1
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Oh H, Tu YM, Samineni L, De Respino S, Mehrafrooz B, Joshi H, Massenburg L, Lopez-Marques H, Elessawy N, Song W, Behera H, Dhiman R, Boorla VS, Kher K, Lin YC, Maranas C, Aksimentiev A, D Freeman B, Kumar M. Dehydrated Biomimetic Membranes with Skinlike Structure and Function. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024. [PMID: 38598825 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c19572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Novel vapor-permeable materials are sought after for applications in protective wear, energy generation, and water treatment. Current impermeable protective materials effectively block harmful agents but trap heat due to poor water vapor transfer. Here we present a new class of materials, vapor permeable dehydrated nanoporous biomimetic membranes (DBMs), based on channel proteins. This application for biomimetic membranes is unexpected as channel proteins and biomimetic membranes were assumed to be unstable under dry conditions. DBMs mimic human skin's structure to offer both high vapor transport and small molecule exclusion under dry conditions. DBMs feature highly organized pores resembling sweat pores in human skin, but at super high densities (>1012 pores/cm2). These DBMs achieved exceptional water vapor transport rates, surpassing commercial breathable fabrics by up to 6.2 times, despite containing >2 orders of magnitude smaller pores (1 nm vs >700 nm). These DBMs effectively excluded model biological agents and harmful chemicals both in liquid and vapor phases, again in contrast with the commercial breathable fabrics. Remarkably, while hydrated biomimetic membranes were highly permeable to liquid water, they exhibited higher water resistances after dehydration at values >38 times that of commercial breathable fabrics. Molecular dynamics simulations support our hypothesis that dehydration induced protein hydrophobicity increases which enhanced DBM performance. DBMs hold promise for various applications, including membrane distillation, dehumidification, and protective barriers for atmospheric water harvesting materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeonji Oh
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Yu-Ming Tu
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Laximicharan Samineni
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Sophie De Respino
- Maseeh Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Behzad Mehrafrooz
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Physics and Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Himanshu Joshi
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad 502285, India
| | - Lynnicia Massenburg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Horacio Lopez-Marques
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Nada Elessawy
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Woochul Song
- Division of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 37673, South Korea
| | - Harekrushna Behera
- Maseeh Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Raman Dhiman
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Veda Sheersh Boorla
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Kartik Kher
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Yi-Chih Lin
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Costas Maranas
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Aleksei Aksimentiev
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Physics and Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Benny D Freeman
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Manish Kumar
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
- Maseeh Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
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2
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Farahbakhsh J, Golgoli M, Khiadani M, Najafi M, Suwaileh W, Razmjou A, Zargar M. Recent advances in surface tailoring of thin film forward osmosis membranes: A review. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 346:140493. [PMID: 37890801 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140493] [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: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
The recent advancements in fabricating forward osmosis (FO) membranes have shown promising results in desalination and water treatment. Different methods have been applied to improve FO performance, such as using mixed or new draw solutions, enhancing the recovery of draw solutions, membrane modification, and developing FO-hybrid systems. However, reliable methods to address the current issues, including reverse salt flux, fouling, and antibacterial activities, are still in progress. In recent decades, surface modification has been applied to different membrane processes, including FO membranes. Introducing nanochannels, bioparticles, new monomers, and hydrophilic-based materials to the surface layer of FO membranes has significantly impacted their performance and efficiency and resulted in better control over fouling and concentration polarization (CP) in these membranes. This review critically investigates the recent developments in FO membrane processes and fabrication techniques for FO surface-layer modification. In addition, this study focuses on the latest materials and structures used for the surface modification of FO membranes. Finally, the current challenges, gaps, and suggestions for future studies in this field have been discussed in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javad Farahbakhsh
- School of Engineering, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia
| | - Mitra Golgoli
- School of Engineering, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia
| | - Mehdi Khiadani
- School of Engineering, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia
| | - Mohadeseh Najafi
- School of Engineering, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia
| | - Wafa Suwaileh
- Chemical Engineering Program, Texas A&M University at Qatar, Education City, Doha, Qatar
| | - Amir Razmjou
- School of Engineering, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia; School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), City Campus, Broadway, NSW, 2007, Australia; Mineral Recovery Research Center (MRRC), School of Engineering, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Perth, WA, 6027, Australia
| | - Masoumeh Zargar
- School of Engineering, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia; Mineral Recovery Research Center (MRRC), School of Engineering, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Perth, WA, 6027, Australia.
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Müller W, Beales PA, Muniz AR, Jeuken LJC. Unraveling the Phase Behavior, Mechanical Stability, and Protein Reconstitution Properties of Polymer-Lipid Hybrid Vesicles. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:4156-4169. [PMID: 37539954 PMCID: PMC10498451 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c00498] [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: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Hybrid vesicles consisting of natural phospholipids and synthetic amphiphilic copolymers have shown remarkable material properties and potential for biotechnology, combining the robustness of polymers with the biocompatibility of phospholipid membranes. To predict and optimize the mixing behavior of lipids and copolymers, as well as understand the interaction between the hybrid membrane and macromolecules like membrane proteins, a comprehensive understanding at the molecular level is essential. This can be achieved by a combination of molecular dynamics simulations and experiments. Here, simulations of POPC and PBD22-b-PEO14 hybrid membranes are shown, uncovering different copolymer configurations depending on the polymer-to-lipid ratio. High polymer concentrations created thicker membranes with an extended polymer conformation, while high lipid content led to the collapse of the polymer chain. High concentrations of polymer were further correlated with a decreased area compression modulus and altered lateral pressure profiles, hypothesized to result in the experimentally observed improvement in membrane protein reconstitution and resistance toward destabilization by detergents. Finally, simulations of a WALP peptide embedded in the bilayer showed that only membranes with up to 50% polymer content favored a transmembrane configuration. These simulations correlate with previous and new experimental results and provide a deeper understanding of the properties of lipid-copolymer hybrid membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wagner
A. Müller
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Universidade Federal
do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto
Alegre 90035-003, Brazil
| | - Paul A. Beales
- School
of Chemistry and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, U.K.
| | - André R. Muniz
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Universidade Federal
do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto
Alegre 90035-003, Brazil
| | - Lars J. C. Jeuken
- Leiden
Institute of Chemistry, University Leiden, PO Box 9502, 2300RA Leiden, The
Netherlands
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4
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Seneviratne R, Coates G, Xu Z, Cornell CE, Thompson RF, Sadeghpour A, Maskell DP, Jeuken LJC, Rappolt M, Beales PA. High Resolution Membrane Structures within Hybrid Lipid-Polymer Vesicles Revealed by Combining X-Ray Scattering and Electron Microscopy. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2206267. [PMID: 36866488 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202206267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Hybrid vesicles consisting of phospholipids and block-copolymers are increasingly finding applications in science and technology. Herein, small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) are used to obtain detailed structural information about hybrid vesicles with different ratios of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) and poly(1,2-butadiene-block-ethylene oxide) (PBd22 -PEO14 , Ms = 1800 g mol-1 ). Using single particle analysis (SPA) the authors are able to further interpret the information gained from SAXS and cryo-ET experiments, showing that increasing PBd22 -PEO14 mole fraction increases the membrane thickness from 52 Å for a pure lipid system to 97 Å for pure PBd22 -PEO14 vesicles. Two vesicle populations with different membrane thicknesses in hybrid vesicle samples are found. As these lipids and polymers are reported to homogeneously mix, bistability is inferred between weak and strong interdigitation regimes of PBd22 -PEO14 within the hybrid membranes. It is hypothesized that membranes of intermediate structure are not energetically favorable. Therefore, each vesicle exists in one of these two membrane structures, which are assumed to have comparable free energies. The authors conclude that, by combining biophysical methods, accurate determination of the influence of composition on the structural properties of hybrid membranes is achieved, revealing that two distinct membranes structures can coexist in homogeneously mixed lipid-polymer hybrid vesicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashmi Seneviratne
- School of Chemistry and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Georgina Coates
- School of Chemistry and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Zexi Xu
- School of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Chemistry and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Caitlin E Cornell
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Rebecca F Thompson
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Amin Sadeghpour
- School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Daniel P Maskell
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Lars J C Jeuken
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, PC Box 9502, Leiden, 2300 RA, Netherlands
| | - Michael Rappolt
- School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Paul A Beales
- School of Chemistry and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
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5
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Lo CH, Zeng J. Application of polymersomes in membrane protein study and drug discovery: Progress, strategies, and perspectives. Bioeng Transl Med 2023; 8:e10350. [PMID: 36684106 PMCID: PMC9842050 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Membrane proteins (MPs) play key roles in cellular signaling pathways and are responsible for intercellular and intracellular interactions. Dysfunctional MPs are directly related to the pathogenesis of various diseases, and they have been exploited as one of the most sought-after targets in the pharmaceutical industry. However, working with MPs is difficult given that their amphiphilic nature requires protection from biological membrane or membrane mimetics. Polymersomes are bilayered nano-vesicles made of self-assembled block copolymers that have been widely used as cell membrane mimetics for MP reconstitution and in engineering of artificial cells. This review highlights the prevailing trend in the application of polymersomes in MP study and drug discovery. We begin with a review on the techniques for synthesis and characterization of polymersomes as well as methods of MP insertion to form proteopolymersomes. Next, we review the structural and functional analysis of the different types of MPs reconstituted in polymersomes, including membrane transport proteins, MP complexes, and membrane receptors. We then summarize the factors affecting reconstitution efficiency and the quality of reconstituted MPs for structural and functional studies. Additionally, we discuss the potential in using proteopolymersomes as platforms for high-throughput screening (HTS) in drug discovery to identify modulators of MPs. We conclude by providing future perspectives and recommendations on advancing the study of MPs and drug development using proteopolymersomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih Hung Lo
- Lee Kong Chian School of MedicineNanyang Technological UniversitySingaporeSingapore
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Jialiu Zeng
- Lee Kong Chian School of MedicineNanyang Technological UniversitySingaporeSingapore
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringBoston UniversityBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of ChemistryBoston UniversityBostonMassachusettsUSA
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6
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Phase separation in polymer-based biomimetic structures containing planar membranes. Biointerphases 2022; 17:060802. [PMID: 36575113 DOI: 10.1116/6.0002078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Phase separation in biological membranes is crucial for proper cellular functions, such as signaling and trafficking, as it mediates the interactions of condensates on membrane-bound organelles and transmembrane transport to targeted destination compartments. The separation of a lipid bilayer into phases and the formation of lipid rafts involve the restructuring of molecular localization, their immobilization, and local accumulation. By understanding the processes underlying the formation of lipid rafts in a cellular membrane, it is possible to reconstitute this phenomenon in synthetic biomimetic membranes, such as hybrids of lipids and polymers or membranes composed solely of polymers, which offer an increased physicochemical stability and unlimited possibilities of chemical modification and functionalization. In this article, we relate the main lipid bilayer phase transition phenomenon with respect to hybrid biomimetic membranes, composed of lipids mixed with polymers, and fully synthetic membranes. Following, we review the occurrence of phase separation in biomimetic hybrid membranes based on lipids and/or direct lipid analogs, amphiphilic block copolymers. We further exemplify the phase separation and the resulting properties and applications in planar membranes, free-standing and solid-supported. We briefly list methods leading to the formation of such biomimetic membranes and reflect on their improved overall stability and influence on the separation into different phases within the membranes. Due to the importance of phase separation and compartmentalization in cellular membranes, we are convinced that this compiled overview of this phenomenon will be helpful for any researcher in the biomimicry area.
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7
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Biophysical quantification of unitary solute and solvent permeabilities to enable translation to membrane science. J Memb Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2022.121308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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8
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Gössweiner-Mohr N, Siligan C, Pluhackova K, Umlandt L, Koefler S, Trajkovska N, Horner A. The Hidden Intricacies of Aquaporins: Remarkable Details in a Common Structural Scaffold. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2202056. [PMID: 35802902 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202202056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Evolution turned aquaporins (AQPs) into the most efficient facilitators of passive water flow through cell membranes at no expense of solute discrimination. In spite of a plethora of solved AQP structures, many structural details remain hidden. Here, by combining extensive sequence- and structural-based analysis of a unique set of 20 non-redundant high-resolution structures and molecular dynamics simulations of four representatives, key aspects of AQP stability, gating, selectivity, pore geometry, and oligomerization, with a potential impact on channel functionality, are identified. The general view of AQPs possessing a continuous open water pore is challenged and it is depicted that AQPs' selectivity is not exclusively shaped by pore-lining residues but also by the relative arrangement of transmembrane helices. Moreover, this analysis reveals that hydrophobic interactions constitute the main determinant of protein thermal stability. Finally, a numbering scheme of the conserved AQP scaffold is established, facilitating direct comparison of, for example, disease-causing mutations and prediction of potential structural consequences. Additionally, the results pave the way for the design of optimized AQP water channels to be utilized in biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christine Siligan
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Gruberstr. 40, Linz, 4020, Austria
| | - Kristyna Pluhackova
- Stuttgart Center for Simulation Science, University of Stuttgart, Cluster of Excellence EXC 2075, Universitätsstr. 32, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Linnea Umlandt
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Gruberstr. 40, Linz, 4020, Austria
| | - Sabina Koefler
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Gruberstr. 40, Linz, 4020, Austria
| | - Natasha Trajkovska
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Gruberstr. 40, Linz, 4020, Austria
| | - Andreas Horner
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Gruberstr. 40, Linz, 4020, Austria
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9
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Zhao Y, Wang YN, Lai GS, Torres J, Wang R. Proteoliposome-Incorporated Seawater Reverse Osmosis Polyamide Membrane: Is the Aquaporin Water Channel Effect in Improving Membrane Performance Overestimated? ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:5179-5188. [PMID: 35349264 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c08857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The water channel feature of the aquaporin (AQP) is considered to be the key in improving the permselectivity of AQP-based thin-film composite (TFC) polyamide (PA) membranes, yet much less attention has been paid to the physicochemical property changes of the PA layer induced by AQP-reconstituted proteoliposomes. This study systematically investigated the roles of proteoliposome constituents (liposome/detergent/AQP) in affecting the physicochemical properties and performance of the membranes. For the first time, we demonstrated that the constituents in the proteoliposome could facilitate the formation of a PA layer with enlarged protuberances and thinner crumples, resulting in a 79% increase in effective surface area and lowering of hydraulic resistance for filtration. These PA structural changes of the AQP-based membrane were found to contribute over 70% to the water permeability increase via comparing the separation performance of the membranes prepared with liposome, detergent, and proteoliposome, respectively, and one proteoliposome-ruptured membrane. The contribution from the AQP water channel feature was about 27% of water permeability increase in the current study, attributed to only ∼20% vesicle coverage in the PA matrix, and this contribution may be easily lost as a result of vesicle rupture during the real seawater reverse osmosis process. This study reveals that the changed morphology dominates the performance improvement of the AQP-based PA membrane and well explains why the actual AQP-based PA membranes cannot acquire the theoretical water/salt selectivity of a biomimetic AQP membrane, deepening our understanding of the AQP-based membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yali Zhao
- Singapore Membrane Technology Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Cleantech Loop, Singapore 637141, Singapore
| | - Yi-Ning Wang
- Singapore Membrane Technology Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Cleantech Loop, Singapore 637141, Singapore
| | - Gwo Sung Lai
- Singapore Membrane Technology Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Cleantech Loop, Singapore 637141, Singapore
| | - Jaume Torres
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore
| | - Rong Wang
- Singapore Membrane Technology Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Cleantech Loop, Singapore 637141, Singapore
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore
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10
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The energetic barrier to single-file water flow through narrow channels. Biophys Rev 2022; 13:913-923. [PMID: 35035593 PMCID: PMC8724168 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-021-00875-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 10/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Various nanoscopic channels of roughly equal diameter and length facilitate single-file diffusion at vastly different rates. The underlying variance of the energetic barriers to transport is poorly understood. First, water partitioning into channels so narrow that individual molecules cannot overtake each other incurs an energetic penalty. Corresponding estimates vary widely depending on how the sacrifice of two out of four hydrogen bonds is accounted for. Second, entropy differences between luminal and bulk water may arise: additional degrees of freedom caused by dangling OH-bonds increase entropy. At the same time, long-range dipolar water interactions decrease entropy. Here, we dissect different contributions to Gibbs free energy of activation, ΔG ‡, for single-file water transport through narrow channels by analyzing experimental results from water permeability measurements on both bare lipid bilayers and biological water channels that (i) consider unstirred layer effects and (ii) adequately count the channels in reconstitution experiments. First, the functional relationship between water permeabilities and Arrhenius activation energies indicates negligible differences between the entropies of intraluminal water and bulk water. Second, we calculate ΔG ‡ from unitary water channel permeabilities using transition state theory. Plotting ΔG ‡ as a function of the number of H-bond donating or accepting pore-lining residues results in a 0.1 kcal/mol contribution per residue. The resulting upper limit for partial water dehydration amounts to 2 kcal/mol. In the framework of biomimicry, our analysis provides valuable insights for the design of synthetic water channels. It thus may aid in the urgent endeavor towards combating global water scarcity.
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11
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Biocatalytic self-assembled synthetic vesicles and coacervates: From single compartment to artificial cells. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2022; 299:102566. [PMID: 34864354 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2021.102566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Compartmentalization is an intrinsic feature of living cells that allows spatiotemporal control over the biochemical pathways expressed in them. Over the years, a library of compartmentalized systems has been generated, which includes nano to micrometer sized biomimetic vesicles derived from lipids, amphiphilic block copolymers, peptides, and nanoparticles. Biocatalytic vesicles have been developed using a simple bag containing enzyme design of liposomes to multienzymes immobilized multi-vesicular compartments for artificial cell generation. Additionally, enzymes were also entrapped in membrane-less coacervate droplets to mimic the cytoplasmic macromolecular crowding mechanisms. Here, we have discussed different types of single and multicompartment systems, emphasizing their recent developments as biocatalytic self-assembled structures using recent examples. Importantly, we have summarized the strategies in the development of the self-assembled structure to improvise their adaptivity and flexibility for enzyme immobilization. Finally, we have presented the use of biocatalytic assemblies in mimicking different aspects of living cells, which further carves the path for the engineering of a minimal cell.
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12
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Lang C, Kumar M, Hickey RJ. Current status and future directions of self-assembled block copolymer membranes for molecular separations. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:10405-10415. [PMID: 34768280 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm01368h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
One of the most efficient and promising separation alternatives to thermal methods such as distillation is the use of polymeric membranes that separate mixtures based on molecular size or chemical affinity. Self-assembled block copolymer membranes have gained considerable attention within the membrane field due to precise control over nanoscale structure, pore size, and chemical versatility. Despite the rapid progress and excitement, a significant hurdle in using block copolymer membranes for nanometer and sub-nanometer separations such as nanofiltration and reverse osmosis is the lower limit on domain size features. Strategies such as polymer post-functionalization, self-assembly of oligomers, liquid crystals, and random copolymers, or incorporation of artificial/natural channels within block copolymer materials are future directions with the potential to overcome current limitations with respect to separation size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Lang
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, School of Molecular Science and Engineering, Guangzhou 510640, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional and Intelligent Hybrid Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16801, USA.
| | - Manish Kumar
- Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
| | - Robert J Hickey
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16801, USA.
- Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16801, USA
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13
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Certain, but Not All, Tetraether Lipids from the Thermoacidophilic Archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius Can Form Black Lipid Membranes with Remarkable Stability and Exhibiting Mthk Channel Activity with Unusually High Ca 2+ Sensitivity. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222312941. [PMID: 34884746 PMCID: PMC8657495 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Bipolar tetraether lipids (BTL) have been long thought to play a critical role in allowing thermoacidophiles to thrive under extreme conditions. In the present study, we demonstrated that not all BTLs from the thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius exhibit the same membrane behaviors. We found that free-standing planar membranes (i.e., black lipid membranes, BLM) made of the polar lipid fraction E (PLFE) isolated from S. acidocaldarius formed over a pinhole on a cellulose acetate partition in a dual-chamber Teflon device exhibited remarkable stability showing a virtually constant capacitance (~28 pF) for at least 11 days. PLFE contains exclusively tetraethers. The dominating hydrophobic core of PLFE lipids is glycerol dialky calditol tetraether (GDNT, ~90%), whereas glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT) is a minor component (~10%). In sharp contrast, BLM made of BTL extracted from microvesicles (Sa-MVs) released from the same cells exhibited a capacitance between 36 and 39 pF lasting for only 8 h before membrane dielectric breakdown. Lipids in Sa-MVs are also exclusively tetraethers; however, the dominating lipid species in Sa-MVs is GDGT (>99%), not GDNT. The remarkable stability of BLMPLFE can be attributed to strong PLFE–PLFE and PLFE–substrate interactions. In addition, we compare voltage-dependent channel activity of calcium-gated potassium channels (MthK) in BLMPLFE to values recorded in BLMSa-MV. MthK is an ion channel isolated from a methanogenic that has been extensively characterized in diester lipid membranes and has been used as a model for calcium-gated potassium channels. We found that MthK can insert into BLMPLFE and exhibit channel activity, but not in BLMSa-MV. Additionally, the opening/closing of the MthK in BLMPLFE is detectable at calcium concentrations as low as 0.1 mM; conversely, in diester lipid membranes at such a low calcium concentration, no MthK channel activity is detectable. The differential effect of membrane stability and MthK channel activity between BLMPLFE and BLMSa-MV may be attributed to their lipid structural differences and thus their abilities to interact with the substrate and membrane protein. Since Sa-MVs that bud off from the plasma membrane are exclusively tetraether lipids but do not contain the main tetraether lipid component GDNT of the plasma membrane, domain segregation must occur in S. acidocaldarius. The implication of this study is that lipid domain formation is existent and functionally essential in all kinds of cells, but domain formation may be even more prevalent and pronounced in hyperthermophiles, as strong domain formation with distinct membrane behaviors is necessary to counteract randomization due to high growth temperatures while BTL in general make archaea cell membranes stable in high temperature and low pH environments whereas different BTL domains play different functional roles.
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14
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Schwieters MS, Mathieu-Gaedke M, Westphal M, Dalpke R, Dirksen M, Qi D, Grull M, Bick T, Taßler S, Sauer DF, Bonn M, Wendler P, Hellweg T, Beyer A, Gölzhäuser A, Schwaneberg U, Glebe U, Böker A. Protein Nanopore Membranes Prepared by a Simple Langmuir-Schaefer Approach. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2021; 17:e2102975. [PMID: 34643032 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202102975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Filtration through membranes with nanopores is typically associated with high transmembrane pressures and high energy consumption. This problem can be addressed by reducing the respective membrane thickness. Here, a simple procedure is described to prepare ultrathin membranes based on protein nanopores, which exhibit excellent water permeance, two orders of magnitude superior to comparable, industrially applied membranes. Furthermore, incorporation of either closed or open protein nanopores allows tailoring the membrane's ion permeability. To form such membranes, the transmembrane protein ferric hydroxamate uptake protein component A (FhuA) or its open-pore variant are assembled at the air-water interface of a Langmuir trough, compressed to a dense film, crosslinked by glutaraldehyde, and transferred to various support materials. This approach allows to prepare monolayer or multilayer membranes with a very high density of protein nanopores. Freestanding membranes covering holes up to 5 μm in diameter are visualized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), helium ion microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. AFM PeakForce quantitative nanomechanical property mapping (PeakForce QNM) demonstrates remarkable mechanical stability and elastic properties of freestanding monolayer membranes with a thickness of only 5 nm. The new protein membrane can pave the way to energy-efficient nanofiltration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magnus S Schwieters
- Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP, Geiselbergstr. 69, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
- Polymer Engineering/Polymer Physics, Berlin Institute of Technology (TU Berlin), Ernst-Reuter-Platz 1, 10587, Berlin, Germany
| | - Maria Mathieu-Gaedke
- Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP, Geiselbergstr. 69, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
- Chair of Polymer Materials and Polymer Technologies, Institute of Chemistry, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Michael Westphal
- Physics of Supramolecular Systems and Surfaces, Faculty of Physics, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstr. 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Raphael Dalpke
- Physics of Supramolecular Systems and Surfaces, Faculty of Physics, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstr. 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Maxim Dirksen
- Department of Physical and Biophysical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstr. 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Daizong Qi
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Marco Grull
- Institute of Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringer Weg 3, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Thomas Bick
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Stephanie Taßler
- Synchrotron SOLEIL, L'Orme des Merisiers, BP48, Gif-Sur-Yvette, Saint-Aubin, 91192, France
| | - Daniel F Sauer
- Institute of Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringer Weg 3, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Mischa Bonn
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Petra Wendler
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Thomas Hellweg
- Department of Physical and Biophysical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstr. 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - André Beyer
- Physics of Supramolecular Systems and Surfaces, Faculty of Physics, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstr. 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Armin Gölzhäuser
- Physics of Supramolecular Systems and Surfaces, Faculty of Physics, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstr. 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Ulrich Schwaneberg
- Institute of Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringer Weg 3, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials e.V., Forckenbeckstr. 50, 52056, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ulrich Glebe
- Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP, Geiselbergstr. 69, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Alexander Böker
- Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP, Geiselbergstr. 69, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
- Chair of Polymer Materials and Polymer Technologies, Institute of Chemistry, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
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15
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Hardiagon A, Murail S, Huang LB, van der Lee A, Sterpone F, Barboiu M, Baaden M. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal statistics and microscopic mechanisms of water permeation in membrane-embedded artificial water channel nanoconstructs. J Chem Phys 2021; 154:184102. [PMID: 34241013 DOI: 10.1063/5.0044360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding water transport mechanisms at the nanoscale level remains a challenge for theoretical chemical physics. Major advances in chemical synthesis have allowed us to discover new artificial water channels, rivaling with or even surpassing water conductance and selectivity of natural protein channels. In order to interpret experimental features and understand microscopic determinants for performance improvements, numerical approaches based on all-atom molecular dynamics simulations and enhanced sampling methods have been proposed. In this study, we quantify the influence of microscopic observables, such as channel radius and hydrogen bond connectivity, and of meso-scale features, such as the size of self-assembly blocks, on the permeation rate of a self-assembled nanocrystal-like artificial water channel. Although the absolute permeation rate extrapolated from these simulations is overestimated by one order of magnitude compared to the experimental measurement, the detailed analysis of several observed conductive patterns in large assemblies opens new pathways to scalable membranes with enhanced water conductance for the future design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Hardiagon
- CNRS, Université de Paris, UPR 9080, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Samuel Murail
- Université de Paris, CNRS UMR 8251, INSERM ERL U1133, Paris, France
| | - Li-Bo Huang
- Institut Européen des Membranes, Adaptive Supramolecular Nanosystems Group, University of Montpellier, ENSCM, CNRS, Place Eugène Bataillon, CC 047, F-34095 Montpellier, France
| | - Arie van der Lee
- Institut Européen des Membranes, Adaptive Supramolecular Nanosystems Group, University of Montpellier, ENSCM, CNRS, Place Eugène Bataillon, CC 047, F-34095 Montpellier, France
| | - Fabio Sterpone
- CNRS, Université de Paris, UPR 9080, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Mihail Barboiu
- Institut Européen des Membranes, Adaptive Supramolecular Nanosystems Group, University of Montpellier, ENSCM, CNRS, Place Eugène Bataillon, CC 047, F-34095 Montpellier, France
| | - Marc Baaden
- CNRS, Université de Paris, UPR 9080, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, F-75005 Paris, France
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16
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Miller A, Pearce AK, Foster JC, O’Reilly RK. Probing and Tuning the Permeability of Polymersomes. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2021; 7:30-38. [PMID: 33532567 PMCID: PMC7844851 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.0c01196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Polymersomes are a class of synthetic vesicles composed of a polymer membrane surrounding an aqueous inner cavity. In addition to their overall size, the thickness and composition of polymersome membranes determine the range of potential applications in which they can be employed. While synthetic polymer chemists have made great strides in controlling polymersome membrane parameters, measurement of their permeability to various analytes including gases, ions, organic molecules, and macromolecules remains a significant challenge. In this Outlook, we compare the general methods that have been developed to quantify polymersome membrane permeability, focusing in particular on their capability to accurately measure analyte flux. In addition, we briefly highlight strategies to control membrane permeability. Based on these learnings, we propose a set of criteria for designing future methods of quantifying membrane permeability such that the passage of a variety of molecules into and out of their lumens can be better understood.
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17
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Liu D, Sun H, Xiao Y, Chen S, Cornel EJ, Zhu Y, Du J. Design principles, synthesis and biomedical applications of polymer vesicles with inhomogeneous membranes. J Control Release 2020; 326:365-386. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2020.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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18
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Liu Z, Zhou W, Qi C, Kong T. Interface Engineering in Multiphase Systems toward Synthetic Cells and Organelles: From Soft Matter Fundamentals to Biomedical Applications. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2020; 32:e2002932. [PMID: 32954548 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202002932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 07/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic cells have a major role in gaining insight into the complex biological processes of living cells; they also give rise to a range of emerging applications from gene delivery to enzymatic nanoreactors. Living cells rely on compartmentalization to orchestrate reaction networks for specialized and coordinated functions. Principally, the compartmentalization has been an essential engineering theme in constructing cell-mimicking systems. Here, efforts to engineer liquid-liquid interfaces of multiphase systems into membrane-bounded and membraneless compartments, which include lipid vesicles, polymer vesicles, colloidosomes, hybrids, and coacervate droplets, are summarized. Examples are provided of how these compartments are designed to imitate biological behaviors or machinery, including molecule trafficking, growth, fusion, energy conversion, intercellular communication, and adaptivity. Subsequently, the state-of-art applications of these cell-inspired synthetic compartments are discussed. Apart from being simplified and cell models for bridging the gap between nonliving matter and cellular life, synthetic compartments also are utilized as intracellular delivery vehicles for nuclei acids and nanoreactors for biochemical synthesis. Finally, key challenges and future directions for achieving the full potential of synthetic cells are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhou Liu
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518000, China
| | - Wen Zhou
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518000, China
| | - Cheng Qi
- College of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518000, China
| | - Tiantian Kong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518000, China
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19
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Investigating the Mechanisms of AquaporinZ Reconstitution through Polymeric Vesicle Composition for a Biomimetic Membrane. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:polym12091944. [PMID: 32872107 PMCID: PMC7565422 DOI: 10.3390/polym12091944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Aquaporin-Z (AqpZ) are water channel proteins with excellent water permeability and solute rejection properties. AqpZ can be reconstituted into vesicles utilizing cell-like bilayer membranes assembled from amphiphilic block copolymers, for the preparation of high-performance biomimetic membranes. However, only a few copolymers have been found suitable to act as the membrane matrix for protein reconstitution. Hence, this work analyzes the mechanism of protein reconstitution based on a composition-reconstitution relationship. The vesicle formation and AqpZ reconstitution processes in various amphiphilic block copolymers were investigated in terms of size, morphology, stability, polymeric bilayer membrane rigidity, and thermal behavior. Overall, this study contributes to the understanding of the composition-reconstitution relationship of biomimetic membranes based on AqpZ-reconstituted polymeric vesicles.
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20
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Amphipathic Janus Membrane with Hierarchical Multiscale Hyperporous Structure for Interfacial Catalysis. MEMBRANES 2020; 10:membranes10080162. [PMID: 32717990 PMCID: PMC7465116 DOI: 10.3390/membranes10080162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The rational design and realization of multiscale porous structures has been a long-standing challenge in membrane science. Block copolymers (BCPs) with their self-assembly-enabled nanodomains have the potential to make structural breakthroughs. An amphipathic Janus membrane, with a hierarchical multiscale hyperporous structure constituted by polystyrene-b-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS4VP) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) blocks, was designed and synthesized in this work. Hydrophobic PVDF dominated one side of the membrane, and hydrophilic PS4VP, with nanopores that formed inside the macroporous channels of PVDF via a self-assembly approach, dominated the other side. Candida Rugosa Lipase (CRL), as a model biocatalyst, was immobilized in the PS4VP nanopores via injection. The immobilized lipase was exactly suspended at the interface of the organic and aqueous phases, owing to the amphipathic property of the Janus membrane. The designed structures and catalysis performances were further characterized. The immobilized lipase exhibited a three times higher specific activity than free lipase, and the relative activity still remained above 90% after 10 cycles of reusing, indicating the observable promotion and the guaranteed stability of the Janus membrane in interfacial catalysis. This work provided a general, facile and unique example for the design and synthesis of a hierarchical multiscale hyperporous membrane for interfacial catalysis.
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21
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Tu YM, Song W, Ren T, Shen YX, Chowdhury R, Rajapaksha P, Culp TE, Samineni L, Lang C, Thokkadam A, Carson D, Dai Y, Mukthar A, Zhang M, Parshin A, Sloand JN, Medina SH, Grzelakowski M, Bhattacharya D, Phillip WA, Gomez ED, Hickey RJ, Wei Y, Kumar M. Rapid fabrication of precise high-throughput filters from membrane protein nanosheets. NATURE MATERIALS 2020; 19:347-354. [PMID: 31988513 DOI: 10.1038/s41563-019-0577-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Biological membranes are ideal for separations as they provide high permeability while maintaining high solute selectivity due to the presence of specialized membrane protein (MP) channels. However, successful integration of MPs into manufactured membranes has remained a significant challenge. Here, we demonstrate a two-hour organic solvent method to develop 2D crystals and nanosheets of highly packed pore-forming MPs in block copolymers (BCPs). We then integrate these hybrid materials into scalable MP-BCP biomimetic membranes. These MP-BCP nanosheet membranes maintain the molecular selectivity of the three types of β-barrel MP channels used, with pore sizes of 0.8 nm, 1.3 nm, and 1.5 nm. These biomimetic membranes demonstrate water permeability that is 20-1,000 times greater than that of commercial membranes and 1.5-45 times greater than that of the latest research membranes with comparable molecular exclusion ratings. This approach could provide high performance alternatives in the challenging sub-nanometre to few-nanometre size range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ming Tu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Woochul Song
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Tingwei Ren
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Yue-Xiao Shen
- Department of Civil, Environmental, & Construction Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Ratul Chowdhury
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | | | - Tyler E Culp
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Laxmicharan Samineni
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Chao Lang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Alina Thokkadam
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Drew Carson
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Yuxuan Dai
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Arwa Mukthar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Miaoci Zhang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | | | - Janna N Sloand
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Scott H Medina
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | | | - Dibakar Bhattacharya
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - William A Phillip
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Enrique D Gomez
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Robert J Hickey
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Materials Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Yinai Wei
- Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Manish Kumar
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
- Materials Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
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22
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Belluati A, Mikhalevich V, Yorulmaz Avsar S, Daubian D, Craciun I, Chami M, Meier WP, Palivan CG. How Do the Properties of Amphiphilic Polymer Membranes Influence the Functional Insertion of Peptide Pores? Biomacromolecules 2019; 21:701-715. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.9b01416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Belluati
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Viktoria Mikhalevich
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Saziye Yorulmaz Avsar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Davy Daubian
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ioana Craciun
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mohamed Chami
- BioEM Lab, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Wolfgang P. Meier
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Cornelia G. Palivan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
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23
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Kang X, Alibakhshi MA, Wanunu M. One-Pot Species Release and Nanopore Detection in a Voltage-Stable Lipid Bilayer Platform. NANO LETTERS 2019; 19:9145-9153. [PMID: 31724865 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.9b04446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Biological nanopores have been used as powerful platforms for label-free detection and identification of a range of biomolecules for biosensing applications and single molecule biophysics studies. Nonetheless, high limit of detection (LOD) of analytes due to inefficient biomolecular capture into biological nanopores at low voltage poses practical limits on their biosensing efficacy. Several approaches have been proposed to improve the voltage stability of the membrane, including polymerization and hydrogel coating, however, these compromise the lipid fluidity. Here, we developed a chip-based platform that can be massively produced on a wafer scale that is capable of sustaining high voltages of 350 mV with comparable membrane areas to traditional systems. Using this platform, we demonstrate sensing of DNA hairpins in α-hemolysin nanopores at the nanomolar regime under high voltage. Further, we have developed a workflow for one-pot enzymatic release of DNA hairpins with different stem lengths from magnetic microbeads, followed by multiplexed nanopore-based quantification of the hairpins within minutes, paving the way for novel nanopore-based multiplexed biosensing applications.
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24
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Yue K, Trung TN, Zhu Y, Kaldenhoff R, Kai L. Co-Translational Insertion of Aquaporins into Liposome for Functional Analysis via an E. coli Based Cell-Free Protein Synthesis System. Cells 2019; 8:E1325. [PMID: 31717877 PMCID: PMC6912355 DOI: 10.3390/cells8111325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Aquaporins are important and well-studied water channel membrane proteins. However, being membrane proteins, sample preparation for functional analysis is tedious and time-consuming. In this paper, we report a new approach for the co-translational insertion of two aquaporins from Escherichia coli and Nicotiana tabacum using the CFPS system. This was done in the presence of liposomes with a modified procedure to form homogenous proteo-liposomes suitable for functional analysis of water permeability using stopped-flow spectrophotometry. Two model aquaporins, AqpZ and NtPIP2;1, were successfully incorporated into the liposome in their active forms. Shifted green fluorescent protein was fused to the C-terminal part of AqpZ to monitor its insertion and status in the lipid environment. This new fast approach offers a fast and straightforward method for the functional analysis of aquaporins in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Yue
- The Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Medicinal Plants of Jiangsu Province, School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 22116, China;
| | - Tran Nam Trung
- Department of Biology, Applied Plant Sciences, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahn Strasse 10, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany; (T.N.T.); (R.K.)
| | - Yiyong Zhu
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China;
| | - Ralf Kaldenhoff
- Department of Biology, Applied Plant Sciences, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahn Strasse 10, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany; (T.N.T.); (R.K.)
| | - Lei Kai
- The Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Medicinal Plants of Jiangsu Province, School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 22116, China;
- Department of Biology, Applied Plant Sciences, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahn Strasse 10, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany; (T.N.T.); (R.K.)
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, D-82152 Martinsried, Germany
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25
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Mirzaei Garakani T, Liu Z, Glebe U, Gehrmann J, Lazar J, Mertens MAS, Möller M, Hamzelui N, Zhu L, Schnakenberg U, Böker A, Schwaneberg U. In Situ Monitoring of Membrane Protein Insertion into Block Copolymer Vesicle Membranes and Their Spreading via Potential-Assisted Approach. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:29276-29289. [PMID: 31329408 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b09302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Synthosomes are polymer vesicles with transmembrane proteins incorporated into block copolymer membranes. They have been used for selective transport in or out of the vesicles as well as catalysis inside the compartments. However, both the insertion process of the membrane protein, forming nanopores, and the spreading of the vesicles on planar substrates to form solid-supported biomimetic membranes have been rarely studied yet. Herein, we address these two points and, first, shed light on the real-time monitoring of protein insertion via isothermal titration calorimetry. Second, the spreading process on different solid supports, namely, SiO2, glass, and gold, via different techniques like spin- and dip-coating as well as a completely new approach of potential-assisted spreading on gold surfaces was studied. While inhomogeneous layers occur via traditional methods, our proposed potential-assisted strategy to induce adsorption of positively charged vesicles by applying negative potential on the electrode leads to remarkable vesicle spreading and their further fusion to form more homogeneous planar copolymer films on gold. The polymer vesicles in our study are formed from amphiphilic copolymers poly(2-methyl oxazoline)-block-poly(dimethylsiloxane)-block-poly(2-methyl oxazoline) (PMOXA-b-PDMS-b-PMOXA). Engineered variants of the transmembrane protein ferric hydroxamate uptake protein component A (FhuA), one of the largest β-barrel channel proteins, are used as model nanopores. The incorporation of FhuA Δ1-160 is shown to facilitate the vesicle spreading process further. Moreover, high accessibility of cysteine inside the channel was proven by linkage of a fluorescent dye inside the engineered variant FhuA ΔCVFtev and hence preserved functionality of the channels after spreading. The porosity and functionality of the spread synthosomes on the gold plates have been examined by studying the passive ion transport response in the presence of Li+ and ClO4- ions and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis. Our approach to form solid-supported biomimetic membranes via the potential-assisted strategy could be important for the development of new (bio-) sensors and membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tayebeh Mirzaei Garakani
- Institute of Biotechnology , RWTH Aachen University , Worringer Weg 3 , D-52074 Aachen , Germany
- DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials , Forckenbeckstraße 50 , D-52074 , Aachen , Germany
| | - Zhanzhi Liu
- Institute of Biotechnology , RWTH Aachen University , Worringer Weg 3 , D-52074 Aachen , Germany
| | - Ulrich Glebe
- Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP , Geiselbergstraße 69 , 14476 Potsdam -Golm, Germany
- Chair of Polymer Materials and Polymer Technologies, Institute of Chemistry , University of Potsdam , Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25 , 14476 Potsdam -Golm, Germany
| | - Julia Gehrmann
- Institute of Biotechnology , RWTH Aachen University , Worringer Weg 3 , D-52074 Aachen , Germany
| | - Jaroslav Lazar
- Institute of Materials in Electrical Engineering 1 , RWTH Aachen University , Sommerfeldstraße 24 , 52074 Aachen , Germany
| | | | - Mieke Möller
- Institute of Biotechnology , RWTH Aachen University , Worringer Weg 3 , D-52074 Aachen , Germany
| | - Niloofar Hamzelui
- Institute of Biotechnology , RWTH Aachen University , Worringer Weg 3 , D-52074 Aachen , Germany
| | - Leilei Zhu
- Institute of Biotechnology , RWTH Aachen University , Worringer Weg 3 , D-52074 Aachen , Germany
| | - Uwe Schnakenberg
- Institute of Materials in Electrical Engineering 1 , RWTH Aachen University , Sommerfeldstraße 24 , 52074 Aachen , Germany
| | - Alexander Böker
- Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP , Geiselbergstraße 69 , 14476 Potsdam -Golm, Germany
- Chair of Polymer Materials and Polymer Technologies, Institute of Chemistry , University of Potsdam , Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25 , 14476 Potsdam -Golm, Germany
| | - Ulrich Schwaneberg
- Institute of Biotechnology , RWTH Aachen University , Worringer Weg 3 , D-52074 Aachen , Germany
- DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials , Forckenbeckstraße 50 , D-52074 , Aachen , Germany
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26
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Feng X, Imran Q, Zhang Y, Sixdenier L, Lu X, Kaufman G, Gabinet U, Kawabata K, Elimelech M, Osuji CO. Precise nanofiltration in a fouling-resistant self-assembled membrane with water-continuous transport pathways. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2019; 5:eaav9308. [PMID: 31448326 PMCID: PMC6688870 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aav9308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Self-assembled materials are attractive for next-generation membranes. However, the need to align self-assembled nanostructures (e.g. cylinders, lamellae) and the narrow stability windows for ordered bicontinuous systems present serious challenges. We propose and demonstrate a novel approach that circumvents these challenges by exploiting size-selective transport in the water-continuous medium of a nanostructured polymer templated from a self-assembled lyotropic H1 mesophase. Optimization of the mesophase composition enables high-fidelity retention of the H1 structure on photoinduced cross-linking. The resulting material is a mechanically robust nanostructured polymer possessing internally and externally cross-linked nanofibrils surrounded by a continuous aqueous medium. Fabricated membranes show size selectivity at the 1- to 2-nm length scale and water permeabilities of ~10 liters m-2 hour-1 bar-1 μm. Moreover, the membranes display excellent antimicrobial properties due to the quaternary ammonium groups on the nanofibril surfaces. These results represent a breakthrough for the potential use of polymerized lyotropic mesophase membranes in practical water purification applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xunda Feng
- Center for Advanced Low-dimension Materials, State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Qaboos Imran
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yizhou Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | | | - Xinglin Lu
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Gilad Kaufman
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Uri Gabinet
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kohsuke Kawabata
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, 6-3 Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-Ku, Sendai, Japan
| | - Menachem Elimelech
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Chinedum O. Osuji
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Lang C, Ye D, Song W, Yao C, Tu YM, Capparelli C, LaNasa JA, Hickner MA, Gomez EW, Gomez ED, Hickey RJ, Kumar M. Biomimetic Separation of Transport and Matrix Functions in Lamellar Block Copolymer Channel-Based Membranes. ACS NANO 2019; 13:8292-8302. [PMID: 31251576 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.9b03659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Cell membranes control mass, energy, and information flow to and from the cell. In the cell membrane a lipid bilayer serves as the barrier layer, with highly efficient molecular machines, membrane proteins, serving as the transport elements. In this way, highly specialized transport properties are achieved by these composite materials by segregating the matrix function from the transport function using different components. For example, cell membranes containing aquaporin proteins can transport ∼4 billion water molecules per second per aquaporin while rejecting all other molecules including salts, a feat unmatched by any synthetic system, while the impermeable lipid bilayer provides the barrier and matrix properties. True separation of functions between the matrix and the transport elements has been difficult to achieve in conventional solute separation synthetic membranes. In this study, we created membranes with distinct matrix and transport elements through designed coassembly of solvent-stable artificial (peptide-appended pillar[5]arene, PAP5) or natural (gramicidin A) model channels with block copolymers into lamellar multilayered membranes. Self-assembly of a lamellar structure from cross-linkable triblock copolymers was used as a scalable replacement for lipid bilayers, offering better stability and mechanical properties. By coassembly of channel molecules with block copolymers, we were able to synthesize nanofiltration membranes with sharp selectivity profiles as well as uncharged ion exchange membranes exhibiting ion selectivity. The developed method can be used for incorporation of different artificial and biological ion and water channels into synthetic polymer membranes. The strategy reported here could promote the construction of a range of channel-based membranes and sensors with desired properties, such as ion separations, stimuli responsiveness, and high sensitivity.
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28
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Martin L, Gurnani P, Zhang J, Hartlieb M, Cameron NR, Eissa AM, Perrier S. Polydimethylsiloxane-Based Giant Glycosylated Polymersomes with Tunable Bacterial Affinity. Biomacromolecules 2019; 20:1297-1307. [PMID: 30694656 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.8b01709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
A synthetic cell mimic in the form of giant glycosylated polymersomes (GGPs) comprised of a novel amphiphilic diblock copolymer is reported. A synthetic approach involving a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) macro-chain transfer agent (macroCTA) and postpolymerization modification was used to marry the hydrophobic and highly flexible properties of PDMS with the biological activity of glycopolymers. 2-Bromoethyl acrylate (BEA) was first polymerized using a PDMS macroCTA ( Mn,th ≈ 4900 g·mol-1, Đ = 1.1) to prepare well-defined PDMS- b-pBEA diblock copolymers ( Đ = 1.1) that were then substituted with 1-thio-β-d-glucose or 1-thio-β-d-galactose under facile conditions to yield PDMS- b-glycopolymers. Compositions possessing ≈25% of the glycopolymer block (by mass) were able to adopt a vesicular morphology in aqueous solution (≈210 nm in diameter), as indicated by TEM and light scattering techniques. The resulting carbohydrate-decorated polymersomes exhibited selective binding with the lectin concanavalin A (Con A), as demonstrated by turbidimetric experiments. Self-assembly of the same diblock copolymer compositions using an electroformation method yielded GGPs (ranging from 2-20 μm in diameter). Interaction of these cell-sized polymersomes with fimH positive E. coli was then studied via confocal microscopy. The glucose-decorated GGPs were found to cluster upon addition of the bacteria, while galactose-decorated GGPs could successfully interact with (and possibly immobilize) the bacteria without the onset of clustering. This demonstrates an opportunity to modulate the response of these synthetic cell mimics (protocells) toward biological entities through exploitation of selective ligand-receptor interactions, which may be readily tuned through a considered choice of carbohydrate functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Neil R Cameron
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering , Monash University , Clayton , VIC 3800 , Australia
| | - Ahmed M Eissa
- Department of Polymers, Chemical Industries Research Division , National Research Centre (NRC) , El-Bohouth Street , Dokki , 12622 , Cairo , Egypt
| | - Sébastien Perrier
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences , Monash University , Clayton , VIC 3052 , Australia
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Increasing Salt Rejection of Polybenzimidazole Nanofiltration Membranes via the Addition of Immobilized and Aligned Aquaporins. Processes (Basel) 2019; 7. [PMID: 31179235 PMCID: PMC6550480 DOI: 10.3390/pr7020076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Aquaporins are water channel proteins in cell membrane, highly specific for water molecules while restricting the passage of contaminants and small molecules, such as urea and boric acid. Cysteine functional groups were installed on aquaporin Z for covalent attachment to the polymer membrane matrix so that the proteins could be immobilized to the membranes and aligned in the direction of the flow. Depth profiling using x-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS) analysis showed the presence of functional groups corresponding to aquaporin Z modified with cysteine (Aqp-SH). Aqp-SH modified membranes showed a higher salt rejection as compared to unmodified membranes. For 2 M NaCl and CaCl2 solutions, the rejection obtained from Aqp-SH membranes was 49.3 ± 7.5% and 59.1 ± 5.1%. On the other hand, the rejections obtained for 2 M NaCl and CaCl2 solutions from unmodified membranes were 0.8 ± 0.4% and 1.3 ± 0.2% respectively. Furthermore, Aqp-SH membranes did not show a significant decrease in salt rejection with increasing feed concentrations, as was observed with other membranes. Through simulation studies, it was determined that there was approximately 24% capping of membrane pores by dispersed aquaporins.
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30
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Li Q, Li X, Ning L, Tan CH, Mu Y, Wang R. Hyperfast Water Transport through Biomimetic Nanochannels from Peptide-Attached (pR)-pillar[5]arene. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2019; 15:e1804678. [PMID: 30637936 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201804678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Revised: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic water channels offer great promise to replace natural aquaporins (AQPs) for making new-generation biomimetic membranes for water treatment. However, the water permeability of the current synthetic water channels is still far below that of AQPs. Here, peptide-attached (pR)-pillar[5]arene (pR-PH) channels are reported to mimic the high permeability of AQPs. It is demonstrated that the pR-PH channels with an open pore can transport water smoothly and efficiently. The pR-PH channels are competitive with AQPs in terms of water permeability and are much superior to diastereomer peptide-attached (pS)-pillar[5]arene (pS-PH) and other reported synthetic water channels. The exceptional water-transport properties of the pR-PH channels are further demonstrated in a composite polymeric membrane that incorporates the nanochannels into the top selective layer. This membrane gives a significantly improved water flux while retaining high salt rejection. The results establish a tangible foundation for developing highly efficient artificial water channel-based biomimetic membrane for water purification applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Li
- Singapore Membrane Technology Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637141, Singapore
| | - Xuesong Li
- Singapore Membrane Technology Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637141, Singapore
| | - Lulu Ning
- Singapore Membrane Technology Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637141, Singapore
| | - Choon-Hong Tan
- Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637371, Singapore
| | - Yuguang Mu
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637551, Singapore
| | - Rong Wang
- Singapore Membrane Technology Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637141, Singapore
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
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31
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Mumtaz Virk M, Hofmann B, Reimhult E. Formation and Characteristics of Lipid-Blended Block Copolymer Bilayers on a Solid Support Investigated by Quartz Crystal Microbalance and Atomic Force Microscopy. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2019; 35:739-749. [PMID: 30580525 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b03597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Liposomes grafted with polymer have long been used in drug delivery applications, and block copolymersomes have emerged as attractive and more robust alternatives for both drug delivery and artificial organelle applications. Hybrid membranes that could combine the respective advantages of fluid lipid and robust polymer bilayers are an attractive and enticing alternative. The properties of membranes in amphiphile vesicles are challenging to study and many applications benefit from surface-based access to the membrane. We therefore explore the self-assembly and mechanical properties of supported hybrid bilayers (SHBs) composed of polybutadiene- block-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymers and zwitterionic phosphatidylcholine lipids on SiO2 supports. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) measurements show that formation of SHB on SiO2 by vesicle fusion depends on the mass fractions of lipids and block copolymers. Atomic force microscopy was used to study the microscopic mixing of lipids in the SHB to reveal that lipid-phase separation is not observed in SHBs. Force spectroscopy was performed to extract information about thickness and mechanical properties of the hybrid membranes. SHBs are shown to combine the properties of lipid membranes and polymer brushes, and the tip force required to rupture the membrane decreases and the bilayer thickness increases as the block copolymer fraction is increased.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mudassar Mumtaz Virk
- Institute for Biologically Inspired Materials, Department of Nanobiotechnology , University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna , Muthgasse 11 , 1190 Vienna , Austria
| | - Benedikt Hofmann
- Institute for Biologically Inspired Materials, Department of Nanobiotechnology , University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna , Muthgasse 11 , 1190 Vienna , Austria
| | - Erik Reimhult
- Institute for Biologically Inspired Materials, Department of Nanobiotechnology , University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna , Muthgasse 11 , 1190 Vienna , Austria
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32
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Song W, Tu YM, Oh H, Samineni L, Kumar M. Hierarchical Optimization of High-Performance Biomimetic and Bioinspired Membranes. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2019; 35:589-607. [PMID: 30577695 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b03655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Biomimetic and bioinspired membranes have emerged as an innovative platform for water purification and aqueous separations. They are inspired by the exceptional water permeability (∼109 water molecules per second per channel) and perfect selectivity of biological water channels, aquaporins. However, only few successes have been reported for channel-based membrane fabrication due to inherent challenges of realizing coherence between channel design at the angstrom level and development of scalable membranes that maintain these molecular properties at practice-relevant scales. In this article, we feature recent progress toward practical biomimetic membranes, with the review organized along a hierarchical structural perspective that biomimetic membranes commonly share. These structures range from unitary pore shapes and tubular hydrophobic channel geometries to self-assembled bilayer structures and finally to macroscale membranes covering a size range from the angstrom, to the micrometer scale, and finally to the centimeter and larger scales. To maximize the advantage of water channel implementation into membranes, each feature needs to be optimized in an appropriate manner that provides a path to successful scale-up to achieve high performance in practical biomimetic and bioinspired membranes.
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33
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34
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Sanborn JR, Chen X, Yao YC, Hammons JA, Tunuguntla RH, Zhang Y, Newcomb CC, Soltis JA, De Yoreo JJ, Van Buuren A, Parikh AN, Noy A. Carbon Nanotube Porins in Amphiphilic Block Copolymers as Fully Synthetic Mimics of Biological Membranes. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2018; 30:e1803355. [PMID: 30368926 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201803355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2018] [Revised: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Biological membranes provide a fascinating example of a separation system that is multifunctional, tunable, precise, and efficient. Biomimetic membranes, which mimic the architecture of cellular membranes, have the potential to deliver significant improvements in specificity and permeability. Here, a fully synthetic biomimetic membrane is reported that incorporates ultra-efficient 1.5 nm diameter carbon nanotube porin (CNTPs) channels in a block-copolymer matrix. It is demonstrated that CNTPs maintain high proton and water permeability in these membranes. CNTPs can also mimic the behavior of biological gap junctions by forming bridges between vesicular compartments that allow transport of small molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy R Sanborn
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, 94550, USA
- University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Xi Chen
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, 94550, USA
- School of Natural Sciences, University of California Merced, Merced, CA, 95343, USA
| | - Yun-Chiao Yao
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, 94550, USA
- School of Natural Sciences, University of California Merced, Merced, CA, 95343, USA
| | - Joshua A Hammons
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, 94550, USA
| | - Ramya H Tunuguntla
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, 94550, USA
| | - Yuliang Zhang
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, 94550, USA
| | - Christina C Newcomb
- Physical Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99354, USA
| | - Jennifer A Soltis
- Physical Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99354, USA
| | - James J De Yoreo
- Physical Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, 99354, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Anthony Van Buuren
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, 94550, USA
| | - Atul N Parikh
- University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Aleksandr Noy
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, 94550, USA
- School of Natural Sciences, University of California Merced, Merced, CA, 95343, USA
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35
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Abstract
Water at interfaces governs many processes on the molecular scale from electrochemical and enzymatic reactions to protein folding. Here we focus on water transport through proteinaceous pores that are so narrow that the water molecules cannot overtake each other in the pore. After a short introduction into the single-file transport theory, we analyze experiments in which the unitary water permeability, pf, of water channel proteins (aquaporins, AQPs), potassium channels (KcsA), and antibiotics (gramicidin-A derivatives) has been obtained. A short outline of the underlying methods (scanning electrochemical microscopy, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, measurements of vesicle light scattering) is also provided. We conclude that pf increases exponentially with a decreasing number NH of hydrogen bond donating or accepting residues in the channel wall. The variance in NH is responsible for a more than hundredfold change in pf. The dehydration penalty at the channel mouth has a smaller effect on pf. The intricate link between pf and the Gibbs activation energy barrier, ΔG‡t, for water flow suggests that conformational transitions of water channels act as a third determinant of pf.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Horner
- Johannes Kepler University Linz, Institute of Biophysics, Gruberstr. 40, 4020 Linz, Austria.
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Abdelrasoul A, Doan H, Lohi A, Cheng CH. Aquaporin-Based Biomimetic and Bioinspired Membranes for New Frontiers in Sustainable Water Treatment Technology: Approaches and Challenges. POLYMER SCIENCE SERIES A 2018. [DOI: 10.1134/s0965545x18040016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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37
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Shen YX, Song W, Barden DR, Ren T, Lang C, Feroz H, Henderson CB, Saboe PO, Tsai D, Yan H, Butler PJ, Bazan GC, Phillip WA, Hickey RJ, Cremer PS, Vashisth H, Kumar M. Achieving high permeability and enhanced selectivity for Angstrom-scale separations using artificial water channel membranes. Nat Commun 2018; 9:2294. [PMID: 29895901 PMCID: PMC5997692 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04604-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Synthetic polymer membranes, critical to diverse energy-efficient separations, are subject to permeability-selectivity trade-offs that decrease their overall efficacy. These trade-offs are due to structural variations (e.g., broad pore size distributions) in both nonporous membranes used for Angstrom-scale separations and porous membranes used for nano to micron-scale separations. Biological membranes utilize well-defined Angstrom-scale pores to provide exceptional transport properties and can be used as inspiration to overcome this trade-off. Here, we present a comprehensive demonstration of such a bioinspired approach based on pillar[5]arene artificial water channels, resulting in artificial water channel-based block copolymer membranes. These membranes have a sharp selectivity profile with a molecular weight cutoff of ~ 500 Da, a size range challenging to achieve with current membranes, while achieving a large improvement in permeability (~65 L m-2 h-1 bar-1 compared with 4-7 L m-2 h-1 bar-1) over similarly rated commercial membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue-Xiao Shen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Woochul Song
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - D Ryan Barden
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA
| | - Tingwei Ren
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Chao Lang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Hasin Feroz
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Codey B Henderson
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Patrick O Saboe
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Daniel Tsai
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Hengjing Yan
- Center for Polymers and Organic Solids, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Peter J Butler
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Guillermo C Bazan
- Center for Polymers and Organic Solids, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - William A Phillip
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
| | - Robert J Hickey
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Paul S Cremer
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Harish Vashisth
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA
| | - Manish Kumar
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
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Hannesschläger C, Barta T, Siligan C, Horner A. Quantification of Water Flux in Vesicular Systems. Sci Rep 2018; 8:8516. [PMID: 29867158 PMCID: PMC5986868 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-26946-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Water transport across lipid membranes is fundamental to all forms of life and plays a major role in health and disease. However, not only typical water facilitators like aquaporins facilitate water flux, but also transporters, ion channels or receptors represent potent water pathways. The efforts directed towards a mechanistic understanding of water conductivity determinants in transmembrane proteins, the development of water flow inhibitors, and the creation of biomimetic membranes with incorporated membrane proteins or artificial water channels depend on reliable and accurate ways of quantifying water permeabilities Pf. A conventional method is to subject vesicles to an osmotic gradient in a stopped-flow device: Fast recordings of scattered light intensity are converted into the time course of vesicle volume change. Even though an analytical solution accurately acquiring Pf from scattered light intensities exists, approximations potentially misjudging Pf by orders of magnitude are used. By means of computational and experimental data we point out that erroneous results such as that the single channel water permeability pf depends on the osmotic gradient are direct results of such approximations. Finally, we propose an empirical solution of which calculated permeability values closely match those calculated with the analytical solution in the relevant range of parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christof Hannesschläger
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Gruberstr. 40, 4020, Linz, Austria
| | - Thomas Barta
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Gruberstr. 40, 4020, Linz, Austria
| | - Christine Siligan
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Gruberstr. 40, 4020, Linz, Austria
| | - Andreas Horner
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Gruberstr. 40, 4020, Linz, Austria.
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39
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Werber JR, Elimelech M. Permselectivity limits of biomimetic desalination membranes. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:eaar8266. [PMID: 29963628 PMCID: PMC6025908 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aar8266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Water scarcity and inadequate membrane selectivity have spurred interest in biomimetic desalination membranes, in which biological or synthetic water channels are incorporated in an amphiphilic bilayer. As low channel densities (0.1 to 10%) are required for sufficient water permeability, the amphiphilic bilayer matrix will play a critical role in separation performance. We determine selectivity limits for biomimetic membranes by studying the transport behavior of water, neutral solutes, and ions through the bilayers of lipid and block-copolymer vesicles and projecting performance for varying water channel densities. We report that defect-free biomimetic membranes would have water/salt permselectivities ~108-fold greater than current desalination membranes. In contrast, the solubility-based permeability of lipid and block-copolymer bilayers (extending Overton's rule) will result in poor rejection of hydrophobic solutes. Defect-free biomimetic membranes thus offer great potential for seawater desalination and ultrapure water production, but would perform poorly in wastewater reuse. Potential strategies to limit neutral solute permeation are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Menachem Elimelech
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
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40
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Klermund L, Castiglione K. Polymersomes as nanoreactors for preparative biocatalytic applications: current challenges and future perspectives. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 2018; 41:1233-1246. [DOI: 10.1007/s00449-018-1953-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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Chen W, Chen S, Liang T, Zhang Q, Fan Z, Yin H, Huang KW, Zhang X, Lai Z, Sheng P. High-flux water desalination with interfacial salt sieving effect in nanoporous carbon composite membranes. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2018; 13:345-350. [PMID: 29507347 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-018-0067-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2015] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Freshwater flux and energy consumption are two important benchmarks for the membrane desalination process. Here, we show that nanoporous carbon composite membranes, which comprise a layer of porous carbon fibre structures grown on a porous ceramic substrate, can exhibit 100% desalination and a freshwater flux that is 3-20 times higher than existing polymeric membranes. Thermal accounting experiments demonstrated that the carbon composite membrane saved over 80% of the latent heat consumption. Theoretical calculations combined with molecular dynamics simulations revealed the unique microscopic process occurring in the membrane. When the salt solution is stopped at the openings to the nanoscale porous channels and forms a meniscus, the vapour can rapidly transport across the nanoscale gap to condense on the permeate side. This process is driven by the chemical potential gradient and aided by the unique smoothness of the carbon surface. The high thermal conductivity of the carbon composite membrane ensures that most of the latent heat is recovered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Chen
- Division of Physical Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- CAS Key Laboratory of Low-Carbon Conversion Science and Engineering, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuyu Chen
- Department of Physics, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Tengfei Liang
- Department of Physics, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
- School of Astronautics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- Division of Physical Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Zhongli Fan
- Division of Physical Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hang Yin
- Division of Physical Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Kuo-Wei Huang
- Division of Physical Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Xixiang Zhang
- Division of Physical Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Zhiping Lai
- Division of Physical Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Ping Sheng
- Department of Physics, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
- Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
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43
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Biomimetic artificial organelles with in vitro and in vivo activity triggered by reduction in microenvironment. Nat Commun 2018; 9:1127. [PMID: 29555899 PMCID: PMC5859287 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03560-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2017] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite tremendous efforts to develop stimuli-responsive enzyme delivery systems, their efficacy has been mostly limited to in vitro applications. Here we introduce, by using an approach of combining biomolecules with artificial compartments, a biomimetic strategy to create artificial organelles (AOs) as cellular implants, with endogenous stimuli-triggered enzymatic activity. AOs are produced by inserting protein gates in the membrane of polymersomes containing horseradish peroxidase enzymes selected as a model for natures own enzymes involved in the redox homoeostasis. The inserted protein gates are engineered by attaching molecular caps to genetically modified channel porins in order to induce redox-responsive control of the molecular flow through the membrane. AOs preserve their structure and are activated by intracellular glutathione levels in vitro. Importantly, our biomimetic AOs are functional in vivo in zebrafish embryos, which demonstrates the feasibility of using AOs as cellular implants in living organisms. This opens new perspectives for patient-oriented protein therapy. The efficacy of stimuli-responsive enzyme delivery systems is usually limited to in vitro applications. Here the authors form artificial organelles by inserting stimuli-responsive protein gates in membranes of polymersomes loaded with enzymes and obtain a triggered functionality both in vitro and in vivo.
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44
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Lopes-Rodrigues M, Triguero J, Torras J, Perpète EA, Michaux C, Zanuy D, Alemán C. Influence of the surrounding environment in re-naturalized β-barrel membrane proteins. Biophys Chem 2018; 234:6-15. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2017.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Revised: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 12/23/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Schantz AB, Ren T, Pachalla A, Shen Y, Hickey RJ, Kumar M. Porous Vesicles with Extrusion‐Tunable Permeability and Pore Size from Mixed Solutions of PEO–PPO–PEO Triblock Copolymers. MACROMOL CHEM PHYS 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/macp.201700620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- A. Benjamin Schantz
- Department of Chemical Engineering The Pennsylvania State University 125 Greenberg Complex University Park PA 16802 USA
| | - Tingwei Ren
- Department of Chemical Engineering The Pennsylvania State University 125 Greenberg Complex University Park PA 16802 USA
| | - Abhishek Pachalla
- Department of Chemical Engineering The Pennsylvania State University 125 Greenberg Complex University Park PA 16802 USA
| | - Yuexiao Shen
- Department of Chemical Engineering The Pennsylvania State University 125 Greenberg Complex University Park PA 16802 USA
| | - Robert J. Hickey
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering The Pennsylvania State University 403 Steidle Building University Park PA 16802 USA
| | - Manish Kumar
- Department of Chemical Engineering The Pennsylvania State University 125 Greenberg Complex University Park PA 16802 USA
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46
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Palanco ME, Skovgaard N, Hansen JS, Berg-Sørensen K, Hélix-Nielsen C. Tuning biomimetic membrane barrier properties by hydrocarbon, cholesterol and polymeric additives. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2017; 13:016005. [PMID: 29019793 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/aa92be] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
The barrier properties of cellular membranes are increasingly attracting attention as a source of inspiration for designing biomimetic membranes. The broad range of potential technological applications makes the use of lipid and lately also polymeric materials a popular choice for constructing biomimetic membranes, where the barrier properties can be controlled by the composition of the membrane constituent elements. Here we investigate the membrane properties reported by the light-induced proton pumping activity of bacteriorhodopsin (bR) reconstituted in three vesicle systems of different membrane composition. Specifically we quantify how the resulting proton influx and efflux rates are influenced by the membrane composition using a variety of membrane modulators. We demonstrate that by adding hydrocarbons to vesicles with reconstituted bR formed from asolectin lipids the resulting transmembrane proton fluxes changes proportional to the carbon chain length when compared against control. We observe a similar proportionality in single-component 1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine model membranes when using cholesterol. Lastly we investigate the effects of adding the amphiphilic di-block co-polymer polybutadiene-polyethyleneoxide (PB12-PEO10) to phospholipid membranes formed from 1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, 1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylethanolamine, and 1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylserine. The proton pumping activity of bR (measured as a change in extra-vesicular pH) in mixed lipid/PB12-PEO10 lipid systems is up to six-fold higher compared to that observed for bR containing vesicles made from PB12-PEO10 alone. Interestingly, bR inserts with apparent opposite orientation in pure PB12-PEO10 vesicles as compared to pure lipid vesicles. Addition of equimolar amounts of lipids to PB12-PEO10 results in bR orientation similar to that observed for pure lipids. In conclusion our results show how the barrier properties of the membranes can be controlled by the composition of the membrane. In particular the use of mixed lipid-polymer systems may pave the way for constructing biomimetic membranes tailored for optimal properties in various applications including drug delivery systems, biosensors and energy conservation technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Espina Palanco
- Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark. These authors contributed equally to this work
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Loo SL, Siti W, Thiyagarajan M, Torres J, Wang R, Hu X. Reproducible Preparation of Proteopolymersomes via Sequential Polymer Film Hydration and Membrane Protein Reconstitution. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2017; 33:12336-12343. [PMID: 28985471 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.7b02926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Film rehydration method is commonly used for membrane protein (MP) reconstitution into block copolymer (BCP), but the lack of control in the rehydration step formed a heterogeneous population of proteopolymersomes that interferes with the characterization and performance of devices incorporating them. To improve the self-assembly of polymersomes with simultaneous MP reconstitution, the study reported herein aimed to understand the effects of different variants of the rehydration procedure on the MP reconstitution into BCP membranes. The model MP used in this study was AquaporinZ (AqpZ), an α-helical MP that has been shown to have a high permeation rate exclusive to water molecules. Comparing four rehydration methods differing in the hydration time (i.e., brief wetting or full hydration) and medium (i.e., in buffer or AqpZ stock solution), prehydration with buffer prior to adding AqpZ was found to be most desirable and reproducible reconstitution method because it gave rise to the highest proportion of well-formed vesicles with intact AqpZ functionality as evidenced by the transmission electron microscopy images, dynamic light scattering, and stopped-flow analyses. The mechanisms by which effective AqpZ reconstitution takes place were also investigated and discussed. Small-angle X-ray scattering analysis shows that hydrating the initially dry multilamellar BCP films allows the separation of lamellae. This is anticipated to increase the membrane fluidity that facilitates a fast and spontaneous integration of AqpZ as the detergent concentration is considerably lowered below its critical micelle concentration. Dilution of detergent can result in precipitation of proteins in the absence of well-fluidized membranes for protein integration that underscores the importance of membrane fluidity in MP reconstitution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siew-Leng Loo
- Singapore Membrane Technology Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University , 637141 Singapore
| | - Winna Siti
- Singapore Membrane Technology Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University , 637141 Singapore
| | - Monisha Thiyagarajan
- Singapore Membrane Technology Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University , 637141 Singapore
| | - Jaume Torres
- Singapore Membrane Technology Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University , 637141 Singapore
| | - Rong Wang
- Singapore Membrane Technology Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University , 637141 Singapore
| | - Xiao Hu
- Singapore Membrane Technology Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University , 637141 Singapore
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48
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Ren X, Kumbur EC, Zhou JG, Noh M, Chong PLG. Stability of free-standing tetraether planar membranes in microchips. J Memb Sci 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2017.06.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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49
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Ren T, Erbakan M, Shen Y, Barbieri E, Saboe P, Feroz H, Yan H, McCuskey S, Hall JF, Schantz AB, Bazan GC, Butler PJ, Grzelakowski M, Kumar M. Membrane Protein Insertion into and Compatibility with Biomimetic Membranes. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 1:e1700053. [DOI: 10.1002/adbi.201700053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2017] [Revised: 05/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tingwei Ren
- Department of Chemical Engineering The Pennsylvania State University University Park PA 16802 USA
| | - Mustafa Erbakan
- Department of Chemical Engineering The Pennsylvania State University University Park PA 16802 USA
- Department of Biosystem Engineering Bozok University Yozgat 66000 Turkey
| | - Yuexiao Shen
- Department of Chemical Engineering The Pennsylvania State University University Park PA 16802 USA
| | - Eduardo Barbieri
- Department of Chemical Engineering The Pennsylvania State University University Park PA 16802 USA
- Departamento de Engenharia Química Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Centro de Tecnologia Bloco E Rio de Janeiro RJ CEP 21941‐909 Brazil
| | - Patrick Saboe
- Department of Chemical Engineering The Pennsylvania State University University Park PA 16802 USA
| | - Hasin Feroz
- Department of Chemical Engineering The Pennsylvania State University University Park PA 16802 USA
| | - Hengjing Yan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry University of California Santa Barbara CA 93106 USA
| | - Samantha McCuskey
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry University of California Santa Barbara CA 93106 USA
| | - Joseph F. Hall
- Department of Chemical Engineering The Pennsylvania State University University Park PA 16802 USA
| | - A. Benjamin Schantz
- Department of Chemical Engineering The Pennsylvania State University University Park PA 16802 USA
| | - Guillermo C. Bazan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry University of California Santa Barbara CA 93106 USA
| | - Peter J. Butler
- Department of Biomedical Engineering The Pennsylvania State University University Park PA USA 16802
| | | | - Manish Kumar
- Department of Chemical Engineering The Pennsylvania State University University Park PA 16802 USA
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50
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Schantz AB, Saboe PO, Sines IT, Lee HY, Bishop KJM, Maranas JK, Butler PD, Kumar M. PEE–PEO Block Copolymer Exchange Rate between Mixed Micelles Is Detergent and Temperature Activated. Macromolecules 2017. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.6b01973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Allen B. Schantz
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Patrick O. Saboe
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Ian T. Sines
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Hee-Young Lee
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Kyle J. M. Bishop
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Janna K. Maranas
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Paul D. Butler
- NIST
Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-6102, United States
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-1600, United States
| | - Manish Kumar
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
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