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Sproncken CCM, Liu P, Monney J, Fall WS, Pierucci C, Scholten PBV, Van Bueren B, Penedo M, Fantner GE, Wensink HH, Steiner U, Weder C, Bruns N, Mayer M, Ianiro A. Large-area, self-healing block copolymer membranes for energy conversion. Nature 2024; 630:866-871. [PMID: 38839964 PMCID: PMC11208134 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07481-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Membranes are widely used for separation processes in applications such as water desalination, batteries and dialysis, and are crucial in key sectors of our economy and society1. The majority of technologically exploited membranes are based on solid polymers and function as passive barriers, whose transport characteristics are governed by their chemical composition and nanostructure. Although such membranes are ubiquitous, it has proved challenging to maximize selectivity and permeability independently, leading to trade-offs between these pertinent characteristics2. Self-assembled biological membranes, in which barrier and transport functions are decoupled3,4, provide the inspiration to address this problem5,6. Here we introduce a self-assembly strategy that uses the interface of an aqueous two-phase system to template and stabilize molecularly thin (approximately 35 nm) biomimetic block copolymer bilayers of scalable area that can exceed 10 cm2 without defects. These membranes are self-healing, and their barrier function against the passage of ions (specific resistance of approximately 1 MΩ cm2) approaches that of phospholipid membranes. The fluidity of these membranes enables straightforward functionalization with molecular carriers that shuttle potassium ions down a concentration gradient with exquisite selectivity over sodium ions. This ion selectivity enables the generation of electric power from equimolar solutions of NaCl and KCl in devices that mimic the electric organ of electric rays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian C M Sproncken
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Swiss National Center for Competence in Research (NCCR) Bio-inspired Materials, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Peng Liu
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Swiss National Center for Competence in Research (NCCR) Bio-inspired Materials, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Justin Monney
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - William S Fall
- Laboratoire de Physique des Solides - UMR 8502, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
| | - Carolina Pierucci
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Swiss National Center for Competence in Research (NCCR) Bio-inspired Materials, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Philip B V Scholten
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Swiss National Center for Competence in Research (NCCR) Bio-inspired Materials, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Brian Van Bueren
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Marcos Penedo
- Laboratory for Bio- and Nano-Instrumentation, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Engineering, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Georg Ernest Fantner
- Laboratory for Bio- and Nano-Instrumentation, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Engineering, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Henricus H Wensink
- Laboratoire de Physique des Solides - UMR 8502, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
| | - Ullrich Steiner
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Swiss National Center for Competence in Research (NCCR) Bio-inspired Materials, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Weder
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Swiss National Center for Competence in Research (NCCR) Bio-inspired Materials, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Nico Bruns
- Swiss National Center for Competence in Research (NCCR) Bio-inspired Materials, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
- Department of Chemistry and Centre for Synthetic Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Michael Mayer
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
- Swiss National Center for Competence in Research (NCCR) Bio-inspired Materials, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
| | - Alessandro Ianiro
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
- Swiss National Center for Competence in Research (NCCR) Bio-inspired Materials, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
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Sytu MRC, Cho DH, Hahm JI. Self-Assembled Block Copolymers as a Facile Pathway to Create Functional Nanobiosensor and Nanobiomaterial Surfaces. Polymers (Basel) 2024; 16:1267. [PMID: 38732737 PMCID: PMC11085100 DOI: 10.3390/polym16091267] [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: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Block copolymer (BCP) surfaces permit an exquisite level of nanoscale control in biomolecular assemblies solely based on self-assembly. Owing to this, BCP-based biomolecular assembly represents a much-needed, new paradigm for creating nanobiosensors and nanobiomaterials without the need for costly and time-consuming fabrication steps. Research endeavors in the BCP nanobiotechnology field have led to stimulating results that can promote our current understanding of biomolecular interactions at a solid interface to the never-explored size regimes comparable to individual biomolecules. Encouraging research outcomes have also been reported for the stability and activity of biomolecules bound on BCP thin film surfaces. A wide range of single and multicomponent biomolecules and BCP systems has been assessed to substantiate the potential utility in practical applications as next-generation nanobiosensors, nanobiodevices, and biomaterials. To this end, this Review highlights pioneering research efforts made in the BCP nanobiotechnology area. The discussions will be focused on those works particularly pertaining to nanoscale surface assembly of functional biomolecules, biomolecular interaction properties unique to nanoscale polymer interfaces, functionality of nanoscale surface-bound biomolecules, and specific examples in biosensing. Systems involving the incorporation of biomolecules as one of the blocks in BCPs, i.e., DNA-BCP hybrids, protein-BCP conjugates, and isolated BCP micelles of bioligand carriers used in drug delivery, are outside of the scope of this Review. Looking ahead, there awaits plenty of exciting research opportunities to advance the research field of BCP nanobiotechnology by capitalizing on the fundamental groundwork laid so far for the biomolecular interactions on BCP surfaces. In order to better guide the path forward, key fundamental questions yet to be addressed by the field are identified. In addition, future research directions of BCP nanobiotechnology are contemplated in the concluding section of this Review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Ryan C. Sytu
- Department of Chemistry, Georgetown University, 37th & O Sts. NW., Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - David H. Cho
- National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;
| | - Jong-in Hahm
- Department of Chemistry, Georgetown University, 37th & O Sts. NW., Washington, DC 20057, USA
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Sun Q, Shi J, Sun H, Zhu Y, Du J. Membrane and Lumen-Compartmentalized Polymersomes for Biocatalysis and Cell Mimics. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:4587-4604. [PMID: 37842883 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c00726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Compartmentalization is a crucial feature of a natural cell, manifested in cell membrane and inner lumen. Inspired by the cellular structure, multicompartment polymersomes (MCPs), including membrane-compartmentalized polymersomes and lumen-compartmentalized polymersomes (polymersomes-in-polymersomes), have aroused great expectations for biological applications such as biocatalysis and cell mimics in the past decades. Compared with traditional polymersomes, MCPs have advantages in encapsulating multiple enzymes separately for multistep enzymatic cascade reactions. In this review, first, the design principles and preparation methods of membrane-compartmentalized and lumen-compartmentalized polymersomes are summarized. Next, recent advances of MCPs as nanoreactors and cell mimics to mimic subcellular organelles or artificial cells are discussed. Finally, the future research directions of MCPs are prospected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingmei Sun
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Clinical Research Center for Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China
- Department of Polymeric Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Civil Engineering Materials of Ministry of Education, Tongji University, 4800 Caoan Road, Shanghai 201804, China
| | - Junqiu Shi
- Department of Polymeric Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Civil Engineering Materials of Ministry of Education, Tongji University, 4800 Caoan Road, Shanghai 201804, China
| | - Hui Sun
- State Key Laboratory of High-Efficiency Coal Utilization and Green Chemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
| | - Yunqing Zhu
- Department of Polymeric Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Civil Engineering Materials of Ministry of Education, Tongji University, 4800 Caoan Road, Shanghai 201804, China
| | - Jianzhong Du
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Clinical Research Center for Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China
- Department of Polymeric Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Civil Engineering Materials of Ministry of Education, Tongji University, 4800 Caoan Road, Shanghai 201804, China
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Cui J, Zhang W, Han Y, Wang Y, Jiang W. Solution Self-Assembly of Amphiphilic Tadpole-like Giant Molecules Constructed by Monotethering Diblock Copolymer Chain onto a Nanoparticle. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:13335-13344. [PMID: 37690120 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c02056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
The self-assembly behavior of a tadpole-like giant molecule (TGM) constructed from a hydrophobic nanoparticle (NP) monotethered by a single amphiphilic AB diblock copolymer chain was investigated by combining self-consistent field theory and density functional theory in solution. The effects of the hydrophobicities of the B blocks and NPs (i.e., solvent properties) on the self-assembly behavior of the TGMs were investigated in the cases of weak and strong intramolecular interactions (i.e., incompatibilities) between the components of giant molecules, respectively. Besides conventional ordered aggregates (such as spheres, rings, and vesicles) with hydrophobic B-cores covered by NP shells, several aggregates with novel hierarchical structures, including vesicles with NP-inserted hydrophobic walls, bead-string-like micelles, and long cylindrical micelles with NP bumps, were obtained by tuning the solvent properties under different intramolecular interactions. Noteworthy that the simulation results show that the arrangement of the NP bumps on the long cylindrical micelles may have a certain degree of helicity, which means that these micelles may have some unique electromagnetic features such as circular dichroism. Phase diagrams as a function of the hydrophobicities of the B blocks and NPs were constructed to show the formation conditions of these novel structures. These findings can not only offer new insights into understanding of the self-assembly behavior of the TGM in solution but also provide useful guidance for simple and efficient regulation of the morphology, as well as the NP distribution and arrangement of the ordered aggregates in experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Cui
- School of Petrochemical Engineering, Liaoning Petrochemical University, Fushun 113001, P. R. China
| | - Wenyu Zhang
- School of Petrochemical Engineering, Liaoning Petrochemical University, Fushun 113001, P. R. China
| | - Yuanyuan Han
- School of Petrochemical Engineering, Liaoning Petrochemical University, Fushun 113001, P. R. China
| | - Yingying Wang
- School of Physics and Information Engineering, Shanxi Normal University, Taiyuan 030031, P. R. China
| | - Wei Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, P. R. China
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Morón M. Protein hydration shell formation: Dynamics of water in biological systems exhibiting nanoscopic cavities. J Mol Liq 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2021.116584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Puiggalí-Jou A, Molina BG, Lopes-Rodrigues M, Michaux C, Perpète EA, Zanuy D, Alemán C. Self-standing, conducting and capacitive biomimetic hybrid nanomembranes for selective molecular ion separation. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:16157-16164. [PMID: 34297025 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp01840j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Hybrid free-standing biomimetic materials are developed by integrating the VDAC36 β-barrel protein into robust and flexible three-layered polymer nanomembranes. The first and third layers are prepared by spin-coating a mixture of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). PVA nanofeatures are transformed into controlled nanoperforations by solvent-etching. The two nanoperforated PLA layers are separated by an electroactive layer, which is successfully electropolymerized by introducing a conducting sacrificial substrate under the first PLA nanosheet. Finally, the nanomaterial is consolidated by immobilizing the VDAC36 protein, active as an ion channel, into the nanoperforations of the upper layer. The integration of the protein causes a significant reduction of the material resistance, which decreases from 21.9 to 3.9 kΩ cm2. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies using inorganic ions and molecular metabolites (i.e.l-lysine and ATP) not only reveal that the hybrid films behave as electrochemical supercapacitors but also indicate the most appropriate conditions to obtain selective responses against molecular ions as a function of their charge. The combination of polymers and proteins is promising for the development of new devices for engineering, biotechnological and biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Puiggalí-Jou
- Departament d'Enginyeria Química, EEBE, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, C/Eduard Maristany 10-14, Edif. I2, 08019, Barcelona, Spain.
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Fabregat G, Lanzalaco S, Aït Saïd J, Muñoz-Pascual X, Llorca J, Alemán C. Immobilization of glucose oxidase on plasma-treated polyethylene for non-invasive glucose detection. J Electroanal Chem (Lausanne) 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jelechem.2021.115509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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Incorporation of Membrane Proteins Into Bicontinuous Microemulsions Through
Winsor‐III System‐Based
Extraction. J SURFACTANTS DETERG 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jsde.12500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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Liu D, Sun H, Xiao Y, Chen S, Cornel EJ, Zhu Y, Du J. Design principles, synthesis and biomedical applications of polymer vesicles with inhomogeneous membranes. J Control Release 2020; 326:365-386. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2020.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Hybrid Lipid-Polymer Bilayers: pH-Mediated Interactions between Hybrid Vesicles and Glass. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:polym12040745. [PMID: 32231031 PMCID: PMC7240632 DOI: 10.3390/polym12040745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
One practical approach towards robust and stable biomimetic platforms is to generate hybrid bilayers that incorporate both lipids and block co-polymer amphiphiles. The currently limited number of reports on the interaction of glass surfaces with hybrid lipid and polymer vesicles—DOPC mixed with amphiphilic poly(ethylene oxide-b-butadiene) (PEO-PBd)—describe substantially different conclusions under very similar conditions (i.e., same pH). In this study, we varied vesicle composition and solution pH in order to generate a broader picture of spontaneous hybrid lipid/polymer vesicle interactions with rigid supports. Using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D), we followed the interaction of hybrid lipid-polymer vesicles with borosilicate glass as a function of pH. We found pH-dependent adsorption/fusion of hybrid vesicles that accounts for some of the contradictory results observed in previous studies. Our results show that the formation of hybrid lipid-polymer bilayers is highly pH dependent and indicate that the interaction between glass surfaces and hybrid DOPC/PEO-PBd can be tuned with pH.
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Molina BG, Lopes-Rodrigues M, Estrany F, Michaux C, Perpète EA, Armelin E, Alemán C. Free-standing flexible and biomimetic hybrid membranes for ions and ATP transport. J Memb Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2020.117931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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12
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Sikkema HR, Gaastra BF, Pols T, Poolman B. Cell Fuelling and Metabolic Energy Conservation in Synthetic Cells. Chembiochem 2019; 20:2581-2592. [PMID: 31381223 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201900398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
We are aiming for a blue print for synthesizing (moderately complex) subcellular systems from molecular components and ultimately for constructing life. However, without comprehensive instructions and design principles, we rely on simple reaction routes to operate the essential functions of life. The first forms of synthetic life will not make every building block for polymers de novo according to complex pathways, rather they will be fed with amino acids, fatty acids and nucleotides. Controlled energy supply is crucial for any synthetic cell, no matter how complex. Herein, we describe the simplest pathways for the efficient generation of ATP and electrochemical ion gradients. We have estimated the demand for ATP by polymer synthesis and maintenance processes in small cell-like systems, and we describe circuits to control the need for ATP. We also present fluorescence-based sensors for pH, ionic strength, excluded volume, ATP/ADP, and viscosity, which allow the major physicochemical conditions inside cells to be monitored and tuned.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik R Sikkema
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Bauke F Gaastra
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Tjeerd Pols
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Bert Poolman
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
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