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Yin Y, Griffo A, Gutiérrez Cruz A, Hähl H, Jacobs K, Linder MB. Effect of Phosphate on the Molecular Properties, Interactions, and Assembly of Engineered Spider Silk Proteins. Biomacromolecules 2024; 25:3990-4000. [PMID: 38916967 PMCID: PMC11238326 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.4c00115] [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: 01/28/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Phosphate plays a vital role in spider silk spinning and has been utilized in numerous artificial silk spinning attempts to replicate the remarkable mechanical properties of natural silk fiber. Its application in artificial processes has, however, yielded varying outcomes. It is thus necessary to investigate the origins and mechanisms behind these differences. By using recombinant silk protein SC-ADF3 derived from the garden spider Araneus diadematus, here, we describe its conformational changes under various conditions, elucidating the effect of phosphate on SC-ADF3 silk protein properties and interactions. Our results demonstrate that elevated phosphate levels induce the irreversible conformational conversion of SC-ADF3 from random coils to β-sheet structures, leading to decreased protein solubility over time. Furthermore, exposure of SC-ADF3 to phosphate stiffens already formed structures and reduces the ability to form new interactions. Our findings offer insights into the underlying mechanism through which phosphate-induced β-sheet structures in ADF3-related silk proteins impede fiber formation in the subsequent phases. From a broader perspective, our studies emphasize the significance of silk protein conformation for functional material formation, highlighting that the formation of β-sheet structures at the initial stages of protein assembly will affect the outcome of material forming processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin Yin
- Department
of Bioproducts and Biosystems, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, Kemistintie 1, 02150 Espoo, Finland
- Finnish
Centre of Excellence in Life-Inspired Hybrid Materials (LIBER), Aalto University, Kemistintie 1, 02150 Espoo, Finland
| | - Alessandra Griffo
- Biophysical
Engineering Group, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department
of Experimental Physics and Center for Biophysics, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Adrián Gutiérrez Cruz
- Department
of Experimental Physics and Center for Biophysics, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Hendrik Hähl
- Department
of Experimental Physics and Center for Biophysics, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Karin Jacobs
- Department
of Experimental Physics and Center for Biophysics, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
- Max
Planck School “Matter to Life”, Jahnstraße 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Markus B. Linder
- Department
of Bioproducts and Biosystems, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, Kemistintie 1, 02150 Espoo, Finland
- Finnish
Centre of Excellence in Life-Inspired Hybrid Materials (LIBER), Aalto University, Kemistintie 1, 02150 Espoo, Finland
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2
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De Oliveira DH, Gowda V, Sparrman T, Gustafsson L, Sanches Pires R, Riekel C, Barth A, Lendel C, Hedhammar M. Structural conversion of the spidroin C-terminal domain during assembly of spider silk fibers. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4670. [PMID: 38821983 PMCID: PMC11143275 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49111-5] [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: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The major ampullate Spidroin 1 (MaSp1) is the main protein of the dragline spider silk. The C-terminal (CT) domain of MaSp1 is crucial for the self-assembly into fibers but the details of how it contributes to the fiber formation remain unsolved. Here we exploit the fact that the CT domain can form silk-like fibers by itself to gain knowledge about this transition. Structural investigations of fibers from recombinantly produced CT domain from E. australis MaSp1 reveal an α-helix to β-sheet transition upon fiber formation and highlight the helix No4 segment as most likely to initiate the structural conversion. This prediction is corroborated by the finding that a peptide corresponding to helix No4 has the ability of pH-induced conversion into β-sheets and self-assembly into nanofibrils. Our results provide structural information about the CT domain in fiber form and clues about its role in triggering the structural conversion of spidroins during fiber assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danilo Hirabae De Oliveira
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Chemistry, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Vasantha Gowda
- Department of Chemistry, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Linnea Gustafsson
- Spiber Technologies AB, Roslagstullsbacken 15, 114 21, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Christian Riekel
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, B.P. 220, F-38043, Grenoble Cedex, France
| | - Andreas Barth
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christofer Lendel
- Department of Chemistry, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - My Hedhammar
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, Stockholm, Sweden.
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3
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Ornithopoulou E, Åstrand C, Gustafsson L, Crouzier T, Hedhammar M. Self-Assembly of RGD-Functionalized Recombinant Spider Silk Protein into Microspheres in Physiological Buffer and in the Presence of Hyaluronic Acid. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2023; 6:3696-3705. [PMID: 37579070 PMCID: PMC10521021 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.3c00373] [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: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
Biomaterials made of self-assembling protein building blocks are widely explored for biomedical applications, for example, as drug carriers, tissue engineering scaffolds, and functionalized coatings. It has previously been shown that a recombinant spider silk protein functionalized with a cell binding motif from fibronectin, FN-4RepCT (FN-silk), self-assembles into fibrillar structures at interfaces, i.e., membranes, fibers, or foams at liquid/air interfaces, and fibrillar coatings at liquid/solid interfaces. Recently, we observed that FN-silk also assembles into microspheres in the bulk of a physiological buffer (PBS) solution. Herein, we investigate the self-assembly process of FN-silk into microspheres in the bulk and how its progression is affected by the presence of hyaluronic acid (HA), both in solution and in a cross-linked HA hydrogel. Moreover, we characterize the size, morphology, mesostructure, and protein secondary structure of the FN-silk microspheres prepared in PBS and HA. Finally, we examine how the FN-silk microspheres can be used to mediate cell adhesion and spreading of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) during cell culture. These investigations contribute to our fundamental understanding of the self-assembly of silk protein into materials and demonstrate the use of silk microspheres as additives for cell culture applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eirini Ornithopoulou
- Department
of Protein Science, School of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health
(CBH), KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carolina Åstrand
- Department
of Protein Science, School of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health
(CBH), KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
- Spiber
Technologies AB, Roslagstullsbacken
15, 114 21 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Linnea Gustafsson
- Spiber
Technologies AB, Roslagstullsbacken
15, 114 21 Stockholm, Sweden
- Division
of Micro and Nanosystems, School
of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Thomas Crouzier
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (CBH), KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - My Hedhammar
- Department
of Protein Science, School of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health
(CBH), KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
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4
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Collodet C, Blust K, Gkouma S, Ståhl E, Chen X, Hartman J, Hedhammar M. Development and characterization of a recombinant silk network for 3D culture of immortalized and fresh tumor-derived breast cancer cells. Bioeng Transl Med 2023; 8:e10537. [PMID: 37693069 PMCID: PMC10487315 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10537] [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: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditional cancer models rely on 2D cell cultures or 3D spheroids, which fail to recapitulate cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions, a key element of tumor development. Existing hydrogel-based 3D alternatives lack mechanical support for cell growth and often suffer from low reproducibility. Here we report a novel strategy to make 3D models of breast cancer using a tissue-like, well-defined network environment based on recombinant spider silk, functionalized with a cell adhesion motif from fibronectin (FN-silk). With this approach, the canonical cancer cells SK-BR-3, MCF-7, and MDA-MB-231, maintain their characteristic expression of markers (i.e., ERα, HER2, and PGR) while developing distinct morphology. Transcriptomic analyses demonstrate how culture in the FN-silk networks modulates the biological processes of cell adhesion and migration while affecting physiological events involved in malignancy, such as inflammation, remodeling of the ECM, and resistance to anticancer drugs. Finally, we show that integration in FN-silk networks promotes the viability of cells obtained from the superficial scraping of patients' breast tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Collodet
- Division of Protein TechnologySchool of Biotechnology, KTH Royal Institute of TechnologyStockholmSweden
| | - Kelly Blust
- Division of Protein TechnologySchool of Biotechnology, KTH Royal Institute of TechnologyStockholmSweden
| | - Savvini Gkouma
- Division of Protein TechnologySchool of Biotechnology, KTH Royal Institute of TechnologyStockholmSweden
| | - Emmy Ståhl
- Division of Protein TechnologySchool of Biotechnology, KTH Royal Institute of TechnologyStockholmSweden
| | - Xinsong Chen
- Department of Oncology‐PathologyKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - Johan Hartman
- Department of Oncology‐PathologyKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Cancer DiagnosticsKarolinska University HospitalStockholmSweden
| | - My Hedhammar
- Division of Protein TechnologySchool of Biotechnology, KTH Royal Institute of TechnologyStockholmSweden
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5
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Trossmann VT, Lentz S, Scheibel T. Factors Influencing Properties of Spider Silk Coatings and Their Interactions within a Biological Environment. J Funct Biomater 2023; 14:434. [PMID: 37623678 PMCID: PMC10455157 DOI: 10.3390/jfb14080434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Biomaterials are an indispensable part of biomedical research. However, although many materials display suitable application-specific properties, they provide only poor biocompatibility when implanted into a human/animal body leading to inflammation and rejection reactions. Coatings made of spider silk proteins are promising alternatives for various applications since they are biocompatible, non-toxic and anti-inflammatory. Nevertheless, the biological response toward a spider silk coating cannot be generalized. The properties of spider silk coatings are influenced by many factors, including silk source, solvent, the substrate to be coated, pre- and post-treatments and the processing technique. All these factors consequently affect the biological response of the environment and the putative application of the appropriate silk coating. Here, we summarize recently identified factors to be considered before spider silk processing as well as physicochemical characterization methods. Furthermore, we highlight important results of biological evaluations to emphasize the importance of adjustability and adaption to a specific application. Finally, we provide an experimental matrix of parameters to be considered for a specific application and a guided biological response as exemplarily tested with two different fibroblast cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa T. Trossmann
- Chair of Biomaterials, Faculty of Engineering Science, University of Bayreuth, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Straße 1, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany; (V.T.T.); (S.L.)
| | - Sarah Lentz
- Chair of Biomaterials, Faculty of Engineering Science, University of Bayreuth, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Straße 1, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany; (V.T.T.); (S.L.)
| | - Thomas Scheibel
- Chair of Biomaterials, Faculty of Engineering Science, University of Bayreuth, Prof.-Rüdiger-Bormann-Straße 1, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany; (V.T.T.); (S.L.)
- Bayreuth Center for Colloids and Interfaces (BZKG), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
- Bavarian Polymer Institute (BPI), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
- Bayreuth Center for Molecular Biosciences (BZMB), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
- Bayreuth Materials Center (BayMAT), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Würzburg, Pleicherwall 2, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
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6
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De Oliveira DH, Biler M, Mim C, Enstedt L, Kvick M, Norman P, Linares M, Hedhammar M. Silk Assembly against Hydrophobic Surfaces─Modeling and Imaging of Formation of Nanofibrils. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2023; 6:1011-1018. [PMID: 36791416 PMCID: PMC10031558 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.2c00878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
A detailed insight about the molecular organization behind spider silk assembly is valuable for the decoding of the unique properties of silk. The recombinant partial spider silk protein 4RepCT contains four poly-alanine/glycine-rich repeats followed by an amphiphilic C-terminal domain and has shown the capacity to self-assemble into fibrils on hydrophobic surfaces. We herein use molecular dynamic simulations to address the structure of 4RepCT and its different parts on hydrophobic versus hydrophilic surfaces. When 4RepCT is placed in a wing arrangement model and periodically repeated on a hydrophobic surface, β-sheet structures of the poly-alanine repeats are preserved, while the CT part is settled on top, presenting a fibril with a height of ∼7 nm and a width of ∼11 nm. Both atomic force microscopy and cryo-electron microscopy imaging support this model as a possible fibril formation on hydrophobic surfaces. These results contribute to the understanding of silk assembly and alignment mechanism onto hydrophobic surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danilo Hirabae De Oliveira
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Michal Biler
- Division of Theoretical Chemistry and Biology, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carsten Mim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems, Royal Technical Institute (KTH), Hälsovägen 11C, SE-141 27 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Linnea Enstedt
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Patrick Norman
- Division of Theoretical Chemistry and Biology, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mathieu Linares
- Laboratory of Organic Electronics and Scientific Visualization Group, ITN, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
| | - My Hedhammar
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
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7
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d'Amone L, Sahoo JK, Ostrovsky-Snider N, Kaplan DL, Omenetto FG. Boronic Acid-Tethered Silk Fibroin for pH-Dependent Mucoadhesion. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:1310-1317. [PMID: 36763594 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c01349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Mucus lines all surfaces of the human body not covered by skin and provides lubrication, hydration, and protection. The properties of mucus are influenced by changes in pH that may occur due to physiological conditions and pathological circumstances. Reinforcing the mucus barrier with biopolymers that can adhere to mucus in different conditions can be a useful strategy for protecting the underlying mucosae from damage. In this work, regenerated silk fibroin (silk) was chemically modified with phenyl boronic acid to form reversible covalent complexes with the 1,2- or 1,3-diols. The silk modified with boronic acid pendant groups has an increased affinity for mucins, whose carbohydrate component is rich in diols. These results offer new applications of silk in mucoadhesion, and the ability to bind diols to the silk lays the foundation for the development of silk-based sugar-sensing platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana d'Amone
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02153, United States
| | - Jugal Kishore Sahoo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02153, United States
| | | | - David L Kaplan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02153, United States
| | - Fiorenzo G Omenetto
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02153, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02153, United States
- Department of Physics, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02153, United States
- Laboratory for Living Devices, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02153, United States
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8
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General Methods to Produce and Assemble Recombinant Spider Silk Proteins. Methods Mol Biol 2021. [PMID: 34472055 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1574-4_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
Orb-weaving spiders are known to spin up to seven types of silks/glues from different silk glands. The inherent mechanical variety of these silks makes them attractive models for a variety of biomaterial design, from superglues to extremely strong and/or extendible fibers. Spider silk spinning is a process in which spinning dope stored in specific glands assembles into fibrils upon chemical and mechanical stimuli. The exploration of silk protein assembly into controllable filaments is vital for both uncovering biological functions and molecular structure relationship, as well as fabricating new biomaterials. This chapter describes the methods for biosynthesis and assembly of recombinant spider silk proteins, which will provide insights into the mechanism exploration of fiber formation and spider silk-based material manufacture.
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9
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de C Bittencourt DM, Oliveira PF, Souto BM, de Freitas SM, Silva LP, Murad AM, Michalczechen-Lacerda VA, Lewis RV, Rech EL. Molecular Dynamics of Synthetic Flagelliform Silk Fiber Assembly. MACROMOLECULAR MATERIALS AND ENGINEERING 2021; 306:2000530. [PMID: 34539237 PMCID: PMC8445496 DOI: 10.1002/mame.202000530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In order to better understand the relationship between Flagelliform (Flag) spider silk molecular structural organization and the mechanisms of fiber assembly, it was designed and produced the Nephilengys cruentata Flag spidroin analogue rNcFlag2222. The recombinant proteins are composed by the elastic repetitive glycine-rich motifs (GPGGX/GGX) and the spacer region, rich in hydrophilic charged amino acids, present at the native silk spidroin. Using different approaches for nanomolecular protein analysis, the structural data of rNcFlag2222 recombinant proteins were compared in its fibrillar and in its fully solvated states. Based on the results was possible to identify the molecular structural dynamics of NcFlag2222 prior to and after fiber formation. Overal rNcFlag2222 shows a mixture of semiflexible and rigid conformations, characterized mostly by the presence of PPII, β-turn and β-sheet. These results agree with previous studies and bring insights about the molecular mechanisms that might driven Flag silk fibers assembly and elastomeric behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela M de C Bittencourt
- Brazilian Agriculture Research Corporation - Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology CENARGEN, Parque Estação Biológica, PqEB, Av. W5 Norte (final), Brasília DF, 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Paula F Oliveira
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, 5305 Old Main Hill, Logan UT, 84322-5305, US
| | - Betulia M Souto
- Brazilian Agriculture Research Corporation - Embrapa Agroenergy, STN - Brasília, DF, 70297-400, Brazil
| | - Sonia M de Freitas
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of BiologicDral Sciences, University of Brasilia, Campos Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasilia, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Luciano P Silva
- Brazilian Agriculture Research Corporation - Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology CENARGEN, Parque Estação Biológica, PqEB, Av. W5 Norte (final), Brasília DF, 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Andre M Murad
- Brazilian Agriculture Research Corporation - Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology CENARGEN, Parque Estação Biológica, PqEB, Av. W5 Norte (final), Brasília DF, 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Valquiria A Michalczechen-Lacerda
- Brazilian Agriculture Research Corporation - Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology CENARGEN, Parque Estação Biológica, PqEB, Av. W5 Norte (final), Brasília DF, 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Randolph V Lewis
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, 5305 Old Main Hill, Logan UT, 84322-5305, US
| | - Elibio L Rech
- Brazilian Agriculture Research Corporation - Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology CENARGEN, Parque Estação Biológica, PqEB, Av. W5 Norte (final), Brasília DF, 70770-917, Brazil
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10
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Kvick M, Tasiopoulos CP, Barth A, Söderberg LD, Lundell F, Hedhammar M. Cyclic Expansion/Compression of the Air-Liquid Interface as a Simple Method to Produce Silk Fibers. Macromol Biosci 2020; 21:e2000227. [PMID: 33016002 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202000227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Self-assembly of recombinant spider silk protein at air-liquid interfaces is used as a starting point to produce homogeneous fiber bundles. The film that is formed on a silk protein solution in a vertically placed syringe is subjected to repeated controlled extension and compression by an oscillating vertical motion. Thereby, a precise breakup of the film can be achieved, followed by transport and roll-up against the syringe wall prior to extraction. Advantages of the method are that it 1) is simple to use; 2) requires a small volume of protein solution (1 mL) at relatively low concentration (1 mg mL-1 ); 3) can be performed under sterile conditions; 4) does not require any use of coagulants; and 5) is compatible with the addition of viable cells during the process, which thereby are integrated uniformly throughout the fiber.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christos P Tasiopoulos
- Institute of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, School of Biotechnology, Stockholm, SE-100 44, Sweden
| | - Andreas Barth
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden
| | - Lars Daniel Söderberg
- Linné FLOW Centre, KTH Mechanics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, SE-100 44, Sweden.,Wallenberg Wood Science Center, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, SE-100 44, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Lundell
- Linné FLOW Centre, KTH Mechanics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, SE-100 44, Sweden.,Wallenberg Wood Science Center, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, SE-100 44, Sweden
| | - My Hedhammar
- Institute of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, School of Biotechnology, Stockholm, SE-100 44, Sweden
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11
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Abstract
Spider web proteins are unique materials created by nature that, considering the combination of their properties, do not have analogues among natural or human-created materials. Obtaining significant amounts of these proteins from natural sources is not feasible. Biotechnological manufacturing in heterological systems is complicated by the very high molecular weight of spidroins and their specific amino acid composition. Obtaining recombinant analogues of spidroins in heterological systems, mainly in bacteria and yeast, has become a compromise solution. Because they can self-assemble, these proteins can form various materials, such as fibers, films, 3D-foams, hydrogels, tubes, and microcapsules. The effectiveness of spidroin hydrogels in deep wound healing, as 3D scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration and as oriented fibers for axon growth and nerve tissue regeneration, was demonstrated in animal models. The possibility to use spidroin micro- and nanoparticles for drug delivery was demonstrated, including the use of modified spidroins for virus-free DNA delivery into animal cell nuclei. In the past few years, significant interest has arisen concerning the use of these materials as biocompatible and biodegradable soft optics to construct photonic crystal super lenses and fiber optics and as soft electronics to use in triboelectric nanogenerators. This review summarizes the latest achievements in the field of spidroin production, the creation of materials based on them, the study of these materials as a scaffold for the growth, proliferation, and differentiation of various types of cells, and the prospects for using these materials for medical applications (e.g., tissue engineering, drug delivery, coating medical devices), soft optics, and electronics. Accumulated data suggest the use of recombinant spidroins in medical practice in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir G Debabov
- State Research Institute for Genetics and Selection of Industrial Microorganisms of National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute" (NRC "Kurchatov Institute"-GOSNIIGENETIKA), Moscow 117545, Russia
| | - Vladimir G Bogush
- State Research Institute for Genetics and Selection of Industrial Microorganisms of National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute" (NRC "Kurchatov Institute"-GOSNIIGENETIKA), Moscow 117545, Russia
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12
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Zidek J, Milchev A, Jancar J. Dynamic Responsive Formation of Nanostructured Fibers in a Hydrogel Network: A Molecular Dynamics Study. Front Chem 2020; 8:120. [PMID: 32175309 PMCID: PMC7054485 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2020.00120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In an effort to study natural fiber formation, such as, e.g., spider silk, we present a model, which is capable of forming biomimetic fibrillar nanostructure from a hydrogel micellar network. The latter consists of interacting atomic groups which form cores of micelles, and of flexible chains forming the shells of the micelles. Micelles are connected in a compact network by linearly stretched chains. The structural elements of the network can be transformed during deformation from micellar into fibrillary type and their evolution is found to depend significantly on strain rate. Our model suggests a set of conditions suitable for the formation of nanostructured fibrillar network. It demonstrates that a fibrillar structure is only formed upon sufficiently fast stretching while, in contrast, the micellar gel structure is preserved, if the material is pulled slowly. We illustrate this key aspect by a minimalistic model of only four chains as part of the whole network, which provides a detailed view on the mechanism of fibril formation. We conclude that such a simplified structure has similar functionality and is probably responsible for the formation of nano-structured molecular fibrils in natural materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Zidek
- Advanced Polymers and Composites, Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czechia
| | - Andrey Milchev
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Josef Jancar
- Advanced Polymers and Composites, Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czechia.,SCITEG, Brno, Czechia
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Johansson U, Shalaly ND, Hjelm LC, Ria M, Berggren PO, Hedhammar M. Integration of Primary Endocrine Cells and Supportive Cells Using Functionalized Silk Promotes the Formation of Prevascularized Islet-like Clusters. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2020; 6:1186-1195. [PMID: 33464872 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.9b01573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic islet transplantation has not yet succeeded as an overall treatment for type 1 diabetes because of limited access to donor islets, as well as low efficacy and poor reproducibility of the current procedure. Herein, a method to create islets-like composite clusters (coclusters) from dispersed endocrine cells and supportive cells is described, attempting to improve compatibility with the recipient and more efficiently make use of the donor-derived material. To mimic the extracellular matrix environment, recombinant spider silk functionalized with cell binding motifs are used as 3D support for the coclusters. A cell binding motif derived from fibronectin (FN) was found superior in promoting cell adherence, while a plain RGD-motif incorporated in the repetitive part of the silk protein (2R) increased the mobility and cluster formation of endocrine cells. Self-assembly of a mixture of FN/2R silk is utilized to integrate endocrine cells together with endothelial and mesenchymal cells into islet-like coclusters. Both xenogenic and allogenic versions of these coclusters were found to be viable and were able to respond to dynamic glucose stimulation with insulin release. Moreover, the endothelial cells were found to be colocalized with the endocrine cells, showing that the silk combined with supportive cells may promote vascularization. This method to engineer combined islet-like coclusters allows donor-derived endocrine cells to be surrounded by supportive cells from the recipient, which have the potential to further promote engraftment in the host and considerably reduce risk of rejection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrika Johansson
- Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.,Linnæus Center of Biomaterials Chemistry, Linnæus University, Kalmar, Sweden.,Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Nancy Dekki Shalaly
- Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Linnea Charlotta Hjelm
- Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Massimiliano Ria
- The Rolf Luft Research Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, S-17176 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Per-Olof Berggren
- The Rolf Luft Research Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, S-17176 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - My Hedhammar
- Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
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Nilebäck L, Widhe M, Seijsing J, Bysell H, Sharma PK, Hedhammar M. Bioactive Silk Coatings Reduce the Adhesion of Staphylococcus aureus while Supporting Growth of Osteoblast-like Cells. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:24999-25007. [PMID: 31241302 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b05531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Orthopedic and dental implants are associated with a substantial risk of failure due to biomaterial-associated infections and poor osseointegration. To prevent such outcomes, a coating can be applied on the implant to ideally both reduce the risk of bacterial adhesion and support establishment of osteoblasts. We present a strategy to construct dual-functional silk coatings with such properties. Silk coatings were made from a recombinant partial spider silk protein either alone (silkwt) or fused with a cell-binding motif derived from fibronectin (FN-silk). The biofilm-dispersal enzyme Dispersin B (DspB) and two peptidoglycan degrading endolysins, PlySs2 and SAL-1, were produced recombinantly. A sortase recognition tag (SrtTag) was included to allow site-specific conjugation of each enzyme onto silkwt and FN-silk coatings using an engineered variant of the transpeptidase Sortase A (SrtA*). To evaluate bacterial adhesion on the samples, Staphylococcus aureus was incubated on the coatings and subsequently subjected to live/dead staining. Fluorescence microscopy revealed a reduced number of bacteria on all silk coatings containing enzymes. Moreover, the bacteria were mobile to a higher degree, indicating a negative influence on the bacterial adhesion. The capability to support mammalian cell interactions was assessed by cultivation of the osteosarcoma cell line U-2 OS on dual-functional surfaces, prepared by conjugating the enzymes onto FN-silk coatings. U-2 OS cells could adhere to silk coatings with enzymes and showed high spreading and viability, demonstrating good cell compatibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linnea Nilebäck
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health , AlbaNova University Center, KTH Royal Institute of Technology , SE-106 91 Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Mona Widhe
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health , AlbaNova University Center, KTH Royal Institute of Technology , SE-106 91 Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Johan Seijsing
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute , Stockholm University , SE-106 91 Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Helena Bysell
- RISE Research Institutes of Sweden , SE-11486 Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Prashant K Sharma
- Department of Biomedical Engineering , University of Groningen and University Medical Center of Groningen , NL-9713AV Groningen , The Netherlands
| | - My Hedhammar
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health , AlbaNova University Center, KTH Royal Institute of Technology , SE-106 91 Stockholm , Sweden
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Johansson U, Widhe M, Shalaly ND, Arregui IL, Nilebäck L, Tasiopoulos CP, Åstrand C, Berggren PO, Gasser C, Hedhammar M. Assembly of functionalized silk together with cells to obtain proliferative 3D cultures integrated in a network of ECM-like microfibers. Sci Rep 2019; 9:6291. [PMID: 31000733 PMCID: PMC6472362 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42541-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Tissues are built of cells integrated in an extracellular matrix (ECM) which provides a three-dimensional (3D) microfiber network with specific sites for cell anchorage. By genetic engineering, motifs from the ECM can be functionally fused to recombinant silk proteins. Such a silk protein, FN-silk, which harbours a motif from fibronectin, has the ability to self-assemble into networks of microfibers under physiological-like conditions. Herein we describe a method by which mammalian cells are added to the silk solution before assembly, and thereby get uniformly integrated between the formed microfibers. In the resulting 3D scaffold, the cells are highly proliferative and spread out more efficiently than when encapsulated in a hydrogel. Elongated cells containing filamentous actin and defined focal adhesion points confirm proper cell attachment to the FN-silk. The cells remain viable in culture for at least 90 days. The method is also scalable to macro-sized 3D cultures. Silk microfibers formed in a bundle with integrated cells are both strong and extendable, with mechanical properties similar to that of artery walls. The described method enables differentiation of stem cells in 3D as well as facile co-culture of several different cell types. We show that inclusion of endothelial cells leads to the formation of vessel-like structures throughout the tissue constructs. Hence, silk-assembly in presence of cells constitutes a viable option for 3D culture of cells integrated in a ECM-like network, with potential as base for engineering of functional tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrika Johansson
- Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.,Linnæus Center of Biomaterials Chemistry, Linnæus University, Kalmar, Sweden.,Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mona Widhe
- Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nancy Dekki Shalaly
- Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Irene Linares Arregui
- Department of Solid Mechanics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Linnea Nilebäck
- Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Carolina Åstrand
- Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Per-Olof Berggren
- The Rolf Luft Research Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, S-171 76, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christian Gasser
- Department of Solid Mechanics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - My Hedhammar
- Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.
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