1
|
Kar H, Goldin L, Frezzato D, Prins LJ. Local Self-Assembly of Dissipative Structures Sustained by Substrate Diffusion. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202404583. [PMID: 38717103 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202404583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
The coupling between energy-consuming molecular processes and the macroscopic dimension plays an important role in nature and in the development of active matter. Here, we study the temporal evolution of a macroscopic system upon the local activation of a dissipative self-assembly process. Injection of surfactant molecules in a substrate-containing hydrogel results in the local substrate-templated formation of assemblies, which are catalysts for the conversion of substrate into waste. We show that the system develops into a macroscopic (pseudo-)non-equilibrium steady state (NESS) characterized by the local presence of energy-dissipating assemblies and persistent substrate and waste concentration gradients. For elevated substrate concentrations, this state can be maintained for more than 4 days. The studies reveal an interdependence between the dissipative assemblies and the concentration gradients: catalytic activity by the assemblies results in sustained concentration gradients and, vice versa, continuous diffusion of substrate to the assemblies stabilizes their size. The possibility to activate dissipative processes with spatial control and create long lasting non-equilibrium steady states enables dissipative structures to be studied in the space-time domain, which is of relevance for understanding biological systems and for the development of active matter.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haridas Kar
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Goldin
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Diego Frezzato
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Leonard J Prins
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Wang H, Wang K, Bai S, Wei L, Gao Y, Zhi K, Guo X, Wang Y. Spatiotemporal control over self-assembly of supramolecular hydrogels through reaction-diffusion. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 664:938-945. [PMID: 38503079 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.03.091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Supramolecular self-assembly is ubiquitous in living system and is usually controlled to proceed in time and space through sophisticated reaction-diffusion processes, underpinning various vital cellular functions. In this contribution, we demonstrate how spatiotemporal self-assembly of supramolecular hydrogels can be realized through a simple reaction-diffusion-mediated transient transduction of pH signal. In the reaction-diffusion system, a relatively faster diffusion of acid followed by delayed enzymatic production and diffusion of base from the opposite site enables a transient transduction of pH signal in the substrate. By coupling such reaction-diffusion system with pH-sensitive gelators, dynamic supramolecular hydrogels with tunable lifetimes are formed at defined locations. The hydrogel fibers show interesting dynamic growing behaviors under the regulation of transient pH signal, reminiscent of their biological counterpart. We further demonstrate a proof-of-concept application of the developed methodology for dynamic information encoding in a soft substrate. We envision that this work may provide a potent approach to enable transient transduction of various chemical signals for the construction of new colloidal materials with the capability to evolve their structures and functionalities in time and space.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hucheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Kainan Wang
- School of Health Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Shengyu Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Lai Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Yuliang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Kangkang Zhi
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200003, China.
| | - Xuhong Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Yiming Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory for Intelligent Sensing and Detection Technology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ji Y, Qiao Y. Tuning interfacial fluidity and colloidal stability of membranized coacervate protocells. Commun Chem 2024; 7:122. [PMID: 38831043 PMCID: PMC11148010 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-024-01193-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The cell membrane not only serves as the boundary between the cell's interior and the external environment but also plays a crucial role in regulating fundamental cellular behaviours. Interfacial membranization of membraneless coacervates, formed through liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), represents a reliable approach to constructing hierarchical cell-like entities known as protocells. In this study, we demonstrate the capability to modulate the interfacial membrane fluidity and thickness of dextran-bound coacervate protocells by adjusting the molecular weight of dextran or utilizing dextranase-catalyzed hydrolysis. This modulation allows for rational control over colloidal stability, interfacial molecular transport and cell-protocell interactions. Our work opens a new avenue for surface engineering of coacervate protocells, enabling the establishment of cell-mimicking structures and behaviours.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanglimin Ji
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Qiao
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Liu W, Deng J, Song S, Sethi S, Walther A. A facile DNA coacervate platform for engineering wetting, engulfment, fusion and transient behavior. Commun Chem 2024; 7:100. [PMID: 38693272 PMCID: PMC11063173 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-024-01185-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Biomolecular coacervates are emerging models to understand biological systems and important building blocks for designer applications. DNA can be used to build up programmable coacervates, but often the processes and building blocks to make those are only available to specialists. Here, we report a simple approach for the formation of dynamic, multivalency-driven coacervates using long single-stranded DNA homopolymer in combination with a series of palindromic binders to serve as a synthetic coacervate droplet. We reveal details on how the length and sequence of the multivalent binders influence coacervate formation, how to introduce switching and autonomous behavior in reaction circuits, as well as how to engineer wetting, engulfment and fusion in multi-coacervate system. Our simple-to-use model DNA coacervates enhance the understanding of coacervate dynamics, fusion, phase transition mechanisms, and wetting behavior between coacervates, forming a solid foundation for the development of innovative synthetic and programmable coacervates for fundamental studies and applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Liu
- Life-Like Materials and Systems, Department of Chemistry, University of Mainz, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jie Deng
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Luoyu Road 1037, 430074, Wuhan, China
| | - Siyu Song
- Life-Like Materials and Systems, Department of Chemistry, University of Mainz, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Soumya Sethi
- Life-Like Materials and Systems, Department of Chemistry, University of Mainz, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Andreas Walther
- Life-Like Materials and Systems, Department of Chemistry, University of Mainz, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128, Mainz, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Shandilya E, Rallabandi B, Maiti S. In situ enzymatic control of colloidal phoresis and catalysis through hydrolysis of ATP. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3603. [PMID: 38684662 PMCID: PMC11059368 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47912-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The ability to sense chemical gradients and respond with directional motility and chemical activity is a defining feature of complex living systems. There is a strong interest among scientists to design synthetic systems that emulate these properties. Here, we realize and control such behaviors in a synthetic system by tailoring multivalent interactions of adenosine nucleotides with catalytic microbeads. We first show that multivalent interactions of the bead with gradients of adenosine mono-, di- and trinucleotides (AM/D/TP) control both the phoretic motion and a proton-transfer catalytic reaction, and find that both effects are diminished greatly with increasing valence of phosphates. We exploit this behavior by using enzymatic hydrolysis of ATP to AMP, which downregulates multivalent interactivity in situ. This produces a sudden increase in transport of the catalytic microbeads (a phoretic jump), which is accompanied by increased catalytic activity. Finally, we show how this enzymatic activity can be systematically tuned, leading to simultaneous in situ spatial and temporal control of the location of the microbeads, as well as the products of the reaction that they catalyze. These findings open up new avenues for utilizing multivalent interaction-mediated programming of complex chemo-mechanical behaviors into active systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ekta Shandilya
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Mohali, Knowledge City, Manauli, 140306, India
| | - Bhargav Rallabandi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA.
| | - Subhabrata Maiti
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Mohali, Knowledge City, Manauli, 140306, India.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Li H, Qian X, Mohanram H, Han X, Qi H, Zou G, Yuan F, Miserez A, Liu T, Yang Q, Gao H, Yu J. Self-assembly of peptide nanocapsules by a solvent concentration gradient. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2024:10.1038/s41565-024-01654-w. [PMID: 38671050 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-024-01654-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Biological systems can create materials with intricate structures and specialized functions. In comparison, precise control of structures in human-made materials has been challenging. Here we report on insect cuticle peptides that spontaneously form nanocapsules through a single-step solvent exchange process, where the concentration gradient resulting from the mixing of water and acetone drives the localization and self-assembly of the peptides into hollow nanocapsules. The underlying driving force is found to be the intrinsic affinity of the peptides for a particular solvent concentration, while the diffusion of water and acetone creates a gradient interface that triggers peptide localization and self-assembly. This gradient-mediated self-assembly offers a transformative pathway towards simple generation of drug delivery systems based on peptide nanocapsules.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haopeng Li
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bio-Intelligent Manufacturing, School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Xuliang Qian
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Harini Mohanram
- School of Biological Sciences, Division of Structural and Computational Biology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Xiao Han
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Huitang Qi
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bio-Intelligent Manufacturing, School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Guijin Zou
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- Institute of High Performance Computing, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Fenghou Yuan
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bio-Intelligent Manufacturing, School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Ali Miserez
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- Biological and Biomimetic Material Laboratory (BBML), Center for Sustainable Materials (SusMat), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Tian Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bio-Intelligent Manufacturing, School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China.
| | - Qing Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
- Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Huajian Gao
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
- Institute of High Performance Computing, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore.
- Mechano-X Institute, Applied Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
| | - Jing Yu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
- Institute for Digital Molecular Analytics and Science, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Naz M, Zhang L, Chen C, Yang S, Dou H, Mann S, Li J. Self-assembly of stabilized droplets from liquid-liquid phase separation for higher-order structures and functions. Commun Chem 2024; 7:79. [PMID: 38594355 PMCID: PMC11004187 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-024-01168-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Dynamic microscale droplets produced by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) have emerged as appealing biomaterials due to their remarkable features. However, the instability of droplets limits the construction of population-level structures with collective behaviors. Here we first provide a brief background of droplets in the context of materials properties. Subsequently, we discuss current strategies for stabilizing droplets including physical separation and chemical modulation. We also discuss the recent development of LLPS droplets for various applications such as synthetic cells and biomedical materials. Finally, we give insights on how stabilized droplets can self-assemble into higher-order structures displaying coordinated functions to fully exploit their potentials in bottom-up synthetic biology and biomedical applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mehwish Naz
- State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
- Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study (ZIAS), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 429 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Lin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
- Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study (ZIAS), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 429 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Chong Chen
- MediCity Research Laboratory, University of Turku, Tykistökatu 6, Turku, 20520, Finland
| | - Shuo Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
- Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study (ZIAS), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 429 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Hongjing Dou
- State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
- Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study (ZIAS), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 429 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Stephen Mann
- State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
- Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study (ZIAS), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 429 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, China.
- Centre for Protolife Research and Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
- Max Planck-Bristol Centre for Minimal Biology, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TS, UK.
| | - Jianwei Li
- MediCity Research Laboratory, University of Turku, Tykistökatu 6, Turku, 20520, Finland.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Fu H, Cao N, Zeng W, Liao M, Yao S, Zhou J, Zhang W. Pumping Small Molecules Selectively through an Energy-Assisted Assembling Process at Nonequilibrium States. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:3323-3330. [PMID: 38273768 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c12228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
In living organisms, precise control over the spatial and temporal distribution of molecules, including pheromones, is crucial. This level of control is equally important for the development of artificial active materials. In this study, we successfully controlled the distribution of small molecules in the system at nonequilibrium states by actively transporting them, even against the apparent concentration gradient, with high selectivity. As a demonstration, in the aqueous solution of acid orange (AO7) and TMC10COOH, we found that AO7 molecules can coassemble with transient anhydride (TMC10CO)2O to form larger assemblies in the presence of chemical fuel 1-ethyl-3-(3-(dimethylamino)propyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC). This led to a decrease in local free AO7 concentration and caused AO7 molecules from other locations in the solution to move toward the assemblies. Consequently, AO7 accumulates at the location where EDC was injected. By continuously injecting EDC, we could maintain a stable high value of the apparent AO7 concentration at the injection point. We also observed that this process which operated at nonequilibrium states exhibited high selectivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huimin Fu
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, School of Emergent Soft Matter, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional and Intelligent Hybrid Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, P. R. China
| | - Nengjie Cao
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, School of Emergent Soft Matter, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional and Intelligent Hybrid Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, P. R. China
| | - Wang Zeng
- National Centre for Inorganic Mass Spectrometry in Shanghai, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, P. R. China
| | - Min Liao
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, School of Emergent Soft Matter, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional and Intelligent Hybrid Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, P. R. China
| | - Shenglin Yao
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, School of Emergent Soft Matter, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional and Intelligent Hybrid Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, P. R. China
| | - Jiajia Zhou
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, School of Emergent Soft Matter, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional and Intelligent Hybrid Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, P. R. China
| | - Wei Zhang
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, School of Emergent Soft Matter, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional and Intelligent Hybrid Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Zhang X, Mao L, He R, Shi Y, Li L, Li S, Zhu C, Zhang Y, Ma D. Tunable cyclic operation of dissipative molecular switches based on anion recognition. Chem Commun (Camb) 2024; 60:1180-1183. [PMID: 38193867 DOI: 10.1039/d3cc05912j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Artificial dissipative molecular switches based on anion recognition are of great importance to simulate biological functions and construct smart materials. Five activated carboxylic acids are used as chemical fuels for dissipative molecular switches, which consist of an imidazolium macrocyclic host and a carboxylate anionic guest. By choosing different types of chemical fuels and using varied fuel concentrations, the rates of cyclic operations are tunable. The operation is capable of undergoing at least three cycles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Institute for Advanced Studies, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China.
| | - Lijun Mao
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Institute for Advanced Studies, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China.
| | - Rongjing He
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Institute for Advanced Studies, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China.
| | - Yanting Shi
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Institute for Advanced Studies, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China.
| | - Lingyi Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Institute for Advanced Studies, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China.
| | - Shuo Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Institute for Advanced Studies, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China.
| | - Chenghao Zhu
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Institute for Advanced Studies, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China.
| | - Yanjing Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Institute for Advanced Studies, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China.
| | - Da Ma
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Institute for Advanced Studies, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Hurst PJ, Mulvey JT, Bone RA, Selmani S, Hudson RF, Guan Z, Green JR, Patterson JP. CryoEM reveals the complex self-assembly of a chemically driven disulfide hydrogel. Chem Sci 2024; 15:1106-1116. [PMID: 38239701 PMCID: PMC10793653 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc05790a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Inspired by the adaptability of biological materials, a variety of synthetic, chemically driven self-assembly processes have been developed that result in the transient formation of supramolecular structures. These structures form through two simultaneous reactions, forward and backward, which generate and consume a molecule that undergoes self-assembly. The dynamics of these assembly processes have been shown to differ from conventional thermodynamically stable molecular assemblies. However, the evolution of nanoscale morphologies in chemically driven self-assembly and how they compare to conventional assemblies has not been resolved. Here, we use a chemically driven redox system to separately carry out the forward and backward reactions. We analyze the forward and backward reactions both sequentially and synchronously with time-resolved cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryoEM). Quantitative image analysis shows that the synchronous process is more complex and heterogeneous than the sequential process. Our key finding is that a thermodynamically unstable stacked nanorod phase, briefly observed in the backward reaction, is sustained for ∼6 hours in the synchronous process. Kinetic Monte Carlo modeling show that the synchronous process is driven by multiple cycles of assembly and disassembly. The collective data suggest that chemically driven self-assembly can create sustained morphologies not seen in thermodynamically stable assemblies by kinetically stabilizing transient intermediates. This finding provides plausible design principles to develop and optimize supramolecular materials with novel properties.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul Joshua Hurst
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine Irvine California 92697 USA
- Center for Complex and Active Materials, University of California, Irvine Irvine California 92697 USA
| | - Justin T Mulvey
- Center for Complex and Active Materials, University of California, Irvine Irvine California 92697 USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Irvine Irvine California 92697 USA
| | - Rebecca A Bone
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Boston Boston Massachusetts 02125 USA
| | - Serxho Selmani
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine Irvine California 92697 USA
- Center for Complex and Active Materials, University of California, Irvine Irvine California 92697 USA
| | - Redford F Hudson
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Irvine Irvine California 92697 USA
| | - Zhibin Guan
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine Irvine California 92697 USA
- Center for Complex and Active Materials, University of California, Irvine Irvine California 92697 USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Irvine Irvine California 92697 USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine Irvine California 92697 USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine Irvine California 92697 USA
| | - Jason R Green
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Boston Boston Massachusetts 02125 USA
- Department of Physics, University of Massachusetts Boston Boston Massachusetts 02125 USA
| | - Joseph P Patterson
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine Irvine California 92697 USA
- Center for Complex and Active Materials, University of California, Irvine Irvine California 92697 USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Irvine Irvine California 92697 USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Wang J, Abbas M, Wang J, Spruijt E. Selective amide bond formation in redox-active coacervate protocells. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8492. [PMID: 38129391 PMCID: PMC10739716 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44284-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Coacervate droplets are promising protocell models because they sequester a wide range of guest molecules and may catalyze their conversion. However, it remains unclear how life's building blocks, including peptides, could be synthesized from primitive precursor molecules inside such protocells. Here, we develop a redox-active protocell model formed by phase separation of prebiotically relevant ferricyanide (Fe(CN)63-) molecules and cationic peptides. Their assembly into coacervates can be regulated by redox chemistry and the coacervates act as oxidizing hubs for sequestered metabolites, like NAD(P)H and gluthathione. Interestingly, the oxidizing potential of Fe(CN)63- inside coacervates can be harnessed to drive the formation of new amide bonds between prebiotically relevant amino acids and α-amidothioacids. Aminoacylation is enhanced in Fe(CN)63-/peptide coacervates and selective for amino acids that interact less strongly with the coacervates. We finally use Fe(CN)63--containing coacervates to spatially control assembly of fibrous networks inside and at the surface of coacervate protocells. These results provide an important step towards the prebiotically relevant integration of redox chemistry in primitive cell-like compartments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiahua Wang
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Department of Radiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Manzar Abbas
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Junyou Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China.
| | - Evan Spruijt
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Lin Z, Beneyton T, Baret JC, Martin N. Coacervate Droplets for Synthetic Cells. SMALL METHODS 2023; 7:e2300496. [PMID: 37462244 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202300496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
The design and construction of synthetic cells - human-made microcompartments that mimic features of living cells - have experienced a real boom in the past decade. While many efforts have been geared toward assembling membrane-bounded compartments, coacervate droplets produced by liquid-liquid phase separation have emerged as an alternative membrane-free compartmentalization paradigm. Here, the dual role of coacervate droplets in synthetic cell research is discussed: encapsulated within membrane-enclosed compartments, coacervates act as surrogates of membraneless organelles ubiquitously found in living cells; alternatively, they can be viewed as crowded cytosol-like chassis for constructing integrated synthetic cells. After introducing key concepts of coacervation and illustrating the chemical diversity of coacervate systems, their physicochemical properties and resulting bioinspired functions are emphasized. Moving from suspensions of free floating coacervates, the two nascent roles of these droplets in synthetic cell research are highlighted: organelle-like modules and cytosol-like templates. Building the discussion on recent studies from the literature, the potential of coacervate droplets to assemble integrated synthetic cells capable of multiple life-inspired functions is showcased. Future challenges that are still to be tackled in the field are finally discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zi Lin
- Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal, UMR5031, 115 avenue du Dr. Schweitzer, 33600, Pessac, France
| | - Thomas Beneyton
- Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal, UMR5031, 115 avenue du Dr. Schweitzer, 33600, Pessac, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Baret
- Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal, UMR5031, 115 avenue du Dr. Schweitzer, 33600, Pessac, France
| | - Nicolas Martin
- Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal, UMR5031, 115 avenue du Dr. Schweitzer, 33600, Pessac, France
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Lee Y, Fracassi A, Devaraj NK. Light-Driven Membrane Assembly, Shape-Shifting, and Tissue Formation in Chemically Responsive Synthetic Cells. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:25815-25823. [PMID: 37963186 PMCID: PMC10690792 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c09894] [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: 09/09/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Living systems create remarkable complexity from a limited repertoire of biological building blocks by controlling assembly dynamics at the molecular, cellular, and multicellular level. An open question is whether simplified synthetic cells can gain similar complex functionality by being driven away from equilibrium. Here, we describe a dynamic synthetic cell system assembled using artificial lipids that are responsive to both light and chemical stimuli. Irradiation of disordered aggregates of lipids leads to the spontaneous emergence of giant cell-like vesicles, which revert to aggregates when illumination is turned off. Under irradiation, the synthetic cell membranes can interact with chemical building blocks, remodeling their composition and forming new structures that prevent the membranes from undergoing retrograde aggregation processes. The remodeled light-responsive synthetic cells reversibly alter their shape under irradiation, transitioning from spheres to rodlike shapes, mimicking energy-dependent functions normally restricted to living materials. In the presence of noncovalently interacting multivalent polymers, light-driven shape changes can be used to trigger vesicle cross-linking, leading to the formation of functional synthetic tissues. By controlling light and chemical inputs, the stepwise, one-pot transformation of lipid aggregates to multivesicular synthetic tissues is feasible. Our results suggest a rationale for why even early protocells may have required and evolved simple mechanisms to harness environmental energy sources to coordinate hierarchical assembly processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Youngjun Lee
- Department of Chemistry and
Biochemistry, University of California,
San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Alessandro Fracassi
- Department of Chemistry and
Biochemistry, University of California,
San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Neal K. Devaraj
- Department of Chemistry and
Biochemistry, University of California,
San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Li Z, Wang J, Willner I. Alternate Strategies to Induce Dynamically Modulated Transient Transcription Machineries. ACS NANO 2023; 17:18266-18279. [PMID: 37669432 PMCID: PMC10540262 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c05336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
Emulating native transient transcription machineries modulating temporal gene expression by synthetic circuits is a major challenge in the area of systems chemistry. Three different methods to operate transient transcription machineries and to modulate the gated transcription processes of target RNAs are introduced. One method involves the design of a reaction module consisting of transcription templates being triggered by promoter fuel strands transcribing target RNAs and in parallel generating functional DNAzymes in the transcription templates, modulating the dissipative depletion of the active templates and the transient operation of transcription circuits. The second approach involves the application of a reaction module consisting of two transcription templates being activated by a common fuel promoter strand. While one transcription template triggers the transcription of the target RNA, the second transcription template transcribes the anti-fuel strand, displacing the promoter strand associated with the transcription templates, leading to the depletion of the transcription templates and to the dynamic transient modulation of the transcription process. The third strategy involves the assembly of a reaction module consisting of a reaction template triggered by a fuel promoter strand transcribing the target RNA. The concomitant nickase-stimulated depletion of the promoter strand guides the transient modulation of the transcription process. Via integration of two parallel fuel-triggered transcription templates in the three transcription reaction modules and application of template-specific blocker units, the parallel and gated transiently modulated transcription of two different RNA aptamers is demonstrated. The nickase-stimulated transiently modulated transcription reaction module is applied as a functional circuit guiding the dynamic expression of gated, transiently operating, catalytic DNAzymes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Itamar Willner
- The Institute of Chemistry, The Center
for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The
Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Kamra A, Das S, Bhatt P, Solra M, Maity T, Rana S. A transient vesicular glue for amplification and temporal regulation of biocatalytic reaction networks. Chem Sci 2023; 14:9267-9282. [PMID: 37712020 PMCID: PMC10498679 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc00195d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulation of enzyme activity and biocatalytic cascades on compartmentalized cellular components is key to the adaptation of cellular processes such as signal transduction and metabolism in response to varying external conditions. Synthetic molecular glues have enabled enzyme inhibition and regulation of protein-protein interactions. So far, all the molecular glue systems based on covalent interactions operated under steady-state conditions. To emulate dynamic biological processes under dissipative conditions, we introduce herein a transient supramolecular glue with a controllable lifetime. The transient system uses multivalent supramolecular interactions between guanidinium group-bearing surfactants and adenosine triphosphate (ATP), resulting in bilayer vesicle structures. Unlike the conventional chemical agents for dissipative assemblies, ATP here plays the dual role of providing a structural component for the assembly as well as presenting active functional groups to "glue" enzymes on the surface. While gluing of the enzymes on the vesicles achieves augmented catalysis, oscillation of ATP concentration allows temporal control of the catalytic activities similar to the dissipative cellular nanoreactors. We further demonstrate temporal upregulation and control of complex biocatalytic reaction networks on the vesicles. Altogether, the temporal activation of biocatalytic cascades on the dissipative vesicular glue presents an adaptable and dynamic system emulating heterogeneous cellular processes, opening up avenues for effective protocell construction and therapeutic interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alisha Kamra
- Materials Research Centre, Indian Institute of Science C.V. Raman Road Bangalore 560012 Karnataka India +9180-22932914
| | - Sourav Das
- Materials Research Centre, Indian Institute of Science C.V. Raman Road Bangalore 560012 Karnataka India +9180-22932914
| | - Preeti Bhatt
- Materials Research Centre, Indian Institute of Science C.V. Raman Road Bangalore 560012 Karnataka India +9180-22932914
| | - Manju Solra
- Materials Research Centre, Indian Institute of Science C.V. Raman Road Bangalore 560012 Karnataka India +9180-22932914
| | - Tanmoy Maity
- Materials Research Centre, Indian Institute of Science C.V. Raman Road Bangalore 560012 Karnataka India +9180-22932914
| | - Subinoy Rana
- Materials Research Centre, Indian Institute of Science C.V. Raman Road Bangalore 560012 Karnataka India +9180-22932914
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Hong YK, Nakamoto M, Matsusaki M. Engineering metabolic cycle-inspired hydrogels with enzyme-fueled programmable transient volume changes. J Mater Chem B 2023; 11:8136-8141. [PMID: 37565488 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb00638g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
An enzyme-fueled transient volume phase transition (TVPT) of hydrogels under out-of-equilibrium conditions is reported. The approach takes inspiration from the metabolic cycle, comprising nutrient intake and anabolism/catabolism followed by waste excretion. The incorporation of methacrylic acid and acrylated trypsin in a polymeric hydrogel allowed the TVPT of the gel to be fueled by lysozyme. With the intake of lysozyme as fuel, the construction/destruction of electrostatic cross-linkages induced transient shrinkage/swelling of the gel accompanied by the depletion of lysozyme activity. The system's transient response could be flexibly programmed by adjusting not only the fuel concentration but the chemical composition of materials. The lysozyme-fueled TVPT of the gel could be exploited to transient changes in the mechanical properties of the gel. Our work opens a route toward a new class of stimuli-responsive hydrogels for biomedical applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Young Kyoung Hong
- School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Masahiko Nakamoto
- Division of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
| | - Michiya Matsusaki
- Division of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Ramm B, Schumacher D, Harms A, Heermann T, Klos P, Müller F, Schwille P, Søgaard-Andersen L. Biomolecular condensate drives polymerization and bundling of the bacterial tubulin FtsZ to regulate cell division. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3825. [PMID: 37380708 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39513-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell division is spatiotemporally precisely regulated, but the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. In the social bacterium Myxococcus xanthus, the PomX/PomY/PomZ proteins form a single megadalton-sized complex that directly positions and stimulates cytokinetic ring formation by the tubulin homolog FtsZ. Here, we study the structure and mechanism of this complex in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrate that PomY forms liquid-like biomolecular condensates by phase separation, while PomX self-assembles into filaments generating a single large cellular structure. The PomX structure enriches PomY, thereby guaranteeing the formation of precisely one PomY condensate per cell through surface-assisted condensation. In vitro, PomY condensates selectively enrich FtsZ and nucleate GTP-dependent FtsZ polymerization and bundle FtsZ filaments, suggesting a cell division site positioning mechanism in which the single PomY condensate enriches FtsZ to guide FtsZ-ring formation and division. This mechanism shares features with microtubule nucleation by biomolecular condensates in eukaryotes, supporting this mechanism's ancient origin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Ramm
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152, Martinsried, Germany.
- Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA.
| | - Dominik Schumacher
- Department of Ecophysiology, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 10, 35043, Marburg, Germany.
| | - Andrea Harms
- Department of Ecophysiology, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 10, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Tamara Heermann
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Philipp Klos
- Department of Ecophysiology, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 10, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Franziska Müller
- Department of Ecophysiology, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 10, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Petra Schwille
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152, Martinsried, Germany.
| | - Lotte Søgaard-Andersen
- Department of Ecophysiology, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 10, 35043, Marburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Winkens M, Vilcan A, de Visser PJ, de Graaf FV, Korevaar PA. Orbiting Self-Organization of Filament-Tethered Surface-Active Droplets. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2206800. [PMID: 36799188 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202206800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Dissipative chemical systems hold the potential to enable life-like behavior in synthetic matter, such as self-organization, motility, and dynamic switching between different states. Here, out-of-equilibrium self-organization is demonstrated by interconnected source and drain droplets at an air-water interface, which display dynamic behavior due to a hydrolysis reaction that generates a concentration gradient around the drain droplets. This concentration gradient interferes with the adhesion of self-assembled amphiphile filaments that grow from a source droplet. The chemical gradient sustains a unique orbiting of the drain droplet, which is proposed to be driven by the selective adhesion of the filaments to the front of the moving droplet, while filaments approaching from behind are destabilized upon contact with the hydrolysis product in the trail of the droplet. Potential applications are foreseen in the transfer of chemical signals amongst communicating droplets in rearranging networks, and the implementation of chemical reactions to drive complex positioning routines in life-like systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mitch Winkens
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
| | - Alexandru Vilcan
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
| | - Pieter J de Visser
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
| | - Freek V de Graaf
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
| | - Peter A Korevaar
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Barpuzary D, Hurst PJ, Patterson JP, Guan Z. Waste-Free Fully Electrically Fueled Dissipative Self-Assembly System. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:3727-3735. [PMID: 36746118 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c13140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The importance and prevalence of energy-fueled active materials in living systems have inspired the design of synthetic active materials using various fuels. However, several major limitations of current designs remain to be addressed, such as the accumulation of chemical wastes during the process, unsustainable active behavior, and the lack of precise spatiotemporal control. Here, we demonstrate a fully electrically fueled (e-fueled) active self-assembly material that can overcome the aforementioned limitations. Using an electrochemical setup with dual electrocatalysts, the anodic oxidation of one electrocatalyst (ferrocyanide, [Fe(CN)6]4-) creates a positive fuel to activate the self-assembly, while simultaneously, the cathodic reduction of the other electrocatalyst (methyl viologen, [MV]2+) generates a negative fuel triggering fiber disassembly. Due to the fully catalytic nature for the reaction networks, this fully e-fueled active material system does not generate any chemical waste, can sustain active behavior for an extended period when the electrical potential is maintained, and provides spatiotemporal control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dipankar Barpuzary
- Center for Complex and Active Materials, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California92697, United States.,Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California92697, United States
| | - Paul J Hurst
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California92697, United States
| | - Joseph P Patterson
- Center for Complex and Active Materials, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California92697, United States.,Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California92697, United States.,Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California92697, United States
| | - Zhibin Guan
- Center for Complex and Active Materials, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California92697, United States.,Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California92697, United States.,Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California92697, United States.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California92697, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California92697, United States
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Chrysanthou A, Kanso H, Zhong W, Shang L, Gautrot JE. Supercharged Protein Nanosheets for Cell Expansion on Bioemulsions. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:2760-2770. [PMID: 36598358 PMCID: PMC9869332 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c20188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Cell culture at liquid-liquid interfaces, for example, at the surface of oil microdroplets, is an attractive strategy to scale up adherent cell manufacturing while replacing the use of microplastics. Such a process requires the adhesion of cells at interfaces stabilized and reinforced by protein nanosheets displaying not only high elasticity but also presenting cell adhesive ligands able to bind integrin receptors. In this report, supercharged albumins are found to form strong elastic protein nanosheets when co-assembling with the co-surfactant pentafluorobenzoyl chloride (PFBC) and mediate extracellular matrix (ECM) protein adsorption and cell adhesion. The interfacial mechanical properties and elasticity of supercharged nanosheets are characterized by interfacial rheology, and behaviors are compared to those of native bovine serum albumin, human serum albumin, and α-lactalbumin. The impact of PFBC on such assembly is investigated. ECM protein adsorption to resulting supercharged nanosheets is then quantified via surface plasmon resonance and fluorescence microscopy, demonstrating that the dual role supercharged albumins are proposed to play as scaffold protein structuring liquid-liquid interfaces and substrates for the capture of ECM molecules. Finally, the adhesion and proliferation of primary human epidermal stem cells are investigated, at pinned droplets, as well as on bioemulsions stabilized by corresponding supercharged nanosheets. This study demonstrates the potential of supercharged proteins for the engineering of biointerfaces for stem cell manufacturing and draws structure-property relationships that will guide further engineering of associated systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Chrysanthou
- Institute
of Bioengineering, Queen Mary, University
of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, U.K.
- School
of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen
Mary, University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, U.K.
| | - Hassan Kanso
- Institute
of Bioengineering, Queen Mary, University
of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, U.K.
- School
of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen
Mary, University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, U.K.
| | - Wencheng Zhong
- State
Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing, School of Materials Science
and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical
University and Shaanxi Joint Laboratory of Graphene (NPU), Xi’an 710072, China
| | - Li Shang
- State
Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing, School of Materials Science
and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical
University and Shaanxi Joint Laboratory of Graphene (NPU), Xi’an 710072, China
- NPU-QMUL
Joint Research Institute of Advanced Materials and Structures (JRI-AMAS), Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, China
| | - Julien E. Gautrot
- Institute
of Bioengineering, Queen Mary, University
of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, U.K.
- School
of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen
Mary, University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, U.K.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Vibhute MA, Mutschler H. A Primer on Building Life‐Like Systems. CHEMSYSTEMSCHEM 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/syst.202200033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mahesh A. Vibhute
- TU Dortmund University Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology Otto-Hahn-Str. 4a 44227 Dortmund Germany
| | - Hannes Mutschler
- TU Dortmund University Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology Otto-Hahn-Str. 4a 44227 Dortmund Germany
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Donau C, Boekhoven J. The chemistry of chemically fueled droplets. TRENDS IN CHEMISTRY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trechm.2022.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
|
23
|
Priming self-assembly pathways by stacking block copolymers. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6947. [PMID: 36376380 PMCID: PMC9663688 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34729-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Block copolymers spontaneously self-assemble into well-defined nanoscale morphologies. Yet equilibrium assembly gives rise to a limited set of structures. Non-equilibrium strategies can, in principle, expand diversity by exploiting self-assembly's responsive nature. In this vein, we developed a pathway priming strategy combining control of thin film initial configurations and ordering history. We sequentially coat distinct materials to form prescribed initial states, and use thermal annealing to evolve these manifestly non-equilibrium states through the assembly landscape, traversing normally inaccessible transient structures. We explore the enormous associated hyperspace, spanning processing (annealing temperature and time), material (composition and molecular weight), and layering (thickness and order) dimensions. We demonstrate a library of exotic non-native morphologies, including vertically-oriented perforated lamellae, aqueduct structures (vertical lamellar walls with substrate-pinned perforations), parapets (crenellated lamellae), and networks of crisscrossing lamellae. This enhanced structural control can be used to modify functional properties, including accessing regimes that surpass their equilibrium analogs.
Collapse
|
24
|
Ji Y, Li F, Qiao Y. Modulating liquid-liquid phase separation of FUS: mechanisms and strategies. J Mater Chem B 2022; 10:8616-8628. [PMID: 36268634 DOI: 10.1039/d2tb01688e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of biomolecules inspires the construction of protocells and drives the formation of cellular membraneless organelles. The resulting biomolecular condensates featuring dynamic assembly, disassembly, and phase transition play significant roles in a series of biological processes, including RNA metabolism, DNA damage response, signal transduction and neurodegenerative disease. Intensive investigations have been conducted for understanding and manipulating intracellular phase-separated disease-related proteins (e.g., FUS, tau and TDP-43). Herein, we review current studies on the regulation strategies of intracellular LLPS focusing on FUS, which are categorized into physical stimuli, biochemical modulators, and protein structural modifications, with summarized molecular mechanisms. This review is expected to provide a sketch of the modulation of FUS LLPS with its pros and cons, and an outlook for the potential clinical treatments of neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanglimin Ji
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Fen Li
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yan Qiao
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Goswami S, Reja A, Pal S, Singh A, Das D. Nonequilibrium Amyloid Polymers Exploit Dynamic Covalent Linkage to Temporally Control Charge-Selective Catalysis. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:19248-19252. [PMID: 36219699 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c09262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Extant proteins exploit thermodynamically activated negatively charged coenzymes and hydrotropes to temporally access mechanistically important conformations that regulate vital biological functions, from metabolic reactions to expression modulation. Herein, we show that a short amyloid peptide can bind to a small molecular coenzyme by exploiting reversible covalent linkage to polymerize and access catalytically proficient nonequilibrium amyloid microphases. Subsequent hydrolysis of the activated coenzyme leads to depolymerization, realizing a variance of the surface charge of the assembly as a function of time. Such temporal change of surface charge dynamically modulates catalytic activities of the transient assemblies as observed in highly evolved modern-day biocatalysts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Surashree Goswami
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur 741246, West Bengal, India
| | - Antara Reja
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur 741246, West Bengal, India
| | - Sumit Pal
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur 741246, West Bengal, India
| | - Abhishek Singh
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur 741246, West Bengal, India
| | - Dibyendu Das
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur 741246, West Bengal, India
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Slootbeek AD, van Haren MHI, Smokers IBA, Spruijt E. Growth, replication and division enable evolution of coacervate protocells. Chem Commun (Camb) 2022; 58:11183-11200. [PMID: 36128910 PMCID: PMC9536485 DOI: 10.1039/d2cc03541c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Living and proliferating cells undergo repeated cycles of growth, replication and division, all orchestrated by complex molecular networks. How a minimal cell cycle emerged and helped primitive cells to evolve remains one of the biggest mysteries in modern science, and is an active area of research in chemistry. Protocells are cell-like compartments that recapitulate features of living cells and may be seen as the chemical ancestors of modern life. While compartmentalization is not strictly required for primitive, open-ended evolution of self-replicating systems, it gives such systems a clear identity by setting the boundaries and it can help them overcome three major obstacles of dilution, parasitism and compatibility. Compartmentalization is therefore widely considered to be a central hallmark of primitive life, and various types of protocells are actively investigated, with the ultimate goal of developing a protocell capable of autonomous proliferation by mimicking the well-known cell cycle of growth, replication and division. We and others have found that coacervates are promising protocell candidates in which chemical building blocks required for life are naturally concentrated, and chemical reactions can be selectively enhanced or suppressed. This feature article provides an overview of how growth, replication and division can be realized with coacervates as protocells and what the bottlenecks are. Considerations are given for designing chemical networks in coacervates that can lead to sustained growth, selective replication and controlled division, in a way that they are linked together like in the cell cycle. Ultimately, such a system may undergo evolution by natural selection of certain phenotypes, leading to adaptation and the gain of new functions, and we end with a brief discussion of the opportunities for coacervates to facilitate this.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annemiek D Slootbeek
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Merlijn H I van Haren
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Iris B A Smokers
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Evan Spruijt
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Nguindjel ADC, de Visser PJ, Winkens M, Korevaar PA. Spatial programming of self-organizing chemical systems using sustained physicochemical gradients from reaction, diffusion and hydrodynamics. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:23980-24001. [PMID: 36172850 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp02542f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Living organisms employ chemical self-organization to build structures, and inspire new strategies to design synthetic systems that spontaneously take a particular form, via a combination of integrated chemical reactions, assembly pathways and physicochemical processes. However, spatial programmability that is required to direct such self-organization is a challenge to control. Thermodynamic equilibrium typically brings about a homogeneous solution, or equilibrium structures such as supramolecular complexes and crystals. This perspective addresses out-of-equilibrium gradients that can be driven by coupling chemical reaction, diffusion and hydrodynamics, and provide spatial differentiation in the self-organization of molecular, ionic or colloidal building blocks in solution. These physicochemical gradients are required to (1) direct the organization from the starting conditions (e.g. a homogeneous solution), and (2) sustain the organization, to prevent it from decaying towards thermodynamic equilibrium. We highlight four different concepts that can be used as a design principle to establish such self-organization, using chemical reactions as a driving force to sustain the gradient and, ultimately, program the characteristics of the gradient: (1) reaction-diffusion coupling; (2) reaction-convection; (3) the Marangoni effect and (4) diffusiophoresis. Furthermore, we outline their potential as attractive pathways to translate chemical reactions and molecular/colloidal assembly into organization of patterns in solution, (dynamic) self-assembled architectures and collectively moving swarms at the micro-, meso- and macroscale, exemplified by recent demonstrations in the literature.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Pieter J de Visser
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Mitch Winkens
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Peter A Korevaar
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Zhou S, Cai X, Zhang Y, Chen Q, Yang X, Wang K, Jian L, Liu J. DNA nanotubes in coacervate microdroplets as biomimetic cytoskeletons modulate the liquid fluidic properties of protocells. J Mater Chem B 2022; 10:8322-8329. [PMID: 36168959 DOI: 10.1039/d2tb01451c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Coacervate microdroplets, formed via liquid-liquid phase separation, have been proposed as a compartment model for the construction of artificial cells or organelles. However, these microsystems are very fragile and demonstrate liquid-like fluidity. Here, an artificial cytoskeleton based on DNA nanotubes was constructed in coacervate microdroplets to modulate the liquid fluidic properties of the microdroplets. The coacervate microdroplets were obtained from the association of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes through liquid-liquid phase separation, and DNA nanotubes were constructed by molecular tile self-assembly from six clip sequences. The DNA nanotubes were efficiently sequestered in the liquid coacervate microdroplets, and the rigid structure of the DNA nanotubes was capable of modulating the liquid fluidic properties of the coacervate protocell models, as indicated by coalescence imaging and atomic force microscopy analysis. Therefore, artificial cytoskeletons made from DNA nanotubes worked in modulating the liquid fluidic properties of coacervate microdroplets, in a manner akin to the cytoskeleton in the cell. DNA cytoskeletons have the potential to become an ideal platform with which how the liquid fluidic properties of cells are modulated by their cytoskeletons can be investigated, and the cell-sized coacervate microdroplets containing artificial cytoskeletons might be critical in developing a stable liquid-phase protocell model.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shaohong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory for Bio-Nanotechnology and Molecular Engineering of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P. R. China.
| | - Xueer Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory for Bio-Nanotechnology and Molecular Engineering of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P. R. China.
| | - Yanwen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory for Bio-Nanotechnology and Molecular Engineering of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P. R. China.
| | - Qiaoshu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory for Bio-Nanotechnology and Molecular Engineering of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P. R. China.
| | - Xiaohai Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory for Bio-Nanotechnology and Molecular Engineering of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P. R. China.
| | - Kemin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory for Bio-Nanotechnology and Molecular Engineering of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P. R. China.
| | - Lixin Jian
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory for Bio-Nanotechnology and Molecular Engineering of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P. R. China.
| | - Jianbo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory for Bio-Nanotechnology and Molecular Engineering of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, P. R. China.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
An Overview of Coacervates: The Special Disperse State of Amphiphilic and Polymeric Materials in Solution. COLLOIDS AND INTERFACES 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/colloids6030045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Individual amphiphiles, polymers, and colloidal dispersions influenced by temperature, pH, and environmental conditions or interactions between their oppositely charged pairs in solvent medium often produce solvent-rich and solvent-poor phases in the system. The solvent-poor denser phase found either on the top or the bottom of the system is called coacervate. Coacervates have immense applications in various technological fields. This review comprises a concise introduction, focusing on the types of coacervates, and the influence of different factors in their formation, structures, and stability. In addition, their physicochemical properties, thermodynamics of formation, and uses and multifarious applications are also concisely presented and discussed.
Collapse
|
30
|
Jain A, Kassem S, Fisher RS, Wang B, Li TD, Wang T, He Y, Elbaum-Garfinkle S, Ulijn RV. Connected Peptide Modules Enable Controlled Co-Existence of Self-Assembled Fibers Inside Liquid Condensates. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:15002-15007. [PMID: 35946870 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c05897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Supramolecular self-assembly of fibrous components and liquid-liquid phase separation are at the extremes of the order-to-disorder spectrum. They collectively play key roles in cellular organization. It is still a major challenge to design systems where both highly ordered nanostructures and liquid-liquid phase-separated domains can coexist. We present a three-component assembly approach that generates fibrous domains that exclusively form inside globally disordered, liquid condensates. This is achieved by creating amphiphilic peptides that combine the features of fibrillar assembly (the amyloid domain LVFFA) and complex coacervation (oligo-arginine and adenosine triphosphate (ATP)) in one peptide, namely, LVFFAR9. When this hybrid peptide is mixed in different ratios with R9 and ATP, we find that conditions can be created where fibrous assembly is exclusively observed inside liquid coacervates. Through fluorescence and atomic force microscopy characterization, we investigate the dynamic evolution of ordered and disordered features over time. It was observed that the fibers nucleate and mature inside the droplets and that these fiber-containing liquid droplets can also undergo fusion, showing that the droplets remain liquid-like. Our work thus generates opportunities for the design of ordered structures within the confined environment of biomolecular condensates, which may be useful to create supramolecular materials in defined compartments and as model systems that can enhance understanding of ordering principles in biology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ankit Jain
- Nanoscience Initiative at Advanced Science Research Center, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York 10031, United States
| | - Salma Kassem
- Nanoscience Initiative at Advanced Science Research Center, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York 10031, United States
| | - Rachel S Fisher
- Structural Biology Initiative at Advanced Science Research Center, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York 10031, United States
| | - Biran Wang
- Molecular Cytology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Tai-De Li
- Nanoscience Initiative at Advanced Science Research Center, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York 10031, United States.,Department of Physics, City College of New York, City University of New York, New York, New York 10031, United States
| | - Tong Wang
- Nanoscience Initiative at Advanced Science Research Center, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York 10031, United States
| | - Ye He
- Neuroscience Initiative at Advanced Science Research Center, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York 10031, United States.,Division of Science, The City College of New York, New York, New York 10031, United States
| | - Shana Elbaum-Garfinkle
- Structural Biology Initiative at Advanced Science Research Center, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York 10031, United States.,Ph.D. Programs in Biochemistry and Chemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York 10016, United States
| | - Rein V Ulijn
- Nanoscience Initiative at Advanced Science Research Center, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York 10031, United States.,Ph.D. Programs in Biochemistry and Chemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York 10016, United States.,Department of Chemistry Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, New York 10065, United States
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Sharko A, Livitz D, De Piccoli S, Bishop KJM, Hermans TM. Insights into Chemically Fueled Supramolecular Polymers. Chem Rev 2022; 122:11759-11777. [PMID: 35674495 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Supramolecular polymerization can be controlled in space and time by chemical fuels. A nonassembled monomer is activated by the fuel and subsequently self-assembles into a polymer. Deactivation of the molecule either in solution or inside the polymer leads to disassembly. Whereas biology has already mastered this approach, fully artificial examples have only appeared in the past decade. Here, we map the available literature examples into four distinct regimes depending on their activation/deactivation rates and the equivalents of deactivating fuel. We present increasingly complex mathematical models, first considering only the chemical activation/deactivation rates (i.e., transient activation) and later including the full details of the isodesmic or cooperative supramolecular processes (i.e., transient self-assembly). We finish by showing that sustained oscillations are possible in chemically fueled cooperative supramolecular polymerization and provide mechanistic insights. We hope our models encourage the quantification of activation, deactivation, assembly, and disassembly kinetics in future studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Dimitri Livitz
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | | | - Kyle J M Bishop
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Thomas M Hermans
- University of Strasbourg & CNRS, UMR7140, Strasbourg 67000, France
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Del Grosso E, Irmisch P, Gentile S, Prins LJ, Seidel R, Ricci F. Dissipative Control over the Toehold-Mediated DNA Strand Displacement Reaction. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202201929. [PMID: 35315568 PMCID: PMC9324813 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202201929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Here we show a general approach to achieve dissipative control over toehold‐mediated strand‐displacement, the most widely employed reaction in the field of DNA nanotechnology. The approach relies on rationally re‐engineering the classic strand displacement reaction such that the high‐energy invader strand (fuel) is converted into a low‐energy waste product through an energy‐dissipating reaction allowing the spontaneous return to the original state over time. We show that such dissipative control over the toehold‐mediated strand displacement process is reversible (up to 10 cycles), highly controllable and enables unique temporal activation of DNA systems. We show here two possible applications of this strategy: the transient labelling of DNA structures and the additional temporal control of cascade reactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erica Del Grosso
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Patrick Irmisch
- Molecular Biophysics Group, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Serena Gentile
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Leonard J Prins
- Department of Chemical fSciences, University of Padua, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Ralf Seidel
- Molecular Biophysics Group, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Francesco Ricci
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133, Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Ouyang Y, Zhang P, Willner I. Dissipative biocatalytic cascades and gated transient biocatalytic cascades driven by nucleic acid networks. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn3534. [PMID: 35522744 PMCID: PMC9075803 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn3534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Living systems consist of complex transient cellular networks guiding structural, catalytic, and switchable functions driven by auxiliary triggers, such as chemical or light energy inputs. We introduce two different transient, dissipative, biocatalytic cascades, the coupled glucose oxidase (GOx)/horseradish peroxidase (HRP) glucose-driven oxidation of 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS2-) to the radical anion (ABTS•-) and the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)/nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) lactate-driven reduction of NAD+ to NADH. The transient biocatalytic systems are driven by nucleic acid reaction modules using a nucleic acid fuel strand L1' and a nicking enzyme, Nt.BbvCI, as fuel-degrading catalyst, leading to the dynamic spatiotemporal transient formation of structurally proximate biocatalysts activating the biocatalytic cascades and transient coupled processes, including the generation of chemiluminescence and the synthesis of alanine. Subjecting the mixture of biocatalysts to selective inhibitors allows the gated transient operation of the biocatalysts. The kinetics of transient biocatalytic cascades are accompanied by kinetic models and computational simulations.
Collapse
|
34
|
Gözen I, Köksal ES, Põldsalu I, Xue L, Spustova K, Pedrueza-Villalmanzo E, Ryskulov R, Meng F, Jesorka A. Protocells: Milestones and Recent Advances. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2106624. [PMID: 35322554 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202106624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Revised: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The origin of life is still one of humankind's great mysteries. At the transition between nonliving and living matter, protocells, initially featureless aggregates of abiotic matter, gain the structure and functions necessary to fulfill the criteria of life. Research addressing protocells as a central element in this transition is diverse and increasingly interdisciplinary. The authors review current protocell concepts and research directions, address milestones, challenges and existing hypotheses in the context of conditions on the early Earth, and provide a concise overview of current protocell research methods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Irep Gözen
- Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, 0318, Norway
| | - Elif Senem Köksal
- Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, 0318, Norway
| | - Inga Põldsalu
- Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, 0318, Norway
| | - Lin Xue
- Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, 0318, Norway
| | - Karolina Spustova
- Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, 0318, Norway
| | - Esteban Pedrueza-Villalmanzo
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, SE-412 96, Sweden
- Department of Physics, University of Gothenburg, Universitetsplatsen 1, Gothenburg, 40530, Sweden
| | - Ruslan Ryskulov
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, SE-412 96, Sweden
| | - Fanda Meng
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, SE-412 96, Sweden
- School of Basic Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250000, China
| | - Aldo Jesorka
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, SE-412 96, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Dong J, Ouyang Y, Wang J, O’Hagan MP, Willner I. Assembly of Dynamic Gated and Cascaded Transient DNAzyme Networks. ACS NANO 2022; 16:6153-6164. [PMID: 35294174 PMCID: PMC9047661 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c11631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The dynamic transient formation and depletion of G-quadruplexes regulate gene replication and transcription. This process was found to be related to various diseases such as cancer and premature aging. We report on the engineering of nucleic acid modules revealing dynamic, transient assembly and disassembly of G-quadruplex structures and G-quadruplex-based DNAzymes, gated transient processes, and cascaded dynamic transient reactions that involve G-quadruplex and DNAzyme structures. The dynamic transient processes are driven by functional DNA reaction modules activated by a fuel strand and guided toward dissipative operation by a nicking enzyme (Nt.BbvCI). The dynamic networks were further characterized by computational simulation of the experiments using kinetic models, allowing us to predict the dynamic performance of the networks under different auxiliary conditions applied to the systems. The systems reported herein could provide functional DNA machineries for the spatiotemporal control of G-quadruplex structures perturbing gene expression and thus provide a therapeutic means for related emergent diseases.
Collapse
|
36
|
Piñeros WD, Tlusty T. Spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking in a random driven chemical system. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2244. [PMID: 35474070 PMCID: PMC9042824 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29952-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Living systems have evolved to efficiently consume available energy sources using an elaborate circuitry of chemical reactions which, puzzlingly, bear a strict restriction to asymmetric chiral configurations. While autocatalysis is known to promote such chiral symmetry breaking, whether a similar phenomenon may also be induced in a more general class of configurable chemical systems—via energy exploitation—is a sensible yet underappreciated possibility. This work examines this question within a model of randomly generated complex chemical networks. We show that chiral symmetry breaking may occur spontaneously and generically by harnessing energy sources from external environmental drives. Key to this transition are intrinsic fluctuations of achiral-to-chiral reactions and tight matching of system configurations to the environmental drives, which together amplify and sustain diverged enantiomer distributions. These asymmetric states emerge through steep energetic transitions from the corresponding symmetric states and sharply cluster as highly-dissipating states. The results thus demonstrate a generic mechanism in which energetic drives may give rise to homochirality in an otherwise totally symmetrical environment, and from an early-life perspective, might emerge as a competitive, energy-harvesting advantage. “A hallmark of living systems is their homochirality, the selection of specific mirror symmetry in their molecules. Here, the authors show that chiral symmetry can be spontaneously broken in complex, random chemical systems via exploitation of environmental energy sources – a possible mechanism for the emergence of homochirality in life.”
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William D Piñeros
- Center for Soft and Living Matter, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Ulsan, 44919, Korea
| | - Tsvi Tlusty
- Center for Soft and Living Matter, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Ulsan, 44919, Korea. .,Department of Physics, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Korea. .,Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Selmani S, Schwartz E, Mulvey JT, Wei H, Grosvirt-Dramen A, Gibson W, Hochbaum AI, Patterson JP, Ragan R, Guan Z. Electrically Fueled Active Supramolecular Materials. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:7844-7851. [PMID: 35446034 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c01884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Fuel-driven dissipative self-assemblies play essential roles in living systems, contributing both to their complex, dynamic structures and emergent functions. Several dissipative supramolecular materials have been created using chemicals or light as fuel. However, electrical energy, one of the most common energy sources, has remained unexplored for such purposes. Here, we demonstrate a new platform for creating active supramolecular materials using electrically fueled dissipative self-assembly. Through an electrochemical redox reaction network, a transient and highly active supramolecular assembly is achieved with rapid kinetics, directionality, and precise spatiotemporal control. As electronic signals are the default information carriers in modern technology, the described approach offers a potential opportunity to integrate active materials into electronic devices for bioelectronic applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Serxho Selmani
- Center for Complex and Active Materials, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States.,Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Eric Schwartz
- Center for Complex and Active Materials, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States.,Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Justin T Mulvey
- Center for Complex and Active Materials, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States.,Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Hong Wei
- Center for Complex and Active Materials, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States.,Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Adam Grosvirt-Dramen
- Center for Complex and Active Materials, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Wyeth Gibson
- Center for Complex and Active Materials, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States.,Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Allon I Hochbaum
- Center for Complex and Active Materials, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States.,Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States.,Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States.,Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Joseph P Patterson
- Center for Complex and Active Materials, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States.,Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States.,Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Regina Ragan
- Center for Complex and Active Materials, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States.,Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Zhibin Guan
- Center for Complex and Active Materials, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States.,Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States.,Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Lewis RW, Klemm B, Macchione M, Eelkema R. Fuel-driven macromolecular coacervation in complex coacervate core micelles. Chem Sci 2022; 13:4533-4544. [PMID: 35656128 PMCID: PMC9019912 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc00805j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Fuel-driven macromolecular coacervation is an entry into the transient formation of highly charged, responsive material phases. In this work, we used a chemical reaction network (CRN) to drive the coacervation of macromolecular species readily produced using radical polymerisation methods. The CRN enables transient quaternization of tertiary amine substrates, driven by the conversion of electron deficient allyl acetates and thiol or amine nucleophiles. By incorporating tertiary amine functionality into block copolymers, we demonstrate chemical triggered complex coacervate core micelle (C3M) assembly and disassembly. In contrast to most dynamic coacervate systems, this CRN operates at constant physiological pH without the need for complex biomolecules. By varying the allyl acetate fuel, deactivating nucleophile and reagent ratios, we achieved both sequential signal-induced C3M (dis)assembly, as well as transient non-equilibrium (dis)assembly. We expect that timed and signal-responsive control over coacervate phase formation at physiological pH will find application in nucleic acid delivery, nano reactors and protocell research. We apply an allyl acetate fuelled chemical reaction network (CRN) to control the coacervation of macromolecular species at constant physiological pH without the need for complex biomolecules.![]()
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Reece W Lewis
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Delft University of Technology Van der Maasweg 9 2629 HZ Delft The Netherlands
| | - Benjamin Klemm
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Delft University of Technology Van der Maasweg 9 2629 HZ Delft The Netherlands
| | - Mariano Macchione
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Delft University of Technology Van der Maasweg 9 2629 HZ Delft The Netherlands
| | - Rienk Eelkema
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Delft University of Technology Van der Maasweg 9 2629 HZ Delft The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Del Grosso E, Irmisch P, Gentile S, Prins LJ, Seidel R, Ricci F. Dissipative Control over the Toehold‐Mediated DNA Strand Displacement Reaction. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202201929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Erica Del Grosso
- Department of Chemistry University of Rome Tor Vergata Via della Ricerca Scientifica 00133 Rome Italy
| | - Patrick Irmisch
- Molecular Biophysics Group Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics Universität Leipzig 04103 Leipzig Germany
| | - Serena Gentile
- Department of Chemistry University of Rome Tor Vergata Via della Ricerca Scientifica 00133 Rome Italy
| | - Leonard J. Prins
- Department of Chemical fSciences University of Padua Via Marzolo 1 35131 Padua Italy
| | - Ralf Seidel
- Molecular Biophysics Group Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics Universität Leipzig 04103 Leipzig Germany
| | - Francesco Ricci
- Department of Chemistry University of Rome Tor Vergata Via della Ricerca Scientifica 00133 Rome Italy
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Li Z, Wang J, Zhou Z, O’Hagan MP, Willner I. Gated Transient Dissipative Dimerization of DNA Tetrahedra Nanostructures for Programmed DNAzymes Catalysis. ACS NANO 2022; 16:3625-3636. [PMID: 35184545 PMCID: PMC8945371 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c06117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Transient dissipative dimerization and transient gated dimerization of DNA tetrahedra nanostructures are introduced as functional modules to emulate transient and gated protein-protein interactions and emergent protein-protein guided transient catalytic functions, operating in nature. Four tetrahedra are engineered to yield functional modules that, in the presence of pre-engineered auxiliary nucleic acids and the nicking enzyme Nt.BbvCI, lead to the fueled transient dimerization of two pairs of tetrahedra. The dynamic transient formation and depletion of DNA tetrahedra are followed by transient FRET signals generated by fluorophore-labeled tetrahedra. The integration of two inhibitors within the mixture of the four tetrahedra and two auxiliary modules, fueling the transient dimerization, results in selective inhibitor-guided gated transient dimerization of two different DNA tetrahedra dimers. Kinetic models for the dynamic transient dimerization and gated transient dimerization of the DNA tetrahedra are formulated and computationally simulated. The derived rate-constants allow the prediction and subsequent experimental validation of the performance of the systems under different auxiliary conditions. In addition, by appropriate modification of the four tetrahedra structures, the triggered gated emergence of selective transient catalytic functions driven by the two pairs of DNA tetrahedra dimers is demonstrated.
Collapse
|
41
|
Gao N, Xu C, Yin Z, Li M, Mann S. Triggerable Protocell Capture in Nanoparticle-Caged Coacervate Microdroplets. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:3855-3862. [PMID: 35192333 PMCID: PMC9097475 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c11414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Controlling the dynamics of mixed communities of cell-like entities (protocells) provides a step toward the development of higher-order cytomimetic behaviors in artificial cell consortia. In this paper, we develop a caged protocell model with a molecularly crowded coacervate interior surrounded by a non-cross-linked gold (Au)/poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) nanoparticle-jammed stimuli-responsive membrane. The jammed membrane is unlocked by either exogenous light-mediated Au/PEG dissociation at the Au surface or endogenous enzyme-mediated cleavage of a ketal linkage on the PEG backbone. The membrane assembly/disassembly process is used for the controlled and selective uptake of guest protocells into the caged coacervate microdroplets as a path toward an all-water model of triggerable transmembrane uptake in synthetic protocell communities. Active capture of the guest protocells stems from the high sequestration potential of the coacervate interior such that tailoring the surface properties of the guest protocells provides a rudimentary system of protocell sorting. Our results highlight the potential for programming surface-contact interactions between artificial membrane-bounded compartments and could have implications for the development of protocell networks, storage and delivery microsystems, and microreactor technologies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ning Gao
- Max
Planck-Bristol Centre for Minimal Biology, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, U.K.
- Centre
for Protolife Research and Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry,
School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, U.K.
| | - Can Xu
- Centre
for Protolife Research and Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry,
School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, U.K.
| | - Zhuping Yin
- Centre
for Protolife Research and Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry,
School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, U.K.
| | - Mei Li
- Centre
for Protolife Research and Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry,
School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, U.K.
- School
of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai
Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China
| | - Stephen Mann
- Max
Planck-Bristol Centre for Minimal Biology, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, U.K.
- Centre
for Protolife Research and Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry,
School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, U.K.
- School
of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai
Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Musacchio A. On the role of phase separation in the biogenesis of membraneless compartments. EMBO J 2022; 41:e109952. [PMID: 35107832 PMCID: PMC8886532 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2021109952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Molecular mechanistic biology has ushered us into the world of life’s building blocks, revealing their interactions in macromolecular complexes and inspiring strategies for detailed functional interrogations. The biogenesis of membraneless cellular compartments, functional mesoscale subcellular locales devoid of strong internal order and delimiting membranes, is among mechanistic biology’s most demanding current challenges. A developing paradigm, biomolecular phase separation, emphasizes solvation of the building blocks through low‐affinity, weakly adhesive unspecific interactions as the driver of biogenesis of membraneless compartments. Here, I discuss the molecular underpinnings of the phase separation paradigm and demonstrate that validating its assumptions is much more challenging than hitherto appreciated. I also discuss that highly specific interactions, rather than unspecific ones, appear to be the main driver of biogenesis of subcellular compartments, while phase separation may be harnessed locally in selected instances to generate material properties tailored for specific functions, as exemplified by nucleocytoplasmic transport.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Musacchio
- Department of Mechanistic Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Pal S, Reja A, Bal S, Tikader B, Das D. Emergence of a Promiscuous Peroxidase Under Non-Equilibrium Conditions. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202111857. [PMID: 34767668 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202111857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Herein, we report the substrate induced generation of a transient catalytic microenvironment from a single amino acid functionalized fatty acid in presence of a cofactor hemin. The catalytic state accessed under non-equilibrium conditions showed acceleration of peroxidase activity resulting in degradation of the substrate and subsequently led to disassembly. Equilibrated systems could not access the three-dimensional microphases and showed substantially lower catalytic activity. Further, the assembled state showed latent catalytic function (promiscuity) to hydrolyze a precursor to yield the same substrate. Consequently, the assembly demonstrated protometabolism by exploiting the peroxidase-hydrolase cascade to augment the lifetime and the mechanical properties of the catalytic state.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sumit Pal
- Department of Chemical Sciences &, Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal, 741246, India
| | - Antara Reja
- Department of Chemical Sciences &, Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal, 741246, India
| | - Subhajit Bal
- Department of Chemical Sciences &, Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal, 741246, India
| | - Baishakhi Tikader
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, 400076, India
| | - Dibyendu Das
- Department of Chemical Sciences &, Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal, 741246, India
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Pal S, Reja A, Bal S, Tikader B, Das D. Emergence of a Promiscuous Peroxidase Under Non‐Equilibrium Conditions**. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202111857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sumit Pal
- Department of Chemical Sciences & Centre for Advanced Functional Materials Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata Mohanpur West Bengal 741246 India
| | - Antara Reja
- Department of Chemical Sciences & Centre for Advanced Functional Materials Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata Mohanpur West Bengal 741246 India
| | - Subhajit Bal
- Department of Chemical Sciences & Centre for Advanced Functional Materials Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata Mohanpur West Bengal 741246 India
| | - Baishakhi Tikader
- Department of Chemistry Indian Institute of Technology Bombay Powai Mumbai 400076 India
| | - Dibyendu Das
- Department of Chemical Sciences & Centre for Advanced Functional Materials Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata Mohanpur West Bengal 741246 India
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Deshwal A, Shikha, Maiti S. Trade-off between carbohydrates and metal ions regulates the chemotactic directionality of alkaline phosphatase. Chem Commun (Camb) 2022; 58:12851-12854. [DOI: 10.1039/d2cc04360b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The role of the Hofmeister interaction in governing the chemotactic behavior of alkaline phosphatase in the presence of carbohydrate and metal ion gradients has been established.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Akshi Deshwal
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, Knowledge City, Manauli 140306, India
| | - Shikha
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, Knowledge City, Manauli 140306, India
| | - Subhabrata Maiti
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, Knowledge City, Manauli 140306, India
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Priyanka, Shandilya E, Brar SK, Mahato RR, Maiti S. Spatiotemporal dynamics of self-assembled structures in enzymatically induced agonistic and antagonistic conditions. Chem Sci 2021; 13:274-282. [PMID: 35059177 PMCID: PMC8694342 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc05353a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Predicting and designing systems with dynamic self-assembly properties in a spatiotemporal fashion is an important research area across disciplines ranging from understanding the fundamental non-equilibrium features of life to the fabrication of next-generation materials with life-like properties. Herein, we demonstrate a spatiotemporal dynamics pattern in the self-assembly behavior of a surfactant from an unorganized assembly, induced by adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and enzymes responsible for the degradation or conversion of ATP. We report the different behavior of two enzymes, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and hexokinase (HK), towards adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-driven surfactant assembly, which also results in contrasting spatiotemporal dynamic assembly behavior. Here, ALP acts antagonistically, resulting in transient self-assemblies, whereas HK shows agonistic action with the ability to sustain the assemblies. This dynamic assembly behavior was then used to program the time-dependent emergence of a self-assembled structure in a two-dimensional space by maintaining concentration gradients of the enzymes and surfactant at different locations, demonstrating a new route for obtaining 'spatial' organizational adaptability in a self-organized system of interacting components for the incorporation of programmed functionality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali Knowledge City Manauli 140306 India
| | - Ekta Shandilya
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali Knowledge City Manauli 140306 India
| | - Surinder Kaur Brar
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali Knowledge City Manauli 140306 India
| | - Rishi Ram Mahato
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali Knowledge City Manauli 140306 India
| | - Subhabrata Maiti
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali Knowledge City Manauli 140306 India
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Booth R, Insua I, Ahmed S, Rioboo A, Montenegro J. Supramolecular fibrillation of peptide amphiphiles induces environmental responses in aqueous droplets. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6421. [PMID: 34741043 PMCID: PMC8571317 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26681-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
One-dimensional (1D) supramolecular polymers are commonly found in natural and synthetic systems to prompt functional responses that capitalise on hierarchical molecular ordering. Despite amphiphilic self-assembly being significantly studied in the context of aqueous encapsulation and autopoiesis, very little is currently known about the physico-chemical consequences and functional role of 1D supramolecular polymerisation confined in aqueous compartments. Here, we describe the different phenomena that resulted from the chemically triggered supramolecular fibrillation of synthetic peptide amphiphiles inside water microdroplets. The confined connection of suitable dormant precursors triggered a physically autocatalysed chemical reaction that resulted in functional environmental responses such as molecular uptake, fusion and chemical exchange. These results demonstrate the potential of minimalistic 1D supramolecular polymerisation to modulate the behaviour of individual aqueous entities with their environment and within communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard Booth
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CiQUS), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15705, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Ignacio Insua
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CiQUS), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15705, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Sahnawaz Ahmed
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CiQUS), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15705, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Alicia Rioboo
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CiQUS), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15705, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Javier Montenegro
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CiQUS), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15705, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Abstract
A pearl's distinguished beauty and toughness are attributable to the periodic stacking of aragonite tablets known as nacre. Nacre has naturally occurring mesoscale periodicity that remarkably arises in the absence of discrete translational symmetry. Gleaning the inspiring biomineral design of a pearl requires quantifying its structural coherence and understanding the stochastic processes that influence formation. By characterizing the entire structure of pearls (∼3 mm) in a cross-section at high resolution, we show that nacre has medium-range mesoscale periodicity. Self-correcting growth mechanisms actively remedy disorder and topological defects of the tablets and act as a countervailing process to long-range disorder. Nacre has a correlation length of roughly 16 tablets (∼5.5 µm) despite persistent fluctuations and topological defects. For longer distances (>25 tablets , ∼8.5 µm), the frequency spectrum of nacre tablets follows [Formula: see text] behavior, suggesting that growth is coupled to external stochastic processes-a universality found across disparate natural phenomena, which now includes pearls.
Collapse
|
49
|
Mehan S, Herrmann L, Chapel JP, Jestin J, Berret JF, Cousin F. The desalting/salting pathway: a route to form metastable aggregates with tuneable morphologies and lifetimes. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:8496-8505. [PMID: 34474458 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm00260k] [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
We investigate the formation/re-dissociation mechanisms of hybrid complexes made from negatively charged PAA2k coated γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles (NP) and positively charged polycations (PDADMAC) in aqueous solution in the regime of very high ionic strength (I). When the building blocks are mixed at large ionic strength (1 M NH4Cl), the electrostatic interaction is screened and complexation does not occur. If the ionic strength is then lowered down to a targeted ionic strength Itarget, there is a critical threshold Ic = 0.62 M at which complexation occurs, that is independent of the charge ratio Z and the pathway used to reduce salinity (drop-by-drop mixing or fast mixing). If salt is added back up to 1 M, the transition is not reversible and persistent out-of-equilibrium aggregates are formed. The lifetimes of such aggregates depends on Itarget: the closer Itarget to Ic is, the more difficult it is to dissolve the aggregates. Such peculiar behavior is driven by the inner structure of the complexes that are formed after desalting. When Itarget is far below Ic, strong electrostatic interactions induce the formation of dense, compact and frozen aggregates. Such aggregates can only poorly reorganize further on with time, which makes their dissolution upon resalting almost reversible. Conversely, when Itarget is close to Ic more open aggregates are formed due to weaker electrostatic interactions upon desalting. The system can thus rearrange with time to lower its free energy and reach more stable out-of-equilibrium states which are very difficult to dissociate back upon resalting, even at very high ionic strength.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sumit Mehan
- Laboratoire Léon Brillouin, Université Paris-Saclay, CEA Saclay, 91191 Gif sur Yvette Cedex, France.
| | - Laure Herrmann
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Matière et systèmes complexes, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Jean-Paul Chapel
- Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal (CRPP), UMR CNRS 5031, Université de Bordeaux, 33600 Pessac, France
| | - Jacques Jestin
- Laboratoire Léon Brillouin, Université Paris-Saclay, CEA Saclay, 91191 Gif sur Yvette Cedex, France.
| | | | - Fabrice Cousin
- Laboratoire Léon Brillouin, Université Paris-Saclay, CEA Saclay, 91191 Gif sur Yvette Cedex, France.
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Matsuo M, Kurihara K. Proliferating coacervate droplets as the missing link between chemistry and biology in the origins of life. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5487. [PMID: 34561428 PMCID: PMC8463549 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25530-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The hypothesis that prebiotic molecules were transformed into polymers that evolved into proliferating molecular assemblages and eventually a primitive cell was first proposed about 100 years ago. To the best of our knowledge, however, no model of a proliferating prebiotic system has yet been realised because different conditions are required for polymer generation and self-assembly. In this study, we identify conditions suitable for concurrent peptide generation and self-assembly, and we show how a proliferating peptide-based droplet could be created by using synthesised amino acid thioesters as prebiotic monomers. Oligopeptides generated from the monomers spontaneously formed droplets through liquid-liquid phase separation in water. The droplets underwent a steady growth-division cycle by periodic addition of monomers through autocatalytic self-reproduction. Heterogeneous enrichment of RNA and lipids within droplets enabled RNA to protect the droplet from dissolution by lipids. These results provide experimental constructs for origins-of-life research and open up directions in the development of peptide-based materials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Muneyuki Matsuo
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
- Department of Basic Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Creative Research, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
| | - Kensuke Kurihara
- Department of Creative Research, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan.
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science & Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan.
- Faculty of Education, Utsunomiya University, Utsumomiya, Tochigi, Japan.
- Department of Life and Coordination-Complex Molecular Science, Biomolecular Functions, Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|