 1st Ave, Floor 1, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-IE-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
- Correspondence: (A.W.); (T.Z.J.)
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22
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Slootbeek AD, van Haren MHI, Smokers IBA, Spruijt E. Growth, replication and division enable evolution of coacervate protocells. Chem Commun (Camb) 2022; 58:11183-11200. [PMID: 36128910 PMCID: PMC9536485 DOI: 10.1039/d2cc03541c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Living and proliferating cells undergo repeated cycles of growth, replication and division, all orchestrated by complex molecular networks. How a minimal cell cycle emerged and helped primitive cells to evolve remains one of the biggest mysteries in modern science, and is an active area of research in chemistry. Protocells are cell-like compartments that recapitulate features of living cells and may be seen as the chemical ancestors of modern life. While compartmentalization is not strictly required for primitive, open-ended evolution of self-replicating systems, it gives such systems a clear identity by setting the boundaries and it can help them overcome three major obstacles of dilution, parasitism and compatibility. Compartmentalization is therefore widely considered to be a central hallmark of primitive life, and various types of protocells are actively investigated, with the ultimate goal of developing a protocell capable of autonomous proliferation by mimicking the well-known cell cycle of growth, replication and division. We and others have found that coacervates are promising protocell candidates in which chemical building blocks required for life are naturally concentrated, and chemical reactions can be selectively enhanced or suppressed. This feature article provides an overview of how growth, replication and division can be realized with coacervates as protocells and what the bottlenecks are. Considerations are given for designing chemical networks in coacervates that can lead to sustained growth, selective replication and controlled division, in a way that they are linked together like in the cell cycle. Ultimately, such a system may undergo evolution by natural selection of certain phenotypes, leading to adaptation and the gain of new functions, and we end with a brief discussion of the opportunities for coacervates to facilitate this.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annemiek D Slootbeek
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Merlijn H I van Haren
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Iris B A Smokers
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Evan Spruijt
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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23
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Prata AS, Nascimento RF, Grosso CR. Designing polymeric interactions towards smart particles. Curr Opin Food Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cofs.2022.100867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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24
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Smokers IBA, van Haren MHI, Lu T, Spruijt E. Complex coacervation and compartmentalized conversion of prebiotically relevant metabolites. CHEMSYSTEMSCHEM 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/syst.202200004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Iris B. A. Smokers
- Radboud University Nijmegen: Radboud Universiteit Institute for Molecules and Materials NETHERLANDS
| | | | - Tiemei Lu
- Radboud University Nijmegen: Radboud Universiteit Institute for Molecules and Materials NETHERLANDS
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25
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Pullara P, Alshareedah I, Banerjee PR. Temperature-dependent reentrant phase transition of RNA-polycation mixtures. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:1342-1349. [PMID: 34984429 PMCID: PMC8854377 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm01557e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of multivalent biopolymers is a ubiquitous process in biological systems and is of importance in bio-mimetic soft matter design. The phase behavior of biomolecules, such as proteins and nucleic acids, is typically encoded by the primary chain sequence and regulated by solvent properties. One of the most important physical modulators of LLPS is temperature. Solutions of proteins and/or nucleic acids have been shown to undergo liquid-liquid phase separation either upon cooling (with an upper critical solution temperature, UCST) or upon heating (with a lower critical solution temperature, LCST). However, many theoretical frameworks suggest the possibility of more complex temperature-dependent phase behaviors, such as an hourglass or a closed-loop phase diagram with concurrent UCST and LCST transitions. Here, we report that RNA-polyamine mixtures undergo a reentrant phase separation with temperature. Specifically, at low temperatures, RNA-polyamine mixtures form a homogenous phase. Increasing the temperature leads to the formation of RNA-polyamine condensates. A further increase in temperature leads to the dissolution of condensates, rendering a reentrant homogenous phase. This dual-response phase separation of RNA is not unique to polyamines but also observed with short cationic peptides. The immiscibility gap is controlled by the charge of the polycation, salt concentration, and mixture composition. Based on the existing theories of complex coacervation, our results point to a complex interplay between desolvation entropy, ion-pairing, and electrostatic interactions in dictating the closed-loop phase behavior of RNA-polycation mixtures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Pullara
- Department of Physics, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA.
| | | | - Priya R Banerjee
- Department of Physics, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA.
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26
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Ghasemi M, Larson RG. Future Directions in Physiochemical Modeling of the Thermodynamics of Polyelectrolyte Coacervates (
PECs
). AIChE J 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/aic.17646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Ghasemi
- Department of Chemical Engineering University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan USA
| | - Ronald G. Larson
- Department of Chemical Engineering University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan USA
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27
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Fraccia TP, Zanchetta G. Liquid–liquid crystalline phase separation in biomolecular solutions. Curr Opin Colloid Interface Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cocis.2021.101500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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28
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Keating CD, Pappu RV. Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation: A Widespread and Versatile Way to Organize Aqueous Solutions. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:12399-12400. [PMID: 34788996 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c08831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christine D Keating
- Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, 104 Chemistry Building, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Rohit V Pappu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Center for Biolgical Systems Engineering Campus, Washington University in Saint Louis, Box 1097, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
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29
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Keating CD, Pappu RV. Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation: A Widespread and Versatile Way to Organize Aqueous Solutions. J Phys Chem Lett 2021; 12:10994-10995. [PMID: 34788997 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c03352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Christine D Keating
- Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, 104 Chemistry Building, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Rohit V Pappu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Center for Biolgical Systems Engineering Campus, Washington University in Saint Louis, Box 1097, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
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30
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Scott WA, Gharakhanian EG, Bell AG, Evans D, Barun E, Houk KN, Deming TJ. Active Controlled and Tunable Coacervation Using Side-Chain Functional α-Helical Homopolypeptides. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:18196-18203. [PMID: 34669392 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c07925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
We report the development of new side-chain amino acid-functionalized α-helical homopolypeptides that reversibly form coacervate phases in aqueous media. The designed multifunctional nature of the side-chains was found to provide a means to actively control coacervation via mild, biomimetic redox chemistry as well as allow response to physiologically relevant environmental changes in pH, temperature, and counterions. These homopolypeptides were found to possess properties that mimic many of those observed in natural coacervate forming intrinsically disordered proteins. Despite ordered α-helical conformations that are thought to disfavor coacervation, molecular dynamics simulations of a polypeptide model revealed a high degree of side-chain conformational disorder and hydration around the ordered backbone, which may explain the ability of these polypeptides to form coacervates. Overall, the modular design, uniform nature, and ordered chain conformations of these polypeptides were found to provide a well-defined platform for deconvolution of molecular elements that influence biopolymer coacervation and tuning of coacervate properties for downstream applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendell A Scott
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Eric G Gharakhanian
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Alexandra G Bell
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Declan Evans
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Ehab Barun
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - K N Houk
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Timothy J Deming
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States.,Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States.,California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
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