1
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Cho YH, Kim S, Won TK, Cho S, Ahn DJ. Accumulated in-situ spectral information analysis of room-temperature phosphorescence with time-gated bioimaging. Mater Today Bio 2024; 28:101238. [PMID: 39318377 PMCID: PMC11421373 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2024.101238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2024] [Revised: 08/10/2024] [Accepted: 09/10/2024] [Indexed: 09/26/2024] Open
Abstract
This study introduces the time-gated analysis of room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) for the in-situ analysis of the visible and spectral information of photons. Time-gated analysis is performed using a microscopic system consisting of a spectrometer, which is advantageous for in-situ analysis since it facilitates the real-time measurement of luminescence signal changes. An RTP material hybridized with a DNA aptamer that targets a specific protein enhances the intensity and lifetime of phosphorescence after selective recognition with the target protein. In addition, time-gated analysis allows for the millisecond-scale imaging of phosphorescence signals, excluding autofluorescence, and improves the signal-to-background ratio (SBR) through the accumulation of signals. While collecting the time-gated images and spectra of RTP and autofluorescent materials simultaneously, we develop a method for obtaining phosphorescence signals by means of selective exclusion of autofluorescence signals in simulated or real cell conditions. It is confirmed that the accumulated time-gated analysis can provide ample information about luminescence signals for bioimaging and biosensing applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Ho Cho
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, South Korea
| | - Seokho Kim
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, South Korea
| | - Tae Kyung Won
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, South Korea
| | - Sunki Cho
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, South Korea
| | - Dong June Ahn
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, South Korea
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, South Korea
- Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, 02792, South Korea
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2
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Dai Y, Wang ZG, Zare RN. Unlocking the electrochemical functions of biomolecular condensates. Nat Chem Biol 2024:10.1038/s41589-024-01717-y. [PMID: 39327453 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-024-01717-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/28/2024]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensation is a key mechanism for organizing cellular processes in a spatiotemporal manner. The phase-transition nature of this process defines a density transition of the whole solution system. However, the physicochemical features and the electrochemical functions brought about by condensate formation are largely unexplored. We here illustrate the fundamental principles of how the formation of condensates generates distinct electrochemical features in the dilute phase, the dense phase and the interfacial region. We discuss the principles by which these distinct chemical and electrochemical environments can modulate biomolecular functions through the effects brought about by water, ions and electric fields. We delineate the potential impacts on cellular behaviors due to the modulation of chemical and electrochemical environments through condensate formation. This Perspective is intended to serve as a general road map to conceptualize condensates as electrochemically active entities and to assess their functions from a physical chemistry aspect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Dai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Center for Biomolecular Condensates, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Zhen-Gang Wang
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
| | - Richard N Zare
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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3
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Haller CJ, Acker J, Arguello AE, Borodavka A. Phase separation and viral factories: unveiling the physical processes supporting RNA packaging in dsRNA viruses. Biochem Soc Trans 2024:BST20231304. [PMID: 39324618 DOI: 10.1042/bst20231304] [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: 06/24/2024] [Revised: 08/28/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 09/27/2024]
Abstract
Understanding of the physicochemical properties and functions of biomolecular condensates has rapidly advanced over the past decade. More recently, many RNA viruses have been shown to form cytoplasmic replication factories, or viroplasms, via phase separation of their components, akin to numerous cellular membraneless organelles. Notably, diverse viruses from the Reoviridae family containing 10-12 segmented double-stranded RNA genomes induce the formation of viroplasms in infected cells. Little is known about the inner workings of these membraneless cytoplasmic inclusions and how they may support stoichiometric RNA assembly in viruses with segmented RNA genomes, raising questions about the roles of phase separation in coordinating viral genome packaging. Here, we discuss how the molecular composition of viroplasms determines their properties, highlighting the interplay between RNA structure, RNA remodelling, and condensate self-organisation. Advancements in RNA structural probing and theoretical modelling of condensates can reveal the mechanisms through which these ribonucleoprotein complexes support the selective enrichment and stoichiometric assembly of distinct viral RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril J Haller
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K
| | - Julia Acker
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K
| | - A Emilia Arguello
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K
| | - Alexander Borodavka
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K
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4
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Giudice J, Jiang H. Splicing regulation through biomolecular condensates and membraneless organelles. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2024; 25:683-700. [PMID: 38773325 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-024-00739-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates, sometimes also known as membraneless organelles (MLOs), can form through weak multivalent intermolecular interactions of proteins and nucleic acids, a process often associated with liquid-liquid phase separation. Biomolecular condensates are emerging as sites and regulatory platforms of vital cellular functions, including transcription and RNA processing. In the first part of this Review, we comprehensively discuss how alternative splicing regulates the formation and properties of condensates, and conversely the roles of biomolecular condensates in splicing regulation. In the second part, we focus on the spatial connection between splicing regulation and nuclear MLOs such as transcriptional condensates, splicing condensates and nuclear speckles. We then discuss key studies showing how splicing regulation through biomolecular condensates is implicated in human pathologies such as neurodegenerative diseases, different types of cancer, developmental disorders and cardiomyopathies, and conclude with a discussion of outstanding questions pertaining to the roles of condensates and MLOs in splicing regulation and how to experimentally study them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimena Giudice
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- McAllister Heart Institute, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Hao Jiang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
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5
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Ruan K, Bai G, Fang Y, Li D, Li T, Liu X, Lu B, Lu Q, Songyang Z, Sun S, Wang Z, Zhang X, Zhou W, Zhang H. Biomolecular condensates and disease pathogenesis. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2024; 67:1792-1832. [PMID: 39037698 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-024-2661-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates or membraneless organelles (MLOs) formed by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) divide intracellular spaces into discrete compartments for specific functions. Dysregulation of LLPS or aberrant phase transition that disturbs the formation or material states of MLOs is closely correlated with neurodegeneration, tumorigenesis, and many other pathological processes. Herein, we summarize the recent progress in development of methods to monitor phase separation and we discuss the biogenesis and function of MLOs formed through phase separation. We then present emerging proof-of-concept examples regarding the disruption of phase separation homeostasis in a diverse array of clinical conditions including neurodegenerative disorders, hearing loss, cancers, and immunological diseases. Finally, we describe the emerging discovery of chemical modulators of phase separation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Ruan
- The First Affiliated Hospital & School of Life Sciences, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Membrane-less Organelles & Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China.
| | - Ge Bai
- Nanhu Brain-computer Interface Institute, Hangzhou, 311100, China.
- Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
| | - Yanshan Fang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Dan Li
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China.
| | - Tingting Li
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Xingguo Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Joint School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510530, China.
- Joint School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510000, China.
| | - Boxun Lu
- Neurology Department at Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Qing Lu
- Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Bio-X Institutes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China.
| | - Zhou Songyang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation and Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.
| | - Shuguo Sun
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Zheng Wang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Innovation, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China.
| | - Xin Zhang
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, 310024, China.
| | - Wen Zhou
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
| | - Hong Zhang
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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6
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Zhang B, Wang C, Kilgore H, Latham A. Non-specific yet selective interactions contribute to small molecule condensate partitioning behavior. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4784242. [PMID: 39184067 PMCID: PMC11343289 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4784242/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates are essential in various cellular processes, and their misregulation has been demonstrated to be underly disease. Small molecules that modulate condensate stability and material properties offer promising therapeutic approaches, but mechanistic insights into their interactions with condensates remain largely lacking. We employ a multiscale approach to enable long-time, equilibrated all-atom simulations of various condensate-ligand systems. Systematic characterization of the ligand binding poses reveals that condensates can form diverse and heterogeneous chemical environments with one or multiple chains to bind small molecules. Unlike traditional protein-ligand interactions, these chemical environments are dominated by non-specific hydrophobic interactions. Nevertheless, the chemical environments feature unique amino acid compositions and physicochemical properties that favor certain small molecules over others, resulting in varied ligand partitioning coefficients within condensates. Notably, different condensates share similar sets of chemical environments but at different populations. This population shift drives ligand selectivity towards specific condensates. Our approach can enhance the interpretation of experimental screening data and may assist in the rational design of small molecules targeting specific condensates.
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7
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Guo Y, Zhang X. Unveiling intracellular phase separation: advances in optical imaging of biomolecular condensates. Trends Biochem Sci 2024:S0968-0004(24)00163-4. [PMID: 39034215 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2024.06.014] [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: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Intracellular biomolecular condensates, which form via phase separation, display a highly organized ultrastructure and complex properties. Recent advances in optical imaging techniques, including super-resolution microscopy and innovative microscopic methods that leverage the intrinsic properties of the molecules observed, have transcended the limitations of conventional microscopies. These advances facilitate the exploration of condensates at finer scales and in greater detail. The deployment of these emerging but sophisticated imaging tools allows for precise observations of the multiphasic organization and physicochemical properties of these condensates, shedding light on their functions in cellular processes. In this review, we highlight recent progress in methodological innovations and their profound implications for understanding the organization and dynamics of intracellular biomolecular condensates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinfeng Guo
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science and Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310030, PR China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science and Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310030, PR China; Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou 310024, PR China.
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8
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Zhou HX, Kota D, Qin S, Prasad R. Fundamental Aspects of Phase-Separated Biomolecular Condensates. Chem Rev 2024; 124:8550-8595. [PMID: 38885177 PMCID: PMC11260227 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.4c00138] [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] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates, formed through phase separation, are upending our understanding in much of molecular, cell, and developmental biology. There is an urgent need to elucidate the physicochemical foundations of the behaviors and properties of biomolecular condensates. Here we aim to fill this need by writing a comprehensive, critical, and accessible review on the fundamental aspects of phase-separated biomolecular condensates. We introduce the relevant theoretical background, present the theoretical basis for the computation and experimental measurement of condensate properties, and give mechanistic interpretations of condensate behaviors and properties in terms of interactions at the molecular and residue levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan-Xiang Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, USA
- Department of Physics, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, USA
| | - Divya Kota
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, USA
| | - Sanbo Qin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, USA
| | - Ramesh Prasad
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, USA
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9
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Brasnett C, Kiani A, Sami S, Otto S, Marrink SJ. Capturing chemical reactions inside biomolecular condensates with reactive Martini simulations. Commun Chem 2024; 7:151. [PMID: 38961263 PMCID: PMC11222477 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-024-01234-y] [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: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates are phase separated systems that play an important role in the spatio-temporal organisation of cells. Their distinct physico-chemical nature offers a unique environment for chemical reactions to occur. The compartmentalisation of chemical reactions is also believed to be central to the development of early life. To demonstrate how molecular dynamics may be used to capture chemical reactions in condensates, here we perform reactive molecular dynamics simulations using the coarse-grained Martini forcefield. We focus on the formation of rings of benzene-1,3-dithiol inside a synthetic peptide-based condensate, and find that the ring size distribution shifts to larger macrocycles compared to when the reaction takes place in an aqueous environment. Moreover, reaction rates are noticeably increased when the peptides simultaneously undergo phase separation, hinting that condensates may act as chaperones in recruiting molecules to reaction hubs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Brasnett
- Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Armin Kiani
- Centre for Systems Chemistry, Stratingh Institute, University of Groningen, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Selim Sami
- Kenneth S. Pitzer Theory Center and Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Sijbren Otto
- Centre for Systems Chemistry, Stratingh Institute, University of Groningen, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Siewert J Marrink
- Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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10
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Sood A, Zhang B. Preserving condensate structure and composition by lowering sequence complexity. Biophys J 2024; 123:1815-1826. [PMID: 38824391 PMCID: PMC11267431 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2024.05.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates play a vital role in organizing cellular chemistry. They selectively partition biomolecules, preventing unwanted cross talk and buffering against chemical noise. Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) serve as primary components of these condensates due to their flexibility and ability to engage in multivalent interactions, leading to spontaneous aggregation. Theoretical advancements are critical at connecting IDP sequences with condensate emergent properties to establish the so-called molecular grammar. We proposed an extension to the stickers and spacers model, incorporating heterogeneous, nonspecific pairwise interactions between spacers alongside specific interactions among stickers. Our investigation revealed that although spacer interactions contribute to phase separation and co-condensation, their nonspecific nature leads to disorganized condensates. Specific sticker-sticker interactions drive the formation of condensates with well-defined networked structures and molecular composition. We discussed how evolutionary pressures might emerge to affect these interactions, leading to the prevalence of low-complexity domains in IDP sequences. These domains suppress spurious interactions and facilitate the formation of biologically meaningful condensates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amogh Sood
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
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11
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Quan MD, Ferreon JC, Ferreon ACM. Micropolarized to the core. Nat Chem Biol 2024; 20:399-400. [PMID: 38326412 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-024-01542-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- My Diem Quan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Josephine C Ferreon
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Allan Chris M Ferreon
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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12
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Qi C, Ma X, Zeng Q, Huang Z, Zhang S, Deng X, Kong T, Liu Z. Multicompartmental coacervate-based protocell by spontaneous droplet evaporation. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1107. [PMID: 38321061 PMCID: PMC10847435 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45411-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Hierarchical compartmentalization, a hallmark of both primitive and modern cells, enables the concentration and isolation of biomolecules, and facilitates spatial organization of biochemical reactions. Coacervate-based compartments can sequester and recruit a large variety of molecules, making it an attractive protocell model. In this work, we report the spontaneous formation of core-shell cell-sized coacervate-based compartments driven by spontaneous evaporation of a sessile droplet on a thin-oil-coated substrate. Our analysis reveals that such far-from-equilibrium architectures arise from multiple, coupled segregative and associative liquid-liquid phase separation, and are stabilized by stagnation points within the evaporating droplet. The formation of stagnation points results from convective capillary flows induced by the maximum evaporation rate at the liquid-liquid-air contact line. This work provides valuable insights into the spontaneous formation and maintenance of hierarchical compartments under non-equilibrium conditions, offering a glimpse into the real-life scenario.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Qi
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Micro/Nano Optomechatronics Engineering, College of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, Shenzhen University, 518060, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Xudong Ma
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Micro/Nano Optomechatronics Engineering, College of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, Shenzhen University, 518060, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Qi Zeng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Micro/Nano Optomechatronics Engineering, College of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, Shenzhen University, 518060, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhangwei Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Micro/Nano Optomechatronics Engineering, College of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, Shenzhen University, 518060, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Shanshan Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, 518000, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaokang Deng
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, 518000, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Tiantian Kong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, 518000, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
- Department of Urology, Inst Translat Med, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Zhou Liu
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, 518000, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
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13
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Sood A, Zhang B. Preserving condensate structure and composition by lowering sequence complexity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.29.569249. [PMID: 38076908 PMCID: PMC10705451 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.29.569249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
Biological condensates play a vital role in organizing cellular chemistry. They selectively partition biomolecules, preventing unwanted cross-talk and buffering against chemical noise. Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) serve as primary components of these condensates due to their flexibility and ability to engage in multivalent, non-specific interactions, leading to spontaneous aggregation. Theoretical advancements are critical at connecting IDP sequences with condensate emergent properties to establish the so-called molecular grammar. We proposed an extension to the stickers and spacers model, incorporating non-specific pairwise interactions between spacers alongside specific interactions among stickers. Our investigation revealed that while spacer interactions contribute to phase separation and co-condensation, their non-specific nature leads to disorganized condensates. Specific sticker-sticker interactions drive the formation of condensates with well-defined structures and molecular composition. We discussed how evolutionary pressures might emerge to affect these interactions, leading to the prevalence of low complexity domains in IDP sequences. These domains suppress spurious interactions and facilitate the formation of biologically meaningful condensates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amogh Sood
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
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