1
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Peng Z, Kanno S, Shimba K, Miyamoto Y, Yagi T. Synthetic DNA nanopores for direct molecular transmission between lipid vesicles. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:12174-12183. [PMID: 38842009 DOI: 10.1039/d4nr01344a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Lipid vesicles hold potential as artificial cells in bottom-up synthetic biology, and as tools in drug delivery and biosensing. Transmitting molecular signals is a key function for vesicle-based systems. One strategy to achieve this function is by releasing molecular signals from vesicles through nanopores. Nevertheless, in this strategy, an excess of molecular signals may be required to reach the targets, due to the dispersion of the signals during diffusion. The key to achieving the efficient utilization of signals is to shorten the distance between the sender vesicle and the target. Here, we present a pair of DNA nanopores that can connect and form a direct molecular pathway between vesicles. The nanopores are self-assembled from nine single DNA strands, including six 14-nucleotide single-stranded overhangs as sticky-end segments, enabling them to bind with each other. Incorporating nanopores shortens the distance between different populations of vesicles, allowing less diffusion of molecules into bulk solution. To further reduce the loss of molecules, a DNA nanocap is added to one of the nanopore's openings. The nanocap can be removed through the toehold-mediated DNA strand displacement when the nanopore meets its counterpart. Our DNA nanopores provide a novel molecular transmission tool to lipid vesicles-based systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zugui Peng
- School of Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 403, Ishikawadai Bldg. 3, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan.
| | - Shoichiro Kanno
- School of Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 403, Ishikawadai Bldg. 3, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan.
| | - Kenta Shimba
- Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8563, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Miyamoto
- School of Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 403, Ishikawadai Bldg. 3, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan.
- Department of Maternal-Fetal Biology, National Center for Child Health and Development, 2-10-1 Okura, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 157-8535, Japan
| | - Tohru Yagi
- School of Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 403, Ishikawadai Bldg. 3, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan.
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2
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Okada S, Shoji K. Microrail-assisted liposome trapping and aligning in microfluidic channels. RSC Adv 2024; 14:18003-18010. [PMID: 38841399 PMCID: PMC11152143 DOI: 10.1039/d4ra02094d] [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: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Liposome assemblies with a specific shape are potential cell tissue models for studying intercellular communication. Microfluidic channels that can trap liposomes have been constructed to achieve efficient and high-throughput manipulation and observation of liposomes. However, the trapping and alignment of multiple liposomes in a specific space are still challenging because the liposomes are soft and easily ruptured. In this study, we focused on a microrail-assisted technique for manipulating water-in-oil (w/o) emulsions. In this technique, w/o emulsions are trapped under the microrails through a surface energy gradient. First, we investigated whether the microrail channel can be applied for liposome trapping and alignment and found that the numerical simulations showed that drag forces in the direction of the microrail acted on the liposomes, thereby moving the liposomes from the main channel to the microrail. Next, we designed a microrail device based on the simulation results and trapped liposomes using the device. Resultantly, 24.7 ± 8.5 liposomes were aligned under the microrail within an hour, and the microrail was filled with liposomes for 3 hours. Finally, we prepared the microrail devices with y-shaped and ring-shaped microrails and demonstrated the construction of liposome assemblies with specific shapes, not only the straight shape. Our results indicate that the microrail-assisted technique is a valuable method for manipulating liposomes because it has the potential to provide various-shaped liposome assemblies. We believe the microrail channel will be a powerful tool for constructing liposome-based cell-cell interaction models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shun Okada
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nagaoka University of Technology 1603-1 Kamitomioka Nagaoka Niigata 940-2188 Japan
| | - Kan Shoji
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nagaoka University of Technology 1603-1 Kamitomioka Nagaoka Niigata 940-2188 Japan
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3
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Nair KS, Bajaj H. Advances in giant unilamellar vesicle preparation techniques and applications. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 318:102935. [PMID: 37320960 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2023.102935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) are versatile and promising cell-sized bio-membrane mimetic platforms. Their applications range from understanding and quantifying membrane biophysical processes to acting as elementary blocks in the bottom-up assembly of synthetic cells. Definite properties and requisite goals in GUVs are dictated by the preparation techniques critical to the success of their applications. Here, we review key advances in giant unilamellar vesicle preparation techniques and discuss their formation mechanisms. Developments in lipid hydration and emulsion techniques for GUV preparation are described. Novel microfluidic-based techniques involving lipid or surfactant-stabilized emulsions are outlined. GUV immobilization strategies are summarized, including gravity-based settling, covalent linking, and immobilization by microfluidic, electric, and magnetic barriers. Moreover, some of the key applications of GUVs as biomimetic and synthetic cell platforms during the last decade have been identified. Membrane interface processes like phase separation, membrane protein reconstitution, and membrane bending have been deciphered using GUVs. In addition, vesicles are also employed as building blocks to construct synthetic cells with defined cell-like functions comprising compartments, metabolic reactors, and abilities to grow and divide. We critically discuss the pros and cons of preparation technologies and the properties they confer to the GUVs and identify potential techniques for dedicated applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karthika S Nair
- Microbial Processes and Technology Division, CSIR- National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), Trivandrum 695019, Kerala, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-Human Resource Development Centre, Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Harsha Bajaj
- Microbial Processes and Technology Division, CSIR- National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), Trivandrum 695019, Kerala, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-Human Resource Development Centre, Ghaziabad 201002, India.
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4
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Gonzales DT, Suraritdechachai S, Tang TYD. Compartmentalized Cell-Free Expression Systems for Building Synthetic Cells. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2023; 186:77-101. [PMID: 37306700 DOI: 10.1007/10_2023_221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
One of the grand challenges in bottom-up synthetic biology is the design and construction of synthetic cellular systems. One strategy toward this goal is the systematic reconstitution of biological processes using purified or non-living molecular components to recreate specific cellular functions such as metabolism, intercellular communication, signal transduction, and growth and division. Cell-free expression systems (CFES) are in vitro reconstitutions of the transcription and translation machinery found in cells and are a key technology for bottom-up synthetic biology. The open and simplified reaction environment of CFES has helped researchers discover fundamental concepts in the molecular biology of the cell. In recent decades, there has been a drive to encapsulate CFES reactions into cell-like compartments with the aim of building synthetic cells and multicellular systems. In this chapter, we discuss recent progress in compartmentalizing CFES to build simple and minimal models of biological processes that can help provide a better understanding of the process of self-assembly in molecularly complex systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- David T Gonzales
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - T -Y Dora Tang
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany.
- Center for Systems Biology Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
- Physics of Life, Cluster of Excellence, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
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5
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Taïeb HM, Herment G, Robinson T, Cipitria A. Effect of capillary fluid flow on single cancer cell cycle dynamics, motility, volume and morphology. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 23:92-105. [PMID: 36448429 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00322h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
From primary tumours and disseminating to secondary organs, cancer cells experience a wide variety of fluid flow profiles when passing through blood vessels or the lymphatic system before extravasation. Sinusoidal capillaries are a common site for extravasation. Therefore, we aim to investigate how metastatic cancer cells react to a biophysical cue such as capillary fluid flow by quantifying its effect on metastatic cell cycle progression, motility, cell and nuclear volume, and morphology. We use MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells genetically modified with fluorescent ubiquitination-based cell cycle indicator 2 (FUCCI2) as a model system. Single cells are trapped using a microfluidic device and exposed to different laminar flows. Quantitative time-lapse imaging in both 2D epifluorescence and 3D confocal microscopy is performed using in-house software FUCCItrack. In addition, 3D time-lapse with cell and nuclear segmentation is performed with a deep learning approach to streamline the image processing of big datasets. We show that at a single cell level, faster fluid flow leads to a shorter S/G2/M phase and an overall shorter cell cycle, as well as increase in cell motility irrespective of the flow direction. 3D time-lapse confocal imaging of MDA-FUCCI2 single cells reveals the evolution of cell and nuclear volume and morphology as a function of a specific cell cycle phase. Both cell and nuclear volume increase linearly over time. Cell morphology elongates more strongly during the S/G2/M phase, whereas the nuclear shape remains constant. Under the highest flow conditions, only during the S/G2/M phase can we observe a more elongated nucleus, while the cell sphericity remains similar to the control. Collectively, this data, together with the deep learning approach, provides new insights into the potential impact of fluid flow at a single cell level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hubert M Taïeb
- Department of Biomaterials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14476 Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Guillaume Herment
- Department of Biomaterials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14476 Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Tom Robinson
- Department of Theory and Bio-Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14476 Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Amaia Cipitria
- Department of Biomaterials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14476 Potsdam, Germany.
- Group of Bioengineering in Regeneration and Cancer, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 San Sebastian, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48009 Bilbao, Spain
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6
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Wubshet NH, Liu AP. Methods to mechanically perturb and characterize GUV-based minimal cell models. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 21:550-562. [PMID: 36659916 PMCID: PMC9816913 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cells shield organelles and the cytosol via an active boundary predominantly made of phospholipids and membrane proteins, yet allowing communication between the intracellular and extracellular environment. Micron-sized liposome compartments commonly known as giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) are used to model the cell membrane and encapsulate biological materials and processes in a cell-like confinement. In the field of bottom-up synthetic biology, many have utilized GUVs as substrates to study various biological processes such as protein-lipid interactions, cytoskeletal assembly, and dynamics of protein synthesis. Like cells, it is ideal that GUVs are also mechanically durable and able to stay intact when the inner and outer environment changes. As a result, studies have demonstrated approaches to tune the mechanical properties of GUVs by modulating membrane composition and lumenal material property. In this context, there have been many different methods developed to test the mechanical properties of GUVs. In this review, we will survey various perturbation techniques employed to mechanically characterize GUVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadab H. Wubshet
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Allen P. Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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7
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Dolder N, Müller P, von Ballmoos C. Experimental platform for the functional investigation of membrane proteins in giant unilamellar vesicles. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:5877-5893. [PMID: 35916307 PMCID: PMC9364335 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00551d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) are micrometer-sized model membrane systems that can be viewed directly under the microscope. They serve as scaffolds for the bottom-up creation of synthetic cells, targeted drug delivery and have been widely used to study membrane related phenomena in vitro. GUVs are also of interest for the functional investigation of membrane proteins that carry out many key cellular functions. A major hurdle to a wider application of GUVs in this field is the diversity of existing protocols that are optimized for individual proteins. Here, we compare PVA assisted and electroformation techniques for GUV formation under physiologically relevant conditions, and analyze the effect of immobilization on vesicle structure and membrane tightness towards small substrates and protons. There, differences in terms of yield, size, and leakage of GUVs produced by PVA assisted swelling and electroformation were found, dependent on salt and buffer composition. Using fusion of oppositely charged membranes to reconstitute a model membrane protein, we find that empty vesicles and proteoliposomes show similar fusion behavior, which allows for a rapid estimation of protein incorporation using fluorescent lipids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Dolder
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Philipp Müller
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Christoph von Ballmoos
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
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8
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Codutti A, Charsooghi MA, Cerdá-Doñate E, Taïeb HM, Robinson T, Faivre D, Klumpp S. Interplay of surface interaction and magnetic torque in single-cell motion of magnetotactic bacteria in microfluidic confinement. eLife 2022; 11:71527. [PMID: 35852850 PMCID: PMC9365388 DOI: 10.7554/elife.71527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Swimming microorganisms often experience complex environments in their natural habitat. The same is true for microswimmers in envisioned biomedical applications. The simple aqueous conditions typically studied in the lab differ strongly from those found in these environments and often exclude the effects of small volume confinement or the influence that external fields have on their motion. In this work, we investigate magnetically steerable microswimmers, specifically magnetotactic bacteria, in strong spatial confinement and under the influence of an external magnetic field. We trap single cells in micrometer-sized microfluidic chambers and track and analyze their motion, which shows a variety of different trajectories, depending on the chamber size and the strength of the magnetic field. Combining these experimental observations with simulations using a variant of an active Brownian particle model, we explain the variety of trajectories by the interplay between the wall interactions and the magnetic torque. We also analyze the pronounced cell-to-cell heterogeneity, which makes single-cell tracking essential for an understanding of the motility patterns. In this way, our work establishes a basis for the analysis and prediction of microswimmer motility in more complex environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnese Codutti
- Biomaterials Department, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces
| | | | - Elisa Cerdá-Doñate
- Biomaterials Department, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces
| | - Hubert M Taïeb
- Biomaterials Department, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces
| | - Tom Robinson
- Theory and Bio‐systems Department, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces
| | | | - Stefan Klumpp
- Institute for the Dynamics of Complex Systems, University of Göttingen
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9
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Chien PJ, Shih YL, Cheng CT, Tu HL. Chip assisted formation of phase-separated liposomes for reconstituting spatial protein-lipid interactions. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:2540-2548. [PMID: 35667105 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00089j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Spatially organized molecular interactions are fundamental features underlying many biochemical processes in cells. These spatially defined reactions are essential to ensure high signaling specificity and are indispensable for maintaining cell functions. The construction of synthetic cell models that can resemble such properties is thus important yet less investigated. In this study, we present a reliable method for the rapid production of highly uniform phase-separated liposomes as synthetic cell models. Specifically, a microfluidics-based strategy coupled with custom reagents for generating size-tunable liposomes with various lipid compositions is presented. In addition, an important cell signaling interacting pair, the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain and PIP2 lipid, is used to demonstrate the controlled molecular assembly inside these liposomes. The result shows that PIP2 on phase-separated domains successfully recruits the PH domains to realize spatially defined molecular interactions. Such a system is versatile and can be expanded to synthesize other proteins for realizing multiplexed molecular interactions in the same liposome. Phase-separated lipid domains can also be used to recruit targeted proteins to initiate localized reactions, thus paving the way for organizing a complex signaling cascade in the synthetic cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po-Jen Chien
- Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan.
| | - Yi-Lun Shih
- Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan.
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 10607, Taiwan
| | - Chieh-Teng Cheng
- Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan.
- Genome and Systems Biology Degree Program, Academia Sinica and National Taiwan University, Taiwan
| | - Hsiung-Lin Tu
- Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan.
- Genome and Systems Biology Degree Program, Academia Sinica and National Taiwan University, Taiwan
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10
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Al Nahas K, Fletcher M, Hammond K, Nehls C, Cama J, Ryadnov MG, Keyser UF. Measuring Thousands of Single-Vesicle Leakage Events Reveals the Mode of Action of Antimicrobial Peptides. Anal Chem 2022; 94:9530-9539. [PMID: 35760038 PMCID: PMC9280716 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c03564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Host defense or antimicrobial
peptides hold promise for providing
new pipelines of effective antimicrobial agents. Their activity quantified
against model phospholipid membranes is fundamental to a detailed
understanding of their structure–activity relationships. However,
classical characterization assays often lack the ability to achieve
this insight. Leveraging a highly parallelized microfluidic platform
for trapping and studying thousands of giant unilamellar vesicles,
we conducted quantitative long-term microscopy studies to monitor
the membrane-disruptive activity of archetypal antimicrobial peptides
with a high spatiotemporal resolution. We described the modes of action
of these peptides via measurements of the disruption of the vesicle
population under the conditions of continuous peptide dosing using
a range of concentrations and related the observed modes to the molecular
activity mechanisms of these peptides. The study offers an effective
approach for characterizing membrane-targeting antimicrobial agents
in a standardized manner and for assigning specific modes of action
to the corresponding antimicrobial mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kareem Al Nahas
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J.J. Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K
| | - Marcus Fletcher
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J.J. Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K
| | - Katharine Hammond
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington TW11 0LW, U.K.,London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, London WC1H 0AH, U.K
| | - Christian Nehls
- Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Parkallee 10, Borstel 23845, Germany
| | - Jehangir Cama
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J.J. Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K.,Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, U.K.,College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter, North Park Road, Exeter EX4 4QF, U.K
| | - Maxim G Ryadnov
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington TW11 0LW, U.K.,Department of Physics, King's College London, Strand Lane, London WC2R 2LS, U.K
| | - Ulrich F Keyser
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J.J. Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K
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11
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Toyota T, Zhang Y. Identifying and Manipulating Giant Vesicles: Review of Recent Approaches. MICROMACHINES 2022; 13:644. [PMID: 35630111 PMCID: PMC9144095 DOI: 10.3390/mi13050644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Giant vesicles (GVs) are closed bilayer membranes that primarily comprise amphiphiles with diameters of more than 1 μm. Compared with regular vesicles (several tens of nanometers in size), GVs are of greater scientific interest as model cell membranes and protocells because of their structure and size, which are similar to those of biological systems. Biopolymers and nano-/microparticles can be encapsulated in GVs at high concentrations, and their application as artificial cell bodies has piqued interest. It is essential to develop methods for investigating and manipulating the properties of GVs toward engineering applications. In this review, we discuss current improvements in microscopy, micromanipulation, and microfabrication technologies for progress in GV identification and engineering tools. Combined with the advancement of GV preparation technologies, these technological advancements can aid the development of artificial cell systems such as alternative tissues and GV-based chemical signal processing systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taro Toyota
- Department of Basic Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan;
- Universal Biology Institute, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Yiting Zhang
- Department of Basic Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan;
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12
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Ardila Riveros JC, Blöchinger AK, Atwell S, Moussus M, Compera N, Rajabnia O, Georgiev T, Lickert H, Meier M. Automated optimization of endoderm differentiation on chip. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:4685-4695. [PMID: 34751293 PMCID: PMC8613673 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00565k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) can serve as an unlimited source to rebuild organotypic tissues in vitro. Successful engineering of functional cell types and complex organ structures outside the human body requires knowledge of the chemical, temporal, and spatial microenvironment of their in vivo counterparts. Despite an increased understanding of mouse and human embryonic development, screening approaches are still required for the optimization of stem cell differentiation protocols to gain more functional mature cell types. The liver, lung, pancreas, and digestive tract originate from the endoderm germ layer. Optimization and specification of the earliest differentiation step, which is the definitive endoderm (DE), is of central importance for generating cell types of these organs because off-target cell types will propagate during month-long cultivation steps and reduce yields. Here, we developed a microfluidic large-scale integration (mLSI) chip platform for combined automated three-dimensional (3D) cell culturing and high-throughput imaging to investigate anterior/posterior patterns occurring during hiPSC differentiation into DE cells. Integration of 3D cell cultures with a diameter of 150 μm was achieved using a U-shaped pneumatic membrane valve, which was geometrically optimized and fluidically characterized. Upon parallelization of 32 fluidically individually addressable cell culture unit cells with a total of 128 3D cell cultures, complex and long-term DE differentiation protocols could be automated. Real-time bright-field imaging was used to analyze cell growth during DE differentiation, and immunofluorescence imaging on optically cleared 3D cell cultures was used to determine the DE differentiation yield. By systematically alternating transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) and WNT signaling agonist concentrations and temporal stimulation, we showed that even under similar DE differentiation yields, there were patterning differences in the 3D cell cultures, indicating possible differentiation differences between established DE protocols. The automated mLSI chip platform with the general analytical workflow for 3D stem cell cultures offers the optimization of in vitro generation of various cell types for cell replacement therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Karolina Blöchinger
- Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration Research, Helmholtz Zentrum München, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Scott Atwell
- Helmholtz Pioneer Campus, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Munich, Germany.
| | - Michel Moussus
- Helmholtz Pioneer Campus, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Munich, Germany.
| | - Nina Compera
- Helmholtz Pioneer Campus, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Munich, Germany.
| | - Omid Rajabnia
- Laboratory for MEMS Application, IMTEK-Department of Microsystems Engineering, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Tihomir Georgiev
- Helmholtz Pioneer Campus, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Munich, Germany.
| | - Heiko Lickert
- Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration Research, Helmholtz Zentrum München, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany
- TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Zentrum München, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Matthias Meier
- Helmholtz Pioneer Campus, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Munich, Germany.
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany
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13
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Toprakcioglu Z, Knowles TPJ. Sequential storage and release of microdroplets. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2021; 7:76. [PMID: 34631144 PMCID: PMC8481565 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-021-00303-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Droplet microfluidic methods have opened up the possibility of studying a plethora of phenomena ranging from biological to physical or chemical processes at ultra low volumes and high throughput. A key component of such approaches is the ability to trap droplets for observation, and many device architectures for achieving this objective have been developed. A challenge with such approaches is, however, recovering the droplets following their confinement for applications involving further analysis. Here, we present a device capable of generating, confining and releasing microdroplets in a sequential manner. Through a combination of experimental and computational simulations, we shed light on the key features required for successful droplet storage and retrieval. Moreover, we explore the effect of the flow rate of the continuous phase on droplet release, determining that a critical rate is needed to ensure complete droplet deformation through constrictions holding the droplets in place prior to release. Finally, we find that once released, droplets can be retrieved and collected off chip. The ability to generate, store and sequentially release droplets renders such a device particularly promising for future applications where reactions may not only be monitored on-chip, but droplets can also be retrieved for further analysis, facilitating new exploratory avenues in the fields of analytical chemistry and biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zenon Toprakcioglu
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW UK
| | - Tuomas P. J. Knowles
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW UK
- Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, J J Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0HE UK
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14
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Ohnishi S, Kamiya K. Formation of Giant Lipid Vesicle Containing Dual Functions Facilitates Outer Membrane Phospholipase. ACS Synth Biol 2021; 10:1837-1846. [PMID: 34258991 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.0c00468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Giant lipid vesicles are used to study artificial cell models, as well as the encapsulation of biomolecules, and the reconstitution of membrane proteins on these vesicles. Recently, complex reactions in giant vesicles have been controlled by reconstituting numerous kinds of biomolecules. However, it is challenging to generate giant lipid vesicles containing a diverse set of proteins at concentrations sufficient to ensure proper functioning. Here, we describe an artificial cell model showing dual functions of small molecule transportation and small vesicle budding, using a dual functional membrane protein (transportation and phosphatase activity) called the outer membrane phospholipase (OmpLA). To the best of our knowledge, we have revealed for the first time the transportation of ions or small molecules through OmpLA on the charged lipid bilayer. The lipid composition controlled the orientation of OmpLA through proteinase K digestion. Finally, OmpLA enzyme activity of phospholipid hydrolysis caused the budding of small vesicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seren Ohnishi
- Division of Molecular Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Gunma University, 1-5-1 Tenjin-cho, Kiryu, Gunma 376-8515, Japan
| | - Koki Kamiya
- Division of Molecular Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Gunma University, 1-5-1 Tenjin-cho, Kiryu, Gunma 376-8515, Japan
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15
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Schroen K, Berton-Carabin C, Renard D, Marquis M, Boire A, Cochereau R, Amine C, Marze S. Droplet Microfluidics for Food and Nutrition Applications. MICROMACHINES 2021; 12:863. [PMID: 34442486 PMCID: PMC8400250 DOI: 10.3390/mi12080863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Droplet microfluidics revolutionizes the way experiments and analyses are conducted in many fields of science, based on decades of basic research. Applied sciences are also impacted, opening new perspectives on how we look at complex matter. In particular, food and nutritional sciences still have many research questions unsolved, and conventional laboratory methods are not always suitable to answer them. In this review, we present how microfluidics have been used in these fields to produce and investigate various droplet-based systems, namely simple and double emulsions, microgels, microparticles, and microcapsules with food-grade compositions. We show that droplet microfluidic devices enable unprecedented control over their production and properties, and can be integrated in lab-on-chip platforms for in situ and time-resolved analyses. This approach is illustrated for on-chip measurements of droplet interfacial properties, droplet-droplet coalescence, phase behavior of biopolymer mixtures, and reaction kinetics related to food digestion and nutrient absorption. As a perspective, we present promising developments in the adjacent fields of biochemistry and microbiology, as well as advanced microfluidics-analytical instrument coupling, all of which could be applied to solve research questions at the interface of food and nutritional sciences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Schroen
- Food Process and Engineering Group, Wageningen University and Research, Bornse Weilanden 9, 6708 WG Wageningen, The Netherlands; (K.S.); (C.B.-C.)
| | - Claire Berton-Carabin
- Food Process and Engineering Group, Wageningen University and Research, Bornse Weilanden 9, 6708 WG Wageningen, The Netherlands; (K.S.); (C.B.-C.)
- INRAE, BIA Biopolymères Interactions Assemblages, F-44316 Nantes, France; (D.R.); (A.B.); (R.C.); (C.A.)
| | - Denis Renard
- INRAE, BIA Biopolymères Interactions Assemblages, F-44316 Nantes, France; (D.R.); (A.B.); (R.C.); (C.A.)
| | | | - Adeline Boire
- INRAE, BIA Biopolymères Interactions Assemblages, F-44316 Nantes, France; (D.R.); (A.B.); (R.C.); (C.A.)
| | - Rémy Cochereau
- INRAE, BIA Biopolymères Interactions Assemblages, F-44316 Nantes, France; (D.R.); (A.B.); (R.C.); (C.A.)
| | - Chloé Amine
- INRAE, BIA Biopolymères Interactions Assemblages, F-44316 Nantes, France; (D.R.); (A.B.); (R.C.); (C.A.)
| | - Sébastien Marze
- INRAE, BIA Biopolymères Interactions Assemblages, F-44316 Nantes, France; (D.R.); (A.B.); (R.C.); (C.A.)
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16
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Al Nahas K, Keyser UF. Standardizing characterization of membrane active peptides with microfluidics. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2021; 15:041301. [PMID: 34257793 PMCID: PMC8266397 DOI: 10.1063/5.0048906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are emerging as important players in the fight against antibiotic resistance. In parallel, the field of microfluidics has matured and its benefits are being exploited in applications of biomimetics and standardized testing. Membrane models are essential tools extensively utilized in studying the activity and modes of action of AMPs. Here, we describe how the utilization of microfluidic platforms in characterizing membrane active peptides can develop a reliable colorful image that classical techniques have rendered black and white.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kareem Al Nahas
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J.J. Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB30HE, United Kingdom
| | - Ulrich F. Keyser
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J.J. Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB30HE, United Kingdom
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17
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Sharifian Gh M. Recent Experimental Developments in Studying Passive Membrane Transport of Drug Molecules. Mol Pharm 2021; 18:2122-2141. [PMID: 33914545 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.1c00009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The ability to measure the passive membrane permeation of drug-like molecules is of fundamental biological and pharmaceutical importance. Of significance, passive diffusion across the cellular membranes plays an effective role in the delivery of many pharmaceutical agents to intracellular targets. Hence, approaches for quantitative measurement of membrane permeability have been the topics of research for decades, resulting in sophisticated biomimetic systems coupled with advanced techniques. In this review, recent developments in experimental approaches along with theoretical models for quantitative and real-time analysis of membrane transport of drug-like molecules through mimetic and living cell membranes are discussed. The focus is on time-resolved fluorescence-based, surface plasmon resonance, and second-harmonic light scattering approaches. The current understanding of how properties of the membrane and permeant affect the permeation process is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Sharifian Gh
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, United States
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18
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Bachler S, Ort M, Krämer SD, Dittrich PS. Permeation Studies across Symmetric and Asymmetric Membranes in Microdroplet Arrays. Anal Chem 2021; 93:5137-5144. [PMID: 33721989 PMCID: PMC8014892 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c04939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the permeation of molecules across lipid membranes on an open microfluidic platform. An array of droplet pairs was created by spotting aqueous droplets, dispersed in a lipid oil solution, onto a plate with cavities surrounded by a hydrophobic substrate. Droplets in two adjacent cavities come in contact and form an artificial lipid bilayer, called a droplet interface bilayer (DIB). The method allows for monitoring permeation of fluorescently tagged compounds from a donor droplet to an acceptor droplet. A mathematical model was applied to describe the kinetics and determine the permeation coefficient. We also demonstrate that permeation kinetics can be followed over a series of droplets, all connected via DIBs. Moreover, by changing the lipid oil composition after spotting donor droplets, we were able to create asymmetric membranes that we used to mimic the asymmetry of the cellular plasma membrane. Finally, we developed a protocol to separate and extract the droplets for label-free analysis of permeating compounds by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Our versatile platform has the potential to become a new tool for the screening of drug membrane permeability in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Bachler
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marion Ort
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stefanie D Krämer
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, Zürich 8093, Switzerland
| | - Petra S Dittrich
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
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19
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Giant Vesicles Produced with Phosphatidylcholines (PCs) and Phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs) by Water-in-Oil Inverted Emulsions. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11030223. [PMID: 33801936 PMCID: PMC7998898 DOI: 10.3390/life11030223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: giant vesicles (GVs) are widely employed as models for studying physicochemical properties of bio-membranes and artificial cell construction due to their similarities to natural cell membranes. Considering the critical roles of GVs, various methods have been developed to prepare them. Notably, the water-in-oil (w/o) inverted emulsion-transfer method is reported to be the most promising, owning to the relatively higher productivity and better encapsulation efficiency of biomolecules. Previously, we successfully established an improved approach to acquire detailed information of 1-Palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC)-derived GVs with imaging flow cytometry (IFC); (2) Methods: we prepared GVs with different lipid compositions, including phosphatidylcholines (PCs), phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs), and PC/PE mixtures by w/o inverted emulsion methods. We comprehensively compared the yield, purity, size, and encapsulation efficiency of the resulting vesicles; (3) Results: the relatively higher productivities of GVs could be obtained from POPC, 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC), 1,2-dilauroyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DLPE), DOPC: DLPE (7:3), and POPC: DLPE (6:4) pools. Furthermore, we also demonstrate that these GVs are stable during long term preservation in 4 °C. (4) Conclusions: our results will be useful for the analytical study of GVs and GV-based applications.
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20
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Abstract
Giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) have gained great popularity as mimicries for cellular membranes. As their sizes are comfortably above the optical resolution limit, and their lipid composition is easily controlled, they are ideal for quantitative light microscopic investigation of dynamic processes in and on membranes. However, reconstitution of functional proteins into the lumen or the GUV membrane itself has proven technically challenging. In recent years, a selection of techniques has been introduced that tremendously improve GUV-assay development and enable the precise investigation of protein-membrane interactions under well-controlled conditions. Moreover, due to these methodological advances, GUVs are considered important candidates as protocells in bottom-up synthetic biology. In this review, we discuss the state of the art of the most important vesicle production and protein encapsulation methods and highlight some key protein systems whose functional reconstitution has advanced the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Litschel
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried 82152, Germany; ,
| | - Petra Schwille
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried 82152, Germany; ,
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21
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Bao P, Paterson DA, Peyman SA, Jones JC, Sandoe JAT, Gleeson HF, Evans SD, Bushby RJ. Production of giant unilamellar vesicles and encapsulation of lyotropic nematic liquid crystals. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:2234-2241. [PMID: 33469638 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm01684e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
We describe a modified microfluidic method for making Giant Unilamellar Vesicles (GUVs) via water/octanol-lipid/water double emulsion droplets. At a high enough lipid concentration we show that the de-wetting of the octanol from these droplets occurs spontaneously (off-chip) without the need to use shear to aid the de-wetting process. The resultant mixture of octanol droplets and GUVs can be separated by making use of the buoyancy of the octanol. A simpler microfluidic device and pump system can be employed and, because of the higher flow-rates and much higher rate of formation of the double emulsion droplets (∼1500 s-1 compared to up to ∼75 s-1), it is easier to make larger numbers of GUVs and larger volumes of solution. Because of the potential for using GUVs that incorporate lyotropic nematic liquid crystals in biosensors we have used this method to make GUVs that incorporate the nematic phases of sunset yellow and disodium chromoglycate. However, the phase behaviour of these lyotropic liquid crystals is quite sensitive to concentration and we found that there is an unexpected spread in the concentration of the contents of the GUVs obtained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Bao
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Daniel A Paterson
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK and School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
| | - Sally A Peyman
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK and Leeds Institute of Medical Research, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - J Cliff Jones
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Jonathan A T Sandoe
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Helen F Gleeson
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Stephen D Evans
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
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22
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Aden S, Snoj T, Anderluh G. The use of giant unilamellar vesicles to study functional properties of pore-forming toxins. Methods Enzymol 2021; 649:219-251. [PMID: 33712188 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2021.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Pore-forming toxins (PFTs) act upon lipid membranes and appropriate model systems are of great importance in researching these proteins. Giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) are an excellent model membrane system to study interactions between lipids and proteins. Their main advantage is the size comparable to cells, which means that GUVs can be observed directly under the light microscope. Many PFTs properties can be studied by using GUVs, such as binding specificity, membrane reorganization upon protein binding and oligomerization, pore properties and mechanism of pore formation. GUVs also represent a good model for biotechnological approaches, e.g., in applications in synthetic biology and medicine. Each research area has its own demands for GUVs properties, so several different approaches for GUVs preparations have been developed and will be discussed in this chapter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saša Aden
- Department for Molecular Biology and Nanobiotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tina Snoj
- Department for Molecular Biology and Nanobiotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Gregor Anderluh
- Department for Molecular Biology and Nanobiotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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23
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Ganzinger KA, Merino‐Salomón A, García‐Soriano DA, Butterfield AN, Litschel T, Siedler F, Schwille P. FtsZ Reorganization Facilitates Deformation of Giant Vesicles in Microfluidic Traps**. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202001928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kristina A. Ganzinger
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biophysics Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry Am Klopferspitz 18 82152 Martinsried Germany
- Living Matter AMOLF P.O. Box 41883-1009 DB Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - Adrián Merino‐Salomón
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biophysics Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry Am Klopferspitz 18 82152 Martinsried Germany
| | - Daniela A. García‐Soriano
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biophysics Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry Am Klopferspitz 18 82152 Martinsried Germany
| | - A. Nelson Butterfield
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biophysics Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry Am Klopferspitz 18 82152 Martinsried Germany
| | - Thomas Litschel
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biophysics Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry Am Klopferspitz 18 82152 Martinsried Germany
| | - Frank Siedler
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biophysics Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry Am Klopferspitz 18 82152 Martinsried Germany
| | - Petra Schwille
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biophysics Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry Am Klopferspitz 18 82152 Martinsried Germany
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24
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Ganzinger KA, Merino‐Salomón A, García‐Soriano DA, Butterfield AN, Litschel T, Siedler F, Schwille P. FtsZ Reorganization Facilitates Deformation of Giant Vesicles in Microfluidic Traps*. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 59:21372-21376. [PMID: 32735732 PMCID: PMC7756778 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202001928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The geometry of reaction compartments can affect the local outcome of interface-restricted reactions. Giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) are commonly used to generate cell-sized, membrane-bound reaction compartments, which are, however, always spherical. Herein, we report the development of a microfluidic chip to trap and reversibly deform GUVs into cigar-like shapes. When trapping and elongating GUVs that contain the primary protein of the bacterial Z ring, FtsZ, we find that membrane-bound FtsZ filaments align preferentially with the short GUV axis. When GUVs are released from this confinement and membrane tension is relaxed, FtsZ reorganizes reversibly from filaments into dynamic rings that stabilize membrane protrusions; a process that allows reversible GUV deformation. We conclude that microfluidic traps are useful for manipulating both geometry and tension of GUVs, and for investigating how both affect the outcome of spatially-sensitive reactions inside them, such as that of protein self-organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina A. Ganzinger
- Department of Cellular and Molecular BiophysicsMax Planck Institute of BiochemistryAm Klopferspitz 1882152MartinsriedGermany
- Living MatterAMOLFP.O. Box 41883-1009 DBAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Adrián Merino‐Salomón
- Department of Cellular and Molecular BiophysicsMax Planck Institute of BiochemistryAm Klopferspitz 1882152MartinsriedGermany
| | - Daniela A. García‐Soriano
- Department of Cellular and Molecular BiophysicsMax Planck Institute of BiochemistryAm Klopferspitz 1882152MartinsriedGermany
| | - A. Nelson Butterfield
- Department of Cellular and Molecular BiophysicsMax Planck Institute of BiochemistryAm Klopferspitz 1882152MartinsriedGermany
| | - Thomas Litschel
- Department of Cellular and Molecular BiophysicsMax Planck Institute of BiochemistryAm Klopferspitz 1882152MartinsriedGermany
| | - Frank Siedler
- Department of Cellular and Molecular BiophysicsMax Planck Institute of BiochemistryAm Klopferspitz 1882152MartinsriedGermany
| | - Petra Schwille
- Department of Cellular and Molecular BiophysicsMax Planck Institute of BiochemistryAm Klopferspitz 1882152MartinsriedGermany
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25
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Cochereau R, Renard D, Noûs C, Boire A. Semi-permeable vesicles produced by microfluidics to tune the phase behaviour of encapsulated macromolecules. J Colloid Interface Sci 2020; 580:709-719. [PMID: 32712477 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2020.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 06/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the dynamics of macromolecular assemblies in solution, such as Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation (LLPS), represents technologic and fundamental challenges in many fields. In cell biology, such dynamics are of great interest, because of their involvement in subcellular processes. In our study, we aimed to control the assembly of macromolecules in aqueous semi-permeable vesicles, that we named osmosomes, using microfluidics. We developed a microfluidic chip that allows for producting and trapping Giant Unilamellar Vesicles (GUVs) encapsulating macromolecules. This device also allows for modification of the composition of the inner phase and of the membranes of the trapped GUVs. The vesicles are produced from water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) double emulsions in less than 20 min after discarding the oil phase. They are highly monodisperse and their diameter can be modulated between 20 and 110 µm by tuning the flow rates of fluid phases. Their unilamellarity is proofed by two techniques: (1) fluorescence quenching experiments and (2) the insertion of the α-hemolysin membrane protein pore. We demonstrate that the internal pH of osmosomes can be tuned in less than 1 min by controlling solvent exchanges through the α-hemolysin pores. The detailed analysis of the exchange kinetics suggests that the microfluidic chip provides an efficient pore formation due to the physical trapping of vesicles and the constant flow rate. Finally, we show a proof of concept for macromolecular assembly within osmosomes by pH-triggered LLPS of wheat proteins within a few minutes.
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26
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Witt H, Yandrapalli N, Sari M, Turco L, Robinson T, Steinem C. Precipitation of Calcium Carbonate Inside Giant Unilamellar Vesicles Composed of Fluid-Phase Lipids. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2020; 36:13244-13250. [PMID: 33112153 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c02175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Biomineralization of CaCO3 commonly involves the formation of amorphous CaCO3 precursor particles that are produced in a confined space surrounded by a lipid bilayer. While the influence of confinement itself has been investigated with different model systems, the impact of an enclosing continuous lipid bilayer on CaCO3 formation in a confined space is still poorly understood as appropriate model systems are rare. Here, we present a new versatile method based on droplet-based microfluidics to produce fluid-phase giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) in the presence of high CaCl2 concentrations. These GUVs can be readily investigated by means of confocal laser scanning microscopy in combination with bright-field microscopy, demonstrating that the formed CaCO3 particles are in conformal contact with the fluid-phase lipid bilayer and thus suggesting a strong interaction between the particle and the membrane. Atomic force microscopy adhesion studies with membrane-coated spheres on different CaCO3 crystals corroborated this notion of a strong interaction between the lipids and CaCO3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannes Witt
- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Am Faßberg 17, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Naresh Yandrapalli
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam Science Park, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14424 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Merve Sari
- Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Institute of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, Tammannstr. 2, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Laura Turco
- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Am Faßberg 17, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tom Robinson
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam Science Park, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14424 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Claudia Steinem
- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Am Faßberg 17, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Institute of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, Tammannstr. 2, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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27
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Schmid YRF, Scheller L, Buchmann S, Dittrich PS. Calcium-Mediated Liposome Fusion to Engineer Giant Lipid Vesicles with Cytosolic Proteins and Reconstituted Mammalian Proteins. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 4:e2000153. [PMID: 33084207 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202000153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Giant unilamellar lipid vesicles (GUVs) are widely used as model membrane systems and provide an excellent basis to construct artificial cells. To construct more sophisticated artificial cells, proteins-in particular membrane proteins-need to be incorporated in GUVs. However, current methods for protein reconstitution have limited throughput or are not generally applicable for all proteins because they depend on detergent solubilization. This limitation is addressed here by introducing calcium-mediated membrane fusion to transfer proteins between negatively charged GUVs and cell-derived plasma membrane vesicles (CDVs), derived from HEK293T cells overexpressing a membrane receptor protein. Fusion conditions are optimized using large unilamellar vesicles and GUVs containing phosphatidylserines and fusogenic lipids. The approach is then applied to induce lipid mixing and subsequent transfer of the overexpressed membrane receptor from CDVs into GUVs. The membrane receptor is detected by immunofluorescence on GUVs that underwent lipid mixing with CDVs. Those GUVs also exhibit esterase activity because cytosolic esterases entrapped in the CDVs are transferred during membrane fusion. Thus, content mixing is demonstrated. Using CDVs circumvents the need to purify or solubilize proteins. Moreover, calcium-mediated fusion allows transfer of lipids, water-soluble and membrane bound proteins in one step, resulting in a semi-synthetic cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick R F Schmid
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Bioanalytics Group, ETH Zürich, Mattenstrasse 26, Basel, CH-4058, Switzerland
| | - Leo Scheller
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Biotechnology and Bioengineering Group, ETH Zürich, Mattenstrasse 26, Basel, CH-4058, Switzerland
| | - Sebastian Buchmann
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Bioanalytics Group, ETH Zürich, Mattenstrasse 26, Basel, CH-4058, Switzerland
| | - Petra S Dittrich
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Bioanalytics Group, ETH Zürich, Mattenstrasse 26, Basel, CH-4058, Switzerland
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28
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Study of the Interaction of a Novel Semi-Synthetic Peptide with Model Lipid Membranes. MEMBRANES 2020; 10:membranes10100294. [PMID: 33086635 PMCID: PMC7603383 DOI: 10.3390/membranes10100294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Most linear peptides directly interact with membranes, but the mechanisms of interaction are far from being completely understood. Here, we present an investigation of the membrane interactions of a designed peptide containing a non-natural, synthetic amino acid. We selected a nonapeptide that is reported to interact with phospholipid membranes, ALYLAIRKR, abbreviated as ALY. We designed a modified peptide (azoALY) by substituting the tyrosine residue of ALY with an antimicrobial azobenzene-bearing amino acid. Both of the peptides were examined for their ability to interact with model membranes, assessing the penetration of phospholipid monolayers, and leakage across the bilayer of large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) and giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). The latter was performed in a microfluidic device in order to study the kinetics of leakage of entrapped calcein from the vesicles at the single vesicle level. Both types of vesicles were prepared from a 9:1 (mol/mol) mixture of POPC (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) and POPG (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho(1′-rac-glycerol). Calcein leakage from the vesicles was more pronounced at a low concentration in the case of azoALY than for ALY. Increased vesicle membrane disturbance in the presence of azoALY was also evident from an enzymatic assay with LUVs and entrapped horseradish peroxidase. Molecular dynamics simulations of ALY and azoALY in an anionic POPC/POPG model bilayer showed that ALY peptide only interacts with the lipid head groups. In contrast, azoALY penetrates the hydrophobic core of the bilayers causing a stronger membrane perturbation as compared to ALY, in qualitative agreement with the experimental results from the leakage assays.
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Bhatia T, Robinson T, Dimova R. Membrane permeability to water measured by microfluidic trapping of giant vesicles. SOFT MATTER 2020; 16:7359-7369. [PMID: 32696791 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm00155d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
We use a microfluidic method to estimate the water permeability coefficient (p) of membranes. As model lipid membranes we employ giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) composed of palmitoyloleoyl phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol (10 mol%). We have developed a microfluidic device with multiple chambers to trap GUVs and allow controlled osmotic exchange. Each chamber has a ring-shaped pressure-controlled valve which upon closure allows isolation of the GUVs in a defined volume. Opening the valves leads to a rapid fluid exchange between the trapping region and the microchannel network outside, thus allowing precise control over solution concentration around the GUVs contrary to other experimental approaches for permeability measurements reported in the literature. The area and volume changes of individual vesicles are monitored with confocal microscopy. The solute concentration in the immediate vicinity of the GUVs, and thus the concentration gradient across the membrane, is independently assessed. The data are well fitted by a simple model for water permeability which assumes that the rate of change in volume of a GUV per unit area is linearly proportional to concentration difference with permeability as the proportionality constant. Experiments of GUV osmotic deflation with hypertonic solutions yield the permeability of POPC/cholesterol 9/1 membranes to be p = 15.7 ± 5.5 μm s-1. For comparison, we also show results using two other approaches, which either do not take into account local concentration changes and/or do not resolve the precise vesicle shape. We point out the errors associated with these limitations. Finally, we also demonstrate the applicability of the microfluidic device for studying the dynamics of vesicles under flow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tripta Bhatia
- Theory & Biosystems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces (MPIKG), 14424 Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Tom Robinson
- Theory & Biosystems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces (MPIKG), 14424 Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Rumiana Dimova
- Theory & Biosystems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces (MPIKG), 14424 Potsdam, Germany.
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30
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Sugiyama H, Osaki T, Takeuchi S, Toyota T. Perfusion Chamber for Observing a Liposome-Based Cell Model Prepared by a Water-in-Oil Emulsion Transfer Method. ACS OMEGA 2020; 5:19429-19436. [PMID: 32803036 PMCID: PMC7424586 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c01371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
For the construction of a chemical model of contemporary living cells, the so-called water-in-oil emulsion transfer (WOET) method has drawn much attention as one of the promising preparation protocols for cell-sized liposomes encapsulating macromolecules and even micrometer-sized colloidal particles in high yields. Combining the throughput and accuracy of the observation is the key to developing a synthetic approach based on the liposomes prepared by the WOET method. Recent advances in microfluidic technology can provide a solution. By means of surface modification of a poly(dimethylsiloxane)-type microfluidic device integrating size-sorting and trapping modules, here, we enabled a simultaneous direct observation of the liposomes with a narrow size distribution, which were prepared by the WOET method. As a demonstration, we evaluated the variance of encapsulation of polystyrene colloidal particles and water permeability of the cell-sized liposomes prepared by the WOET method in the device. Since the liposomes prepared by the WOET method are useful for constructing cell models with an easy protocol, the current system will lead to a critical development of not only supramolecular chemistry and soft matter physics but also synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hironori Sugiyama
- Department
of Basic Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Toshihisa Osaki
- Institute
of Industrial Science, The University of
Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8505, Japan
- Kanagawa
Institute of Industrial Science and Technology, 3-2-1 Sakado, Takatsu, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 213-0012, Japan
| | - Shoji Takeuchi
- Institute
of Industrial Science, The University of
Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8505, Japan
- Department
of Mechano-Informatics, Graduate School of Information Science and
Technology, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Taro Toyota
- Department
of Basic Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
- Universal
Biology Institute, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
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31
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Elias M, Dutoya A, Laborde A, Lecestre A, Montis C, Caselli L, Berti D, Lonetti B, Roux C, Joseph P. Microfluidic characterization of biomimetic membrane mechanics with an on-chip micropipette. MICRO AND NANO ENGINEERING 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mne.2020.100064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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32
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Jia H, Litschel T, Heymann M, Eto H, Franquelim HG, Schwille P. Shaping Giant Membrane Vesicles in 3D-Printed Protein Hydrogel Cages. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2020; 16:e1906259. [PMID: 32105403 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201906259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Revised: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Giant unilamellar phospholipid vesicles are attractive starting points for constructing minimal living cells from the bottom-up. Their membranes are compatible with many physiologically functional modules and act as selective barriers, while retaining a high morphological flexibility. However, their spherical shape renders them rather inappropriate to study phenomena that are based on distinct cell shape and polarity, such as cell division. Here, a microscale device based on 3D printed protein hydrogel is introduced to induce pH-stimulated reversible shape changes in trapped vesicles without compromising their free-standing membranes. Deformations of spheres to at least twice their aspect ratio, but also toward unusual quadratic or triangular shapes can be accomplished. Mechanical force induced by the cages to phase-separated membrane vesicles can lead to spontaneous shape deformations, from the recurrent formation of dumbbells with curved necks between domains to full budding of membrane domains as separate vesicles. Moreover, shape-tunable vesicles are particularly desirable when reconstituting geometry-sensitive protein networks, such as reaction-diffusion systems. In particular, vesicle shape changes allow to switch between different modes of self-organized protein oscillations within, and thus, to influence reaction networks directly by external mechanical cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyang Jia
- Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, Martinsried, D-82152, Germany
| | - Thomas Litschel
- Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, Martinsried, D-82152, Germany
| | - Michael Heymann
- Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, Martinsried, D-82152, Germany
| | - Hiromune Eto
- Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, Martinsried, D-82152, Germany
| | - Henri G Franquelim
- Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, Martinsried, D-82152, Germany
| | - Petra Schwille
- Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, Martinsried, D-82152, Germany
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Yandrapalli N, Seemann T, Robinson T. On-Chip Inverted Emulsion Method for Fast Giant Vesicle Production, Handling, and Analysis. MICROMACHINES 2020; 11:E285. [PMID: 32164221 PMCID: PMC7142477 DOI: 10.3390/mi11030285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Liposomes and giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) in particular are excellent compartments for constructing artificial cells. Traditionally, their use requires bench-top vesicle growth, followed by experimentation under a microscope. Such steps are time-consuming and can lead to loss of vesicles when they are transferred to an observation chamber. To overcome these issues, we present an integrated microfluidic chip which combines GUV formation, trapping, and multiple separate experiments in the same device. First, we optimized the buffer conditions to maximize both the yield and the subsequent trapping of the vesicles in micro-posts. Captured GUVs were monodisperse with specific size of 18 ± 4 µm in diameter. Next, we introduce a two-layer design with integrated valves which allows fast solution exchange in less than 20 s and on separate sub-populations of the trapped vesicles. We demonstrate that multiple experiments can be performed in a single chip with both membrane transport and permeabilization assays. In conclusion, we have developed a versatile all-in-one microfluidic chip with capabilities to produce and perform multiple experiments on a single batch of vesicles using low sample volumes. We expect this device will be highly advantageous for bottom-up synthetic biology where rapid encapsulation and visualization is required for enzymatic reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tom Robinson
- Department of Theory & Bio-Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Science Park Golm, 14424 Potsdam, Germany
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34
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Moga A, Yandrapalli N, Dimova R, Robinson T. Optimization of the Inverted Emulsion Method for High-Yield Production of Biomimetic Giant Unilamellar Vesicles. Chembiochem 2019; 20:2674-2682. [PMID: 31529570 PMCID: PMC6856842 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201900529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
In the field of bottom-up synthetic biology, lipid vesicles provide an important role in the construction of artificial cells. Giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs), due to their membrane's similarity to natural biomembranes, have been widely used as cellular mimics. So far, several methods exist for the production of GUVs with the possibility to encapsulate biological macromolecules. The inverted emulsion-based method is one such technique, which has great potential for rapid production of GUVs with high encapsulation efficiencies for large biomolecules. However, the lack of understanding of various parameters that affect production yields has resulted in sparse adaptation within the membrane and bottom-up synthetic biology research communities. Here, we optimize various parameters of the inverted emulsion-based method to maximize the production of GUVs. We demonstrate that the density difference between the emulsion droplets, oil phase, and the outer aqueous phase plays a crucial role in vesicle formation. We also investigated the impact that centrifugation speed/time, lipid concentration, pH, temperature, and emulsion droplet volume has on vesicle yield and size. Compared to conventional electroformation, our preparation method was not found to significantly alter the membrane mechanical properties. Finally, we optimize the parameters to minimize the time from workbench to microscope and in this way open up the possibility of time-sensitive experiments. In conclusion, our findings will promote the usage of the inverted emulsion method for basic membrane biophysics studies as well as the development of GUVs for use as future artificial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akanksha Moga
- Theory & Bio-Systems DepartmentMax Planck Institute of Colloids and InterfacesPotsdam-Golm Science Park14424PotsdamGermany
| | - Naresh Yandrapalli
- Theory & Bio-Systems DepartmentMax Planck Institute of Colloids and InterfacesPotsdam-Golm Science Park14424PotsdamGermany
| | - Rumiana Dimova
- Theory & Bio-Systems DepartmentMax Planck Institute of Colloids and InterfacesPotsdam-Golm Science Park14424PotsdamGermany
| | - Tom Robinson
- Theory & Bio-Systems DepartmentMax Planck Institute of Colloids and InterfacesPotsdam-Golm Science Park14424PotsdamGermany
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35
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Katsuta S, Okano T, Koiwai K, Suzuki H. Ejection of Large Particulate Materials from Giant Unilamellar Vesicles Induced by Electropulsation. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2019; 35:13196-13204. [PMID: 31498647 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.9b01617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Electroporation or electropermealization is a technique to open pores in the lipid bilayer membrane of cells and vesicles transiently to increase its permeability to otherwise impermeable molecules. However, the upper size limit of the materials permeable through this operation has not been studied in the past. Here, we investigate the size of the material that can be released (ejected) from giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) upon electrical pulsation. We confirm that the volume of GUV shrinks in a stepwise manner upon periodical pulsation, in accordance with previous studies. When the same operation is applied to GUVs that encapsulate microbeads, we find that beads as large as 20 μm can be ejected across the membrane without rupturing the whole GUV structure. We also demonstrate that functional bioactive particulate materials, such as gel balls, vesicles, and cells can be encapsulated in and ejected from GUVs. We foresee that this phenomenon can be applied to precisely regulate the time and location of release of these particulate materials in the microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shota Katsuta
- Dept. Precision Mechanics, Faculty of Science and Engineering , Chuo University , 1-13-27 Kasuga , Bunkyo-ku , Tokyo 112-8551 , Japan
| | - Taiji Okano
- Dept. Precision Mechanics, Faculty of Science and Engineering , Chuo University , 1-13-27 Kasuga , Bunkyo-ku , Tokyo 112-8551 , Japan
| | - Keiichiro Koiwai
- Dept. Precision Mechanics, Faculty of Science and Engineering , Chuo University , 1-13-27 Kasuga , Bunkyo-ku , Tokyo 112-8551 , Japan
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) , 5-3-1 Kojimachi , Chiyoda-ku , Tokyo 102-0083 , Japan
| | - Hiroaki Suzuki
- Dept. Precision Mechanics, Faculty of Science and Engineering , Chuo University , 1-13-27 Kasuga , Bunkyo-ku , Tokyo 112-8551 , Japan
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36
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37
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Robinson T. Microfluidic Handling and Analysis of Giant Vesicles for Use as Artificial Cells: A Review. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 3:e1800318. [PMID: 32648705 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.201800318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Revised: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
One of the goals of synthetic biology is the bottom-up construction of an artificial cell, the successful realization of which could shed light on how cellular life emerged and could also be a useful tool for studying the function of modern cells. Using liposomes as biomimetic containers is particularly promising because lipid membranes are biocompatible and much of the required machinery can be reconstituted within them. Giant lipid vesicles have been used extensively in other fields such as biophysics and drug discovery, but their use as artificial cells has only recently seen an increase. Despite the prevalence of giant vesicles, many experiments remain challenging or impossible due to their delicate nature compared to biological cells. This review aims to highlight the effectiveness of microfluidic technologies in handling and analyzing giant vesicles. The advantages and disadvantages of different microfluidic approaches and what new insights can be gained from various applications are introduced. Finally, future directions are discussed in which the unique combination of microfluidics and giant lipid vesicles can push forward the bottom-up construction of artificial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Robinson
- Department of Theory & Bio-Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, 14424, Germany
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38
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Al Nahas K, Cama J, Schaich M, Hammond K, Deshpande S, Dekker C, Ryadnov MG, Keyser UF. A microfluidic platform for the characterisation of membrane active antimicrobials. LAB ON A CHIP 2019; 19:837-844. [PMID: 30698187 PMCID: PMC6404476 DOI: 10.1039/c8lc00932e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The spread of bacterial resistance against conventional antibiotics generates a great need for the discovery of novel antimicrobials. Polypeptide antibiotics constitute a promising class of antimicrobial agents that favour attack on bacterial membranes. However, efficient measurement platforms for evaluating their mechanisms of action in a systematic manner are lacking. Here we report an integrated lab-on-a-chip multilayer microfluidic platform to quantify the membranolytic efficacy of such antibiotics. The platform is a biomimetic vesicle-based screening assay, which generates giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) in physiologically relevant buffers on demand. Hundreds of these GUVs are individually immobilised downstream in physical traps connected to separate perfusion inlets that facilitate controlled antibiotic delivery. Antibiotic efficacy is expressed as a function of the time needed for an encapsulated dye to leak out of the GUVs as a result of antibiotic treatment. This proof-of-principle study probes the dose response of an archetypal polypeptide antibiotic cecropin B on GUVs mimicking bacterial membranes. The results of the study provide a foundation for engineering quantitative, high-throughput microfluidics devices for screening antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- K. Al Nahas
- Cavendish Laboratory
, Univ. of Cambridge
,
JJ Thomson Avenue
, Cambridge CB3 0HE
, UK
.
| | - J. Cama
- Cavendish Laboratory
, Univ. of Cambridge
,
JJ Thomson Avenue
, Cambridge CB3 0HE
, UK
.
| | - M. Schaich
- Cavendish Laboratory
, Univ. of Cambridge
,
JJ Thomson Avenue
, Cambridge CB3 0HE
, UK
.
| | - K. Hammond
- National Physical Laboratory
,
Hampton Road, Teddington
, Middlesex TW11 0LW
, UK
| | - S. Deshpande
- Kavli Institute of Nanoscience
, Delft Univ. of Technology
,
van der Maasweg 9
, Delft 2629 HZ
, Netherlands
| | - C. Dekker
- Kavli Institute of Nanoscience
, Delft Univ. of Technology
,
van der Maasweg 9
, Delft 2629 HZ
, Netherlands
| | - M. G. Ryadnov
- National Physical Laboratory
,
Hampton Road, Teddington
, Middlesex TW11 0LW
, UK
| | - U. F. Keyser
- Cavendish Laboratory
, Univ. of Cambridge
,
JJ Thomson Avenue
, Cambridge CB3 0HE
, UK
.
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Ewins E, Lira RB, Zhang W, Yuan J, Antonietti M, Robinson T, Dimova R. Poly(Ionic Liquid) Nanoparticles Selectively Disrupt Biomembranes. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2019; 6:1801602. [PMID: 30828532 PMCID: PMC6382306 DOI: 10.1002/advs.201801602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Revised: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Polymer-based nanoparticles have an increasing presence in research due to their attractive properties, such as flexible surface functionality design and the ability to scale up production. Poly(ionic liquid) (PIL) nanoparticles of size below 50 nm are very unique in terms of their high charge density and internal onion-like morphology. The interaction between PIL nanoparticles and giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) of various surface charge densities is investigated. GUVs represent a convenient model system as they mimic the size and curvature of plasma membranes, while simultaneously offering direct visualization of the membrane response under the microscope. Incubating PIL nanoparticles with GUVs results in poration of the lipid membrane in a concentration- and charge-dependent manner. A critical poration concentration of PILs is located and the interactions are found to be analogous to those of antimicrobial peptides. Microbial mimetic membranes are already affected at submicromolar PIL concentrations where contrast loss is observed due to sugar exchange across the membrane, while at high concentrations the collapse of vesicles is observed. Finally, a confocal microscopy-based approach assessing the particle permeation through the membrane is reported and a mechanism based on bilayer frustration and pore stabilization via particle integration in the membrane is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Ewins
- Department of Theory & Bio‐SystemsMax Planck Institute of Colloids and InterfacesScience Park Golm14424PotsdamGermany
| | - Rafael B. Lira
- Department of Theory & Bio‐SystemsMax Planck Institute of Colloids and InterfacesScience Park Golm14424PotsdamGermany
| | - Weiyi Zhang
- Department of Colloid ChemistryMax Planck Institute of Colloids and InterfacesScience Park Golm14424PotsdamGermany
| | - Jiayin Yuan
- Department of Colloid ChemistryMax Planck Institute of Colloids and InterfacesScience Park Golm14424PotsdamGermany
| | - Markus Antonietti
- Department of Colloid ChemistryMax Planck Institute of Colloids and InterfacesScience Park Golm14424PotsdamGermany
| | - Tom Robinson
- Department of Theory & Bio‐SystemsMax Planck Institute of Colloids and InterfacesScience Park Golm14424PotsdamGermany
| | - Rumiana Dimova
- Department of Theory & Bio‐SystemsMax Planck Institute of Colloids and InterfacesScience Park Golm14424PotsdamGermany
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40
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Yandrapalli N, Robinson T. Ultra-high capacity microfluidic trapping of giant vesicles for high-throughput membrane studies. LAB ON A CHIP 2019; 19:626-633. [PMID: 30632596 DOI: 10.1039/c8lc01275j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Biomimetic systems such as model lipid membranes are vital to many research fields including synthetic biology, drug discovery and membrane biophysics. One of the most commonly used are giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) due to their size similarity with biological cells and their ease of production. Typical methods for handling such delicate objects are low-throughput and do not allow solution exchange or long-term observations, all of which limits the experimental options. Herein, we present a new device designed to confine large assemblies of GUVs in microfluidic traps but is still able to perform precise and fast solution exchanges. An optimised design allows efficient filling with as many as 114 GUVs per trap and over 23 000 GUVs per device. This allows high-throughput dataset acquisitions which we demonstrate with two proof-of-concept experiments: (i) end-point measurements of vesicle interior pH and (ii) membrane transport kinetics. Moreover, we show that the design is able to selectively trap sub-populations of specific vesicle sizes and assemble them in different layers. The device can easily be applied to other high-throughput membrane studies and will pave the way for future applications using vesicle assemblies to model cellular tissues or even prototissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naresh Yandrapalli
- Department of Theory & Bio-Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, Germany.
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41
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Ganzinger KA, Schwille P. More from less - bottom-up reconstitution of cell biology. J Cell Sci 2019; 132:132/4/jcs227488. [PMID: 30718262 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.227488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The ultimate goal of bottom-up synthetic biology is recreating life in its simplest form. However, in its quest to find the minimal functional units of life, this field contributes more than its main aim by also offering a range of tools for asking, and experimentally approaching, biological questions. This Review focusses on how bottom-up reconstitution has furthered our understanding of cell biology. Studying cell biological processes in vitro has a long tradition, but only recent technological advances have enabled researchers to reconstitute increasingly complex biomolecular systems by controlling their multi-component composition and their spatiotemporal arrangements. We illustrate this progress using the example of cytoskeletal processes. Our understanding of these has been greatly enhanced by reconstitution experiments, from the first in vitro experiments 70 years ago to recent work on minimal cytoskeleton systems (including this Special Issue of Journal of Cell Science). Importantly, reconstitution approaches are not limited to the cytoskeleton field. Thus, we also discuss progress in other areas, such as the shaping of biomembranes and cellular signalling, and prompt the reader to add their subfield of cell biology to this list in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina A Ganzinger
- Physics of Cellular Interactions Group, AMOLF, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Petra Schwille
- Department Cellular and Molecular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
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42
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Lira RB, Robinson T, Dimova R, Riske KA. Highly Efficient Protein-free Membrane Fusion: A Giant Vesicle Study. Biophys J 2019; 116:79-91. [PMID: 30579564 PMCID: PMC6342729 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2018.11.3128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Membrane fusion is a ubiquitous process in biology and is a prerequisite for many intracellular delivery protocols relying on the use of liposomes as drug carriers. Here, we investigate in detail the process of membrane fusion and the role of opposite charges in a protein-free lipid system based on cationic liposomes (LUVs, large unilamellar vesicles) and anionic giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) composed of different palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC)/palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylglycerol (POPG) molar ratios. By using a set of optical-microscopy- and microfluidics-based methods, we show that liposomes strongly dock to GUVs of pure POPC or low POPG fraction (up to 10 mol%) in a process mainly associated with hemifusion and membrane tension increase, commonly leading to GUV rupture. On the other hand, docked LUVs quickly and very efficiently fuse with negative GUVs of POPG fractions at or above 20 mol%, resulting in dramatic GUV area increase in a charge-dependent manner; the vesicle area increase is deduced from GUV electrodeformation. Importantly, both hemifusion and full fusion are leakage-free. Fusion efficiency is quantified by the lipid transfer from liposomes to GUVs using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), which leads to consistent results when compared to fluorescence-lifetime-based FRET. We develop an approach to deduce the final composition of single GUVs after fusion based on the FRET efficiency. The results suggest that fusion is driven by membrane charge and appears to proceed up to charge neutralization of the acceptor GUV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael B Lira
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Theory and Bio-Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Tom Robinson
- Department of Theory and Bio-Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Rumiana Dimova
- Department of Theory and Bio-Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Karin A Riske
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Drücker P, Iacovache I, Bachler S, Zuber B, Babiychuk EB, Dittrich PS, Draeger A. Membrane deformation and layer-by-layer peeling of giant vesicles induced by the pore-forming toxin pneumolysin. Biomater Sci 2019; 7:3693-3705. [DOI: 10.1039/c9bm00134d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Membranes under attack by the pore-forming toxin pneumolysin reveal a hitherto unknown layer-by-layer peeling mechanism and disclose the multilamellar structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Drücker
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering
- ETH Zurich
- 4058 Basel
- Switzerland
- Department of Cell Biology
| | - Ioan Iacovache
- Laboratory of Experimental Morphology
- Institute of Anatomy
- University of Bern
- 3000 Bern 9
- Switzerland
| | - Simon Bachler
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering
- ETH Zurich
- 4058 Basel
- Switzerland
| | - Benoît Zuber
- Laboratory of Experimental Morphology
- Institute of Anatomy
- University of Bern
- 3000 Bern 9
- Switzerland
| | - Eduard B. Babiychuk
- Department of Cell Biology
- Institute of Anatomy
- University of Bern
- 3000 Bern 9
- Switzerland
| | - Petra S. Dittrich
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering
- ETH Zurich
- 4058 Basel
- Switzerland
| | - Annette Draeger
- Department of Cell Biology
- Institute of Anatomy
- University of Bern
- 3000 Bern 9
- Switzerland
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Lin CC, Bachmann M, Bachler S, Venkatesan K, Dittrich PS. Tunable Membrane Potential Reconstituted in Giant Vesicles Promotes Permeation of Cationic Peptides at Nanomolar Concentrations. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2018; 10:41909-41916. [PMID: 30450894 PMCID: PMC6420060 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.8b12217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
We investigate the influence of membrane potential on the permeation of cationic peptides. Therefore, we employ a microfluidic chip capable of capturing giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) in physical traps and fast exchange of chemical compounds. Control experiments with calcein proved that the vesicle membranes' integrity is not affected by the physical traps and applied shear forces. Combined with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, permeation of fluorescently labeled peptides across vesicle membranes can be measured down to the nanomolar level. With the addition of a lipophilic ruthenium(II) complex Ru(C17)22+, GUVs consisting of mixed acyl phospholipids are prepared with a negative membrane potential, resembling the membrane asymmetry in cells. The membrane potential serves as a driving force for the permeation of cationic cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) nonaarginine (Arg9) and the human immunodeficiency virus trans-activator of transcription (TAT) peptide already at nanomolar doses. Hyperpolarization of the membrane by photo-oxidation of Ru(C17)22+ enhances permeation significantly from 55 to 78% for Arg9. This specific enhancement for Arg9 (cf. TAT) is ascribed to the higher affinity of the arginines to the phosphoserine head groups. On the other hand, permeation is decreased by introducing an additional negative charge in close proximity to the N-terminal arginine residue when changing the fluorophore. In short, with the capability to reconstitute membrane potential as well as shear stress, our system is a suitable platform for modeling the membrane permeability of pharmaceutics candidates. The results also highlight the membrane potential as a major cause of discrepancies between vesicular and cellular studies on CPP permeation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao-Chen Lin
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Michael Bachmann
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Simon Bachler
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Koushik Venkatesan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Petra S. Dittrich
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
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Membrane association and remodeling by intraflagellar transport protein IFT172. Nat Commun 2018; 9:4684. [PMID: 30409972 PMCID: PMC6224603 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07037-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The cilium is an organelle used for motility and cellular signaling. Intraflagellar transport (IFT) is a process to move ciliary building blocks and signaling components into the cilium. How IFT controls the movement of ciliary components is currently poorly understood. IFT172 is the largest IFT subunit essential for ciliogenesis. Due to its large size, the characterization of IFT172 has been challenging. Using giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs), we show that IFT172 is a membrane-interacting protein with the ability to remodel large membranes into small vesicles. Purified IFT172 has an architecture of two globular domains with a long rod-like protrusion, resembling the domain organization of coatomer proteins such as COPI-II or clathrin. IFT172 adopts two different conformations that can be manipulated by lipids or detergents: 1) an extended elongated conformation and 2) a globular closed architecture. Interestingly, the association of IFT172 with membranes is mutually exclusive with IFT57, implicating multiple functions for IFT172 within IFT. Cilia formation requires Intraflagellar transport (IFT) to move ciliary building blocks and signaling components into the cilium. Here authors use in vitro reconstitution and electron microscopy on IFT172 and reveal its ability to remodel large membrane surfaces into small vesicles.
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Sugiyama H, Toyota T. Toward Experimental Evolution with Giant Vesicles. Life (Basel) 2018; 8:life8040053. [PMID: 30384503 PMCID: PMC6316375 DOI: 10.3390/life8040053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Revised: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Experimental evolution in chemical models of cells could reveal the fundamental mechanisms of cells today. Various chemical cell models, water-in-oil emulsions, oil-on-water droplets, and vesicles have been constructed in order to conduct research on experimental evolution. In this review, firstly, recent studies with these candidate models are introduced and discussed with regards to the two hierarchical directions of experimental evolution (chemical evolution and evolution of a molecular self-assembly). Secondly, we suggest giant vesicles (GVs), which have diameters larger than 1 µm, as promising chemical cell models for studying experimental evolution. Thirdly, since technical difficulties still exist in conventional GV experiments, recent developments of microfluidic devices to deal with GVs are reviewed with regards to the realization of open-ended evolution in GVs. Finally, as a future perspective, we link the concept of messy chemistry to the promising, unexplored direction of experimental evolution in GVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hironori Sugiyama
- Department of Basic Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan.
| | - Taro Toyota
- Department of Basic Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan.
- Universal Biology Institute, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan.
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Toprakcioglu Z, Challa PK, Levin A, Knowles TPJ. Observation of molecular self-assembly events in massively parallel microdroplet arrays. LAB ON A CHIP 2018; 18:3303-3309. [PMID: 30270398 DOI: 10.1039/c8lc00862k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The self-assembly of peptide and protein molecules into nanoscale filaments is a process associated with both biological function and malfunction. Microfluidic techniques can provide powerful tools in the study of such aggregation phenomena while providing access to exploring the role of molecular interactions in disease development. Yet, a common challenge encountered in the study of protein aggregation is the difficulty in achieving spatial and temporal control of the underlying processes. Here, we present a planar (2-D) device allowing for both the generation and confinement of 10 000 monodisperse water-in-oil droplets in an array of chambers with a trapping efficiency of 99%. Due to the specific geometry of the device, droplets can be formed and immediately trapped on the same chip, without the need for continuous flow of the oil phase. Furthermore, we demonstrate the capability of this device as a platform to study the aggregation kinetics and determine stochastic molecular nanoscale self-assembly events in a highly parallel manner for the aggregation of the dipeptide, diphenylalanine, the core recognition motif of the Aβ-42 peptide associated with Alzheimer's disease. The ability to reproducibly generate and confine monodisperse water-in-oil droplets with an extremely high trapping efficiency while maintaining entrapment under zero-flow conditions, on timescales compatible with observing molecular self-assembly events, renders it promising for numerous potential further applications in the biological and biophysical fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zenon Toprakcioglu
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK.
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Movsesian N, Tittensor M, Dianat G, Gupta M, Malmstadt N. Giant Lipid Vesicle Formation Using Vapor-Deposited Charged Porous Polymers. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2018; 34:9025-9035. [PMID: 29961336 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b00736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we prepare giant lipid vesicles using vapor-deposited charged microporous poly(methacrylic acid- co-ethylene glycol diacrylate) polymer membranes with different morphologies and thicknesses. Our results suggest that vesicle formation is favored by thinner, more structured porous hydrogel substrates. Electrostatic interactions between the polymer and the lipid head groups affect vesicle yield and size distribution. Repulsive electrostatic interactions between the hydrogel and the lipid head groups promote vesicle formation; attractive electrostatic interactions suppress vesicle formation. Ionic strength and sugar concentration are also major parameters affecting the yield and size of giant vesicles. The presence of both ions and sugars in the hydration buffer results in increased vesicle yields. These results indicate that lipid-polymer interactions and osmotic effects in addition to the substrate morphology and surface charge are key factors affecting vesicle formation. Our data suggest that surface chemistry should be designed to tune electrostatic interactions with the lipid mixture of interest to promote vesicle formation. This vapor-deposited hydrogel fabrication technique offers tunability over the physicochemical properties of the hydrogel substrate for the production of giant vesicles with different sizes and compositions.
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Drücker P, Bachler S, Wolfmeier H, Schoenauer R, Köffel R, Babiychuk VS, Dittrich PS, Draeger A, Babiychuk EB. Pneumolysin-damaged cells benefit from non-homogeneous toxin binding to cholesterol-rich membrane domains. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids 2018; 1863:795-805. [PMID: 29679741 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbalip.2018.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2017] [Revised: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Nucleated cells eliminate lesions induced by bacterial pore-forming toxins, such as pneumolysin via shedding patches of damaged plasmalemma into the extracellular milieu. Recently, we have shown that the majority of shed pneumolysin is present in the form of inactive pre-pores. This finding is surprising considering that shedding is triggered by Ca2+-influx following membrane perforation and therefore is expected to positively discriminate for active pores versus inactive pre-pores. Here we provide evidence for the existence of plasmalemmal domains that are able to attract pneumolysin at high local concentrations. Within such a domain an immediate plasmalemmal perforation induced by a small number of pneumolysin pores would be capable of triggering the elimination of a large number of not yet active pre-pores/monomers and thus pre-empt more frequent and perilous perforation events. Our findings provide further insights into the functioning of the cellular repair machinery which benefits from an inhomogeneous plasmalemmal distribution of pneumolysin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Drücker
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Anatomy, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 2, 3000 Bern 9, Switzerland
| | - Simon Bachler
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH, Zurich 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Heidi Wolfmeier
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Anatomy, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 2, 3000 Bern 9, Switzerland
| | - Roman Schoenauer
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Anatomy, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 2, 3000 Bern 9, Switzerland
| | - René Köffel
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Anatomy, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 2, 3000 Bern 9, Switzerland
| | - Viktoria S Babiychuk
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Anatomy, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 2, 3000 Bern 9, Switzerland
| | - Petra S Dittrich
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH, Zurich 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Annette Draeger
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Anatomy, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 2, 3000 Bern 9, Switzerland
| | - Eduard B Babiychuk
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Anatomy, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 2, 3000 Bern 9, Switzerland.
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