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Singh A, Thutupalli S, Kumar M, Ameta S. Constrained dynamics of DNA oligonucleotides in phase-separated droplets. Biophys J 2024; 123:1458-1466. [PMID: 38169216 PMCID: PMC11163293 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.12.025] [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: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding the dynamics of biomolecules in complex environments is crucial for elucidating the effect of condensed and heterogeneous environments on their functional properties. A relevant environment-and one that can also be mimicked easily in vitro-is that of phase-separated droplets. While phase-separated droplet systems have been shown to compartmentalize a wide range of functional biomolecules, the effects of internal structuration of droplets on the dynamics and mobility of internalized molecules remain poorly understood. Here, we use fluorescence correlation spectroscopy to measure the dynamics of short oligonucleotides encapsulated within two representative kinds of uncharged and charged phase-separated droplets. We find that the internal structuration controls the oligonucleotide dynamics in these droplets, revealed by measuring physical parameters at high spatiotemporal resolution. By varying oligonucleotide length and salt concentrations (and thereby charge screening), we found that the dynamics are significantly affected in the noncharged droplets compared to the charged system. Our work lays the foundation for unraveling and quantifying the physical parameters governing biomolecular transport in the condensed environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anupam Singh
- Simons Centre for the Study of Living Machines, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru, India
| | - Shashi Thutupalli
- Simons Centre for the Study of Living Machines, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru, India; International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru, India
| | - Manoj Kumar
- Simons Centre for the Study of Living Machines, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru, India.
| | - Sandeep Ameta
- Simons Centre for the Study of Living Machines, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru, India; Trivedi School of Biosciences, Ashoka University, Sonepat, India.
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Debais G, Missoni LL, Perez Sirkin YA, Tagliazucchi M. Theoretical treatment of complex coacervate core micelles: structure and pH-induced disassembly. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:7602-7612. [PMID: 37756111 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm01047c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Complex coacervate core micelles (C3Ms) are supramolecular soft nanostructures formed by the assembly of a block copolymer and an oppositely charged homopolymer. The coacervation of the charged segments in both macromolecules drives the formation of the core of the C3M, while the neutral block of the copolymer forms the corona. This work introduces a molecular theory (MOLT) that predicts the internal structure and stimuli-responsive properties of C3Ms and explicitly considers the chemical architecture of the polyelectrolytes, their acid-based equilibria and electrostatic and non-electrostatic interactions. In order to accurately predict complex coacervation, the correlations between charged species are incorporated into MOLT as ion-pairing processes, which are modeled using a coupled chemical equilibrium formalism. Very good agreement was observed between the experimental results in the literature and MOLT predictions for the scaling relationships that relate the dimensions of the micelle (aggregation number and sizes of the micelle and the core) to the lengths of the different blocks. MOLT was used to study the disassembly of the micelles when the solution pH is driven away from the value that guarantees the charge stoichiometry of the core. This study reveals that very sharp disassembly transitions can be obtained by tuning the length or architecture of the copolymer component, thereby suggesting potential routes to design C3Ms capable of releasing their components at very precise pH values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Debais
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Química Inorgánica Analítica y Química Física y CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Química de los Materiales, Ambiente y Energía (INQUIMAE), Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, C1428, Argentina.
| | - Leandro L Missoni
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Química Inorgánica Analítica y Química Física y CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Química de los Materiales, Ambiente y Energía (INQUIMAE), Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, C1428, Argentina.
| | - Yamila A Perez Sirkin
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Química Inorgánica Analítica y Química Física y CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Química de los Materiales, Ambiente y Energía (INQUIMAE), Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, C1428, Argentina.
| | - Mario Tagliazucchi
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Química Inorgánica Analítica y Química Física y CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Química de los Materiales, Ambiente y Energía (INQUIMAE), Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, C1428, Argentina.
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Bekkouche I, Kuznetsova MN, Rejepov DT, Vetcher AA, Shishonin AY. Recent Advances in DNA Nanomaterials. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:2449. [PMID: 37686956 PMCID: PMC10490369 DOI: 10.3390/nano13172449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Applications of DNA-containing nanomaterials (DNA-NMs) in science and technology are currently attracting increasing attention in the fields of medicine, environment, engineering, etc. Such objects have become important for various branches of science and industries due to their outstanding characteristics such as small size, high controllability, clustering actions, and strong permeability. For these reasons, DNA-NMs deserve a review with respect to their recent advancements. On the other hand, precise cluster control, targeted drug distribution in vivo, and cellular micro-nano operation remain as problems. This review summarizes the recent progress in DNA-NMs and their crossover and integration into multiple disciplines (including in vivo/in vitro, microcircles excisions, and plasmid oligomers). We hope that this review will motivate relevant practitioners to generate new research perspectives and boost the advancement of nanomanipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Incherah Bekkouche
- Nanotechnology Scientific and Educational Center, Institute of Biochemical Technology and Nanotechnology, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia n.a. P. Lumumba (RUDN), Miklukho-Maklaya St. 6, Moscow 117198, Russia; (M.N.K.); (D.T.R.)
| | - Maria N. Kuznetsova
- Nanotechnology Scientific and Educational Center, Institute of Biochemical Technology and Nanotechnology, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia n.a. P. Lumumba (RUDN), Miklukho-Maklaya St. 6, Moscow 117198, Russia; (M.N.K.); (D.T.R.)
| | - Dovlet T. Rejepov
- Nanotechnology Scientific and Educational Center, Institute of Biochemical Technology and Nanotechnology, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia n.a. P. Lumumba (RUDN), Miklukho-Maklaya St. 6, Moscow 117198, Russia; (M.N.K.); (D.T.R.)
| | - Alexandre A. Vetcher
- Nanotechnology Scientific and Educational Center, Institute of Biochemical Technology and Nanotechnology, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia n.a. P. Lumumba (RUDN), Miklukho-Maklaya St. 6, Moscow 117198, Russia; (M.N.K.); (D.T.R.)
- Complementary and Integrative Health Clinic of Dr. Shishonin, 5, Yasnogorskaya Str., Moscow 117588, Russia;
| | - Alexander Y. Shishonin
- Complementary and Integrative Health Clinic of Dr. Shishonin, 5, Yasnogorskaya Str., Moscow 117588, Russia;
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