1
|
Li J, Zheng Z, Ma Y, Dong Z, Li MH, Hu J. Mechanically Ultra-Robust Fluorescent Elastomer for Elaborating Auxetic Composite. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2402130. [PMID: 38678509 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202402130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Fluorescent elastomers are predominantly fabricated through doping fluorescent components or conjugating chromophores into polymer networks, which often involves detrimental effects on mechanical performance and also makes large-scale production difficult. Inspired by the heteroatom-rich microphase separation structures assisted by intensive hydrogen bonds in natural organisms, an ultra-robust fluorescent polyurethane elastomer is reported, which features a remarkable fracture strength of 87.2 MPa with an elongation of 1797%, exceptional toughness of 678.4 MJ m-3 and intrinsic cyan fluorescence at 445 nm. Moreover, the reversible fluorescence variation with temperature could in situ reveal the microphase separation of the elastomer in real time. By taking advantage of mechanical properties, intrinsic fluorescence and hydrogen bonds-promoted interfacial bonding ability, this fluorescent elastomer can be utilized as an auxetic skeleton for the elaboration of an integrated auxetic composite. Compared with the auxetic skeleton alone, the integrated composite shows an improved mechanical performance while maintaining auxetic deformation in a large strain below 185%, and its auxetic process can be visually detected under ultraviolet light by the fluorescence of the auxetic skeleton. The concept of introducing hydrogen-bonded heteroatom-rich microphase separation structures into polymer networks in this work provides a promising approach to developing fluorescent elastomers with exceptional mechanical properties.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiawei Li
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, North Third Ring Road 15, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Zhiran Zheng
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, North Third Ring Road 15, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Yaning Ma
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, North Third Ring Road 15, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Zhaoxing Dong
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, North Third Ring Road 15, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Min-Hui Li
- Chimie ParisTech, PSL University, CNRS, Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris, 11 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Jun Hu
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, North Third Ring Road 15, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Renmin Street 5625, Chaoyang District, Changchun, 130022, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Leppert A, Feng J, Railaite V, Bohn Pessatti T, Cerrato CP, Mörman C, Osterholz H, Lane DP, Maia FRNC, Linder MB, Rising A, Landreh M. Controlling Drug Partitioning in Individual Protein Condensates through Laser-Induced Microscale Phase Transitions. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:19555-19565. [PMID: 38963823 PMCID: PMC11258780 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c06688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2024] [Revised: 06/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Gelation of protein condensates formed by liquid-liquid phase separation occurs in a wide range of biological contexts, from the assembly of biomaterials to the formation of fibrillar aggregates, and is therefore of interest for biomedical applications. Soluble-to-gel (sol-gel) transitions are controlled through macroscopic processes such as changes in temperature or buffer composition, resulting in bulk conversion of liquid droplets into microgels within minutes to hours. Using microscopy and mass spectrometry, we show that condensates of an engineered mini-spidroin (NT2repCTYF) undergo a spontaneous sol-gel transition resulting in the loss of exchange of proteins between the soluble and the condensed phase. This feature enables us to specifically trap a silk-domain-tagged target protein in the spidroin microgels. Surprisingly, laser pulses trigger near-instant gelation. By loading the condensates with fluorescent dyes or drugs, we can control the wavelength at which gelation is triggered. Fluorescence microscopy reveals that laser-induced gelation significantly further increases the partitioning of the fluorescent molecules into the condensates. In summary, our findings demonstrate direct control of phase transitions in individual condensates, opening new avenues for functional and structural characterization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Axel Leppert
- Department
of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, S-75124 Uppsala, Sweden
- Department
of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, S-17165 Solna, Sweden
| | - Jianhui Feng
- Bioproducts
and Biosystems, Aalto University, Fi-00076 Aalto, Espoo, Finland
| | - Vaida Railaite
- Department
of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, S-17165 Solna, Sweden
| | - Tomas Bohn Pessatti
- Department
of Anatomy Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, S-75007 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Carmine P. Cerrato
- Department
of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, S-17165 Solna, Sweden
| | - Cecilia Mörman
- Department
of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska
Institutet, S-14157 Huddinge, Sweden
- Department
of Biology and Chemistry, Paul Scherrer
Institute, 5232 Villingen, Switzerland
| | - Hannah Osterholz
- Department
of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, S-75124 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - David P. Lane
- Department
of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, S-17165 Solna, Sweden
| | - Filipe R. N. C. Maia
- Department
of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, S-75124 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Markus B. Linder
- Bioproducts
and Biosystems, Aalto University, Fi-00076 Aalto, Espoo, Finland
| | - Anna Rising
- Department
of Anatomy Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, S-75007 Uppsala, Sweden
- Department
of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska
Institutet, S-14157 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Michael Landreh
- Department
of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, S-75124 Uppsala, Sweden
- Department
of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, S-17165 Solna, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Colaruotolo LA, Singh SS, Dobson S, Lim LT, Joye IJ, Rogers MA, Corradini MG. Mapping deterioration in electrospun zein nonwoven nanostructures encapsulating corn oil. Curr Res Food Sci 2024; 9:100801. [PMID: 39050407 PMCID: PMC11267021 DOI: 10.1016/j.crfs.2024.100801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Electrospun nonwovens of biopolymers are gaining popularity in filtration, coatings, encapsulation, and packaging materials. However, their applications are hindered by limited stability, particularly when loaded with lipids. This research aimed to apply a multiscale approach to gain insights into deteriorative processes, e.g., oxidation, limiting the shelf life of these complex materials, using corn oil-loaded electrospun zein nonwovens as a model system. Oil-doped zein electrospun nonwovens were stored in the dark at 23 °C and 33% relative humidity for 28 days and tested at selected intervals to monitor their morphology and mechanical properties. Lipid oxidation was assessed using the thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) assay. The photophysical properties of intrinsic, i.e., tyrosine (Tyr), and extrinsic, i.e., boron-dipyrromethene undecanoic acid 581/591 (BODIPY C11), lumiphores were also monitored to evaluate changes in local molecular rigidity, and oxidation, respectively. The protein secondary structure was determined with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of the oil-loaded electrospun nonwovens revealed that the diameter of the ribbon-like fiber significantly decreased during storage from 701 ± 23 nm to 620 ± 44 nm. Breakage of the electrospun fibers was observed and correlated with increased brittleness and molecular rigidity of the nonwoven material, reflected by an increase in Tyr emission intensity and phosphorescence lifetime. Changes in tensile strength, brittleness and matrix rigidity also correlated with a zein secondary structure transition from unordered to ordered β-sheets. Raman and luminescence micrographs showed oil migration during storage, thereby increasing lipid oxidation. The correlation between local rigidity and lipid distribution/oxidation suggests that reorganizing protein structures increased material brittleness and displaced encapsulated oils within the electrospun fiber. Understanding deteriorative mechanisms aids in developing innovative strategies to improve the stability of these novel food-grade materials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Stacie Dobson
- Department of Food Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Loong-Tak Lim
- Department of Food Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Iris J. Joye
- Department of Food Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Michael A. Rogers
- Department of Food Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Maria G. Corradini
- Department of Food Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
- Arrell Food Institute, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Jiang N, Zhu CY, Li KX, Xu YH, Bryce MR. Recent Progress in Nonconventional Luminescent Macromolecules and their Applications. Macromolecules 2024; 57:5561-5577. [PMID: 38948183 PMCID: PMC11210344 DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.4c00186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Traditional π-conjugated luminescent macromolecules typically suffer from aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) and high cytotoxicity, and they require complex synthetic processes. In contrast, nonconventional luminescent macromolecules (NCLMs) with nonconjugated structures possess excellent biocompatibility, ease of preparation, unique luminescence behavior, and emerging applications in optoelectronics, biology, and medicine. NCLMs are currently believed to produce inherent luminescence due to through-space conjugation of overlapping electron orbitals in solid/aggregate states. However, as experimental facts continue to exceed expectations or even overturn some previous assumptions, there is still controversy about the detailed luminous mechanism of NCLMs, and extensive studies are needed to further explore the mechanism. This Perspective highlights recent progress in NCLMs and classifies and summarizes these advances from the viewpoint of molecular design, mechanism exploration, applications, and challenges and prospects. The aim is to provide guidance and inspiration for the huge fundamental and practical potential of NCLMs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nan Jiang
- Key
Laboratory of Preparation and Applications of Environmental Friendly
Materials, Key Laboratory of Functional Materials Physics and Chemistry
of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Normal
University, Changchun, 130103, China
| | - Chang-Yi Zhu
- Key
Laboratory of Preparation and Applications of Environmental Friendly
Materials, Key Laboratory of Functional Materials Physics and Chemistry
of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Normal
University, Changchun, 130103, China
| | - Ke-Xin Li
- Key
Laboratory of Preparation and Applications of Environmental Friendly
Materials, Key Laboratory of Functional Materials Physics and Chemistry
of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Normal
University, Changchun, 130103, China
| | - Yan-Hong Xu
- Key
Laboratory of Preparation and Applications of Environmental Friendly
Materials, Key Laboratory of Functional Materials Physics and Chemistry
of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Normal
University, Changchun, 130103, China
| | - Martin R. Bryce
- Department
of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, U.K.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Alom SE, Swaminathan K, Nuzelu V, Singh A, de Rocquigny H, Swaminathan R. Label-Free Tracking of Hepatitis B Virus Core Protein Capsid Assembly in Real-Time Using Protein Charge Transfer Spectra. Biomacromolecules 2024. [PMID: 38900297 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.4c00521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virions are double-shelled particles, with a diameter of 40-42 nm, consisting of a nucleocapsid called the HBV core protein (HBV Cp). It is an ordered assembly of 90-120 homodimers arranged in an icosahedral symmetry. Both the full-length HBV Cp and the first-149 residue domain, HBV Cp149, can spontaneously assemble in vitro into capsids with 120 Cp dimers (T = 4) or 90 Cp dimers (T = 3), triggered by high ionic strength of 0.25-0.5 M NaCl. The assembly disassembly of HBV Cp149 capsids are generally studied by light scattering, size-exclusion chromatography, atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and other high-end expensive techniques. Here, we report a simple, yet robust, label-free technique exploiting protein charge transfer spectra (ProCharTS) to monitor the capsid assembly in real-time. ProCharTS absorption in the near UV-visible region (250-800 nm) arises when photoinduced electron transfer occurs from HOMO of COO- in glutamate (donor) to LUMO of NH3+ in lysine or polypeptide backbone (acceptor) of the protein. Alternatively, it can also occur from polypeptide backbone (donor) to acceptor in arginine, histidine, or lysine cation. ProCharTS is observed profusely among proximal charge clusters in folded proteins. Here, we show that, ProCharTS absorption among growing HBV capsids is amplified when HBV Cp homodimers assemble, generating new contacts among charged residues in the dimer-dimer interface. We notice a time-dependent sigmoidal increase in ProCharTS absorbance and luminescence during capsid formation in comparison to pure dimers. Additionally, a combined approach of anisotropy-based fluorescence assay is reported, where an increased fluorescence anisotropy was observed in capsids as compared to native and unfolded dimers. We conclude that ProCharTS can serve as a sensitive label-free tool for rapid tracking of capsid assembly in real-time and characterize the assembled capsids from dimers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shah Ekramul Alom
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
| | - Karthik Swaminathan
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
| | - V Nuzelu
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
| | - Alka Singh
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
| | - Hugues de Rocquigny
- Morphogenesis and Antigenicity of HIV, Hepatitis and Emerging Viruses MAVIVIHe, Inserm─U1259 MAVIVH, Tours 37032, France
| | - Rajaram Swaminathan
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Monti A, Scognamiglio PL, Ruvo M, Vitagliano L, Doti N. The Characterization of Multifaceted PREP1 Peptides Provides Insights into Correlations between Spectroscopic and Structural Properties of Amyloid-like Assemblies. Chemistry 2024; 30:e202400846. [PMID: 38682403 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202400846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
The widespread ability of proteins and peptides to self-assemble by forming cross-β structure is one of the most significant discoveries in structural biology. Intriguingly, the cross-β association of proteins/peptides may generate intricate supramolecular architectures with uncommon spectroscopic properties. We have recently characterized self-assembled peptides extracted from the PREP1 protein that are endowed with interesting structural/spectroscopic properties. We here demonstrate that the green fluorescence emission of the peptide PREP1[117-132] (λem ~520 nm), can be induced by excitation with UV radiation. The associated unusually large Stokes shift (Δλ ~150 nm) represents, to the best of our knowledge, the first evidence of an internal resonance energy transfer in amyloid-like structures, where the blue emission of some assemblies becomes the excitation radiation for others. Moreover, the characterization of PREP1[117-132] variants provides insights into the sequence/structure and structure/spectroscopic properties relationships. Our data suggests that the green fluorescence is plausibly associated with antiparallel β-sheet states of the peptide whereas parallel β-sheet assemblies are only endowed with blue fluorescence. Notably, the different PREP1[117-132] variants also form assemblies characterized by distinct morphologies. Indeed, the parent peptide and single mutants form compact but structured aggregates whereas most of the double mutants exhibit elongated and highly extended fibers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Monti
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB)-CNR, Via P. Castellino 111, 80131, Napoli, Italy
| | - Pasqualina Liana Scognamiglio
- Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Macchia Romana Campus 10, Viale dell'Ateneo Lucano, 85100, Potenza, Italy
| | - Menotti Ruvo
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB)-CNR, Via P. Castellino 111, 80131, Napoli, Italy
| | - Luigi Vitagliano
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB)-CNR, Via P. Castellino 111, 80131, Napoli, Italy
| | - Nunzianna Doti
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB)-CNR, Via P. Castellino 111, 80131, Napoli, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Mignon J, Leyder T, Mottet D, Uversky VN, Michaux C. In-depth investigation of the effect of pH on the autofluorescence properties of DPF3b and DPF3a amyloid fibrils. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2024; 313:124156. [PMID: 38508075 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2024.124156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Double PHD fingers 3 (DPF3) protein exists as two splicing variants, DPF3b and DPF3a, the involvement of which in human cancer and neurodegeneration is beginning to be increasingly recognised. Both isoforms have recently been identified as intrinsically disordered proteins able to undergo amyloid fibrillation. Upon their aggregation, DPF3 proteins exhibit an intrinsic fluorescence in the visible range, referred to as deep-blue autofluorescence (dbAF). Comprehension of such phenomenon remaining elusive, we investigated in the present study the influence of pH on the optical properties of DPF3b and DPF3a fibrils. By varying the excitation wavelength and the pH condition, the two isoforms were revealed to display several autofluorescence modes that were defined as violet, deep-blue, and blue-green according to their emission range. Complementarily, analysis of excitation spectra and red edge shift plots allowed to better decipher their photoselection mechanism and to highlight isoform-specific excitation-emission features. Furthermore, the observed violation to Kasha-Vavilov's rule was attributed to red edge excitation shift effects, which were impacted by pH-mediated H-bond disruption, leading to changes in intramolecular charge and proton transfer, or π-electrons delocalisation. Finally, emergence of different autofluorescence emitters was likely related to structurally distinct fibrillar assemblies between isoforms, as well as to discrepancies in the amino acid composition of their aggregation prone regions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julien Mignon
- Laboratoire de Chimie Physique des Biomolécules, UCPTS, University of Namur, 61 rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur, Belgium; Namur Institute of Structured Matter (NISM), University of Namur, 61 rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur, Belgium; Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences (NARILIS), University of Namur, 61 rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur, Belgium.
| | - Tanguy Leyder
- Laboratoire de Chimie Physique des Biomolécules, UCPTS, University of Namur, 61 rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur, Belgium.
| | - Denis Mottet
- Gene Expression and Cancer Laboratory, GIGA-Molecular Biology of Diseases, University of Liège, B34, Avenue de l'Hôpital, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
| | - Vladimir N Uversky
- Department of Molecular Medicine, USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States.
| | - Catherine Michaux
- Laboratoire de Chimie Physique des Biomolécules, UCPTS, University of Namur, 61 rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur, Belgium; Namur Institute of Structured Matter (NISM), University of Namur, 61 rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur, Belgium; Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences (NARILIS), University of Namur, 61 rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Díaz Mirón G, Lien-Medrano CR, Banerjee D, Morzan UN, Sentef MA, Gebauer R, Hassanali A. Exploring the Mechanisms behind Non-aromatic Fluorescence with the Density Functional Tight Binding Method. J Chem Theory Comput 2024; 20:3864-3878. [PMID: 38634760 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.4c00125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Recent experimental findings reveal nonconventional fluorescence emission in biological systems devoid of conjugated bonds or aromatic compounds, termed non-aromatic fluorescence (NAF). This phenomenon is exclusive to aggregated or solid states and remains absent in monomeric solutions. Previous studies focused on small model systems in vacuum show that the carbonyl stretching mode along with strong interaction of short hydrogen bonds (SHBs) remains the primary vibrational mode explaining NAF in these systems. In order to simulate larger model systems taking into account the effects of the surrounding environment, in this work we propose using the density functional tight-binding (DFTB) method in combination with non-adiabatic molecular dynamics (NAMD) and the mixed quantum/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) approach. We investigate the mechanism behind NAF in the crystal structure of l-pyroglutamine-ammonium, comparing it with the related nonfluorescent amino acid l-glutamine. Our results extend our previous findings to more realistic systems, demonstrating the efficiency and robustness of the proposed DFTB method in the context of NAMD in biological systems. Furthermore, due to its inherent low computational cost, this method allows for a better sampling of the nonradiative events at the conical intersection which is crucial for a complete understanding of this phenomenon. Beyond contributing to the ongoing exploration of NAF, this work paves the way for future application of this method in more complex biological systems such as amyloid aggregates, biomaterials, and non-aromatic proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gonzalo Díaz Mirón
- Condensed Matter and Statistical Physics, The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, 34151 Trieste, Italy
| | - Carlos R Lien-Medrano
- Institute for Theoretical Physics and Bremen Center for Computational Materials Science, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Debarshi Banerjee
- Condensed Matter and Statistical Physics, The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, 34151 Trieste, Italy
- Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Uriel N Morzan
- Instituto de Fisica de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1428EGA Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Michael A Sentef
- Institute for Theoretical Physics and Bremen Center for Computational Materials Science, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science (CFEL), Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ralph Gebauer
- Condensed Matter and Statistical Physics, The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, 34151 Trieste, Italy
| | - Ali Hassanali
- Condensed Matter and Statistical Physics, The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, 34151 Trieste, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Alom SE, Kalita S, Kawa AH, Mandal B, Swaminathan R. Early events during the aggregation of Aβ 16-22-derived switch-peptides tracked using Protein Charge Transfer Spectra. Anal Chim Acta 2024; 1297:342374. [PMID: 38438229 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2024.342374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding Aβ aggregation and inhibiting it at early stages is of utmost importance in treating Alzheimer's and other related amyloidogenic diseases. However, majority of the techniques to study Aβ aggregation mainly target the late stages; while those used to monitor early stages are either expensive, use extrinsic dyes, or do not provide information on molecular level interactions. Here, we investigate the early events of Aβ16-22(KLVFFAE) aggregation using Aβ16-22 derived switch-peptides (SwPs) through a novel label-free approach employing Protein Charge Transfer Spectra (ProCharTS). RESULTS When pH is increased from 2 to 7.2, the Aβ-derived switch peptides undergo controlled self-assembly, where the initial random coil peptides convert into β-sheet. We leveraged the intrinsic absorbance/luminescence arising from ProCharTS among growing peptide oligomers to observe the aggregation kinetics in real-time. In comparison to monomer, the lysine and glutamate headgroups in the peptide oligomer are expected to come in proximity enhancing ProCharTS intensity due to photoinduced electron transfer. With a combination of Aβ-derived switch-peptides and ProCharTS, we obtained structural insights on the early stages of Aβ-derived SwP aggregation in four unique peptides. Increase in scatter corrected ProCharTS absorbance (250-500 nm) and luminescence (320-720 nm) along with decreased mean luminescence lifetime (2.3-0.8 ns) characterize the initial stages of aggregation monitored for 1-96 h depending on the peptide. We correlated the results with Circular Dichroism (CD), 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid (ANS) and Thioflavin T (ThT) measurements. SIGNIFICANCE We demonstrate ProCharTS as an intrinsic analytical probe with following advantages over other conventional methods to track aggregation: it is a label-free probe; it's intensity can be measured using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer; it is more sensitive in detecting the early molecular events in aggregation compared to ANS and ThT; and it can provide information on specific contacts made between charged headgroups of Lysine/Glutamate in the oligomer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shah Ekramul Alom
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India
| | - Sourav Kalita
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India
| | - Altaf Hussain Kawa
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India
| | - Bhubaneswar Mandal
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India
| | - Rajaram Swaminathan
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Wang L, Xiong Z, Zhi Sun J, Huang F, Zhang H, Zhong Tang B. How the Length of Through-Space Conjugation Influences the Clusteroluminescence of Oligo(Phenylene Methylene)s. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202318245. [PMID: 38165147 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202318245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
The length and mode of conjugation directly affect the molecular electronic structure, which has been extensively studied in through-bond conjugation (TBC) systems. Corresponding research greatly promotes the development of TBC-based luminophores. However, how the length and mode of through-space conjugation (TSC), one kind of weak interaction, influence the photophysical properties of non-conjugated luminophores remains a relatively unexplored field. Here, we unveil a non-linear relationship between TSC length and emission characteristics in non-conjugated systems, in contrast to the reported proportional correlation in TBC systems. More specifically, oligo(phenylene methylene)s (OPM[4]-OPM[7]) exhibit stronger TSC and prominent blue clusteroluminescence (CL) (≈440 nm) compared to shorter counterparts (OPM[2] and OPM[3]). OPM[6] demonstrates the highest solid-state quantum yield (40 %), emphasizing the importance of balancing flexibility and rigidity. Further theoretical calculations confirmed that CL of these oligo(phenylene methylene)s was determined by stable TSC derived from the inner rigid Diphenylmethane (DPM) segments within the oligomers instead of the outer ones. This discovery challenges previous assumptions and adds a new dimension to the understanding of TSC-based luminophores in non-conjugated systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lei Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Zhejiang-Israel Joint Laboratory of Self-Assembling Functional Materials, ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 311215, China
| | - Zuping Xiong
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Zhejiang-Israel Joint Laboratory of Self-Assembling Functional Materials, ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 311215, China
- Centre of Healthcare Materials, Shaoxing Institute, Zhejiang University, Shaoxing, 312000, China
| | - Jing Zhi Sun
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Centre of Healthcare Materials, Shaoxing Institute, Zhejiang University, Shaoxing, 312000, China
| | - Feihe Huang
- Zhejiang-Israel Joint Laboratory of Self-Assembling Functional Materials, ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 311215, China
- Stoddart Institute of Molecular Science, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Haoke Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Zhejiang-Israel Joint Laboratory of Self-Assembling Functional Materials, ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 311215, China
- Centre of Healthcare Materials, Shaoxing Institute, Zhejiang University, Shaoxing, 312000, China
| | - Ben Zhong Tang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- School of Science and Engineering, Shenzhen Institute of Aggregate Science and Technology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (CUHK-Shenzhen), Guangdong, 518172, China
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Prasanna AM, Sen P. Recent Developments of Hybrid Fluorescence Techniques: Advances in Amyloid Detection Methods. Curr Protein Pept Sci 2024; 25:667-681. [PMID: 38715332 DOI: 10.2174/0113892037291597240429094515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 09/21/2024]
Abstract
Amyloid fibrils are formed from various pathological proteins. Monitoring their aggregation process is necessary for early detection and treatment. Among the available detection techniques, fluorescence is simple, intuitive, and convenient due to its sensitive and selective mode of detection. It has certain disadvantages like poor photothermal stability and detection state limitation. Research has focused on minimising the limitation by developing hybrid fluorescence techniques. This review focuses on the two ways fluorescence (intrinsic and extrinsic) has been used to monitor amyloid fibrils. In intrinsic/label free fluorescence: i) The fluorescence emission through aromatic amino acid residues like phenylalanine (F), tyrosine (Y) and tryptophan (W) is present in amyloidogenic peptides/protein sequence. And ii) The structural changes from alpha helix to cross-β-sheet structures during amyloid formation contribute to the fluorescence emission. The second method focuses on the use of extrinsic fluorophores to monitor amyloid fibrils i) organic dyes/small molecules, ii) fluorescent tagged proteins, iii) nanoparticles, iv) metal complexes and v) conjugated polymers. All these fluorophores have their own limitations. Developing them into hybrid fluorescence techniques and converting it into biosensors can contribute to early detection of disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Miraclin Prasanna
- Centre for Bio Separation Technology (CBST), School of Biosciences and Technology, VIT, Vellore, 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Priyankar Sen
- Centre for Bio Separation Technology (CBST), School of Biosciences and Technology, VIT, Vellore, 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Bao J, Tong C, He M, Zhang H. Luminescent polypeptides. LUMINESCENCE 2024; 39:e4594. [PMID: 37712500 DOI: 10.1002/bio.4594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Polypeptides, as biomacromolecules, hold immense potential in various biological applications such as tissue engineering, immunomodulating agents, and target binding. Among these applications, the attention towards luminescent polypeptides has grown significantly, due to their ability to visualize biological processes effectively. In this perspective, we have compiled information on three distinct types of luminescent polypeptides: natural fluorescent proteins, luminophores-bioconjugated polypeptides, and synthesized polypeptides with clusteroluminescence. Last, we shed light on the significance and prospects of clusteroluminescent polypeptides, which are expected to emerge as crucial new-generation bioluminophores, offering high emission efficiency and tunable emission wavelengths.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jieyu Bao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chuanye Tong
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mengxuan He
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Haoke Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang-Israel Joint Laboratory of Self-Assembling Functional Materials, ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Centre of Healthcare Materials, Shaoxing Institute, Zhejiang University, Shaoxing, China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Sementa D, Dave D, Fisher RS, Wang T, Elbaum-Garfinkle S, Ulijn RV. Sequence-Tunable Phase Behavior and Intrinsic Fluorescence in Dynamically Interacting Peptides. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202311479. [PMID: 37934145 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202311479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
A conceptual framework towards understanding biological condensed phases is emerging, derived from biological, biomimetic, and synthetic sequences. However, de novo peptide condensate design remains a challenge due to an incomplete understanding of the structural and interactive complexity. We designed peptide modules based on a simple repeat motif composed of tripeptide spacers (GSG, SGS, GLG) interspersed with adhesive amino acids (R/H and Y). We show, using sequence editing and a combination of computation and experiment, that n→π* interactions in GLG backbones are a dominant factor in providing sufficient backbone structure, which in turn regulates the water interface, collectively promoting liquid droplet formation. Moreover, these R(GLG)Y and H(GLG)Y condensates unexpectedly display sequence-dependent emission that is a consequence of their non-covalent network interactions, and readily observable by confocal microscopy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Deborah Sementa
- Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC) at the Graduate Center, City University of New York (CUNY), 85 St Nicholas Terrace, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Dhwanit Dave
- Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC) at the Graduate Center, City University of New York (CUNY), 85 St Nicholas Terrace, New York, NY 10031, USA
- Ph.D. Programs in Biochemistry and Chemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY), 695 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Rachel S Fisher
- Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC) at the Graduate Center, City University of New York (CUNY), 85 St Nicholas Terrace, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Tong Wang
- Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC) at the Graduate Center, City University of New York (CUNY), 85 St Nicholas Terrace, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Shana Elbaum-Garfinkle
- Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC) at the Graduate Center, City University of New York (CUNY), 85 St Nicholas Terrace, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Rein V Ulijn
- Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC) at the Graduate Center, City University of New York (CUNY), 85 St Nicholas Terrace, New York, NY 10031, USA
- Ph.D. Programs in Biochemistry and Chemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY), 695 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Mirón GD, Semelak JA, Grisanti L, Rodriguez A, Conti I, Stella M, Velusamy J, Seriani N, Došlić N, Rivalta I, Garavelli M, Estrin DA, Kaminski Schierle GS, González Lebrero MC, Hassanali A, Morzan UN. The carbonyl-lock mechanism underlying non-aromatic fluorescence in biological matter. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7325. [PMID: 37957206 PMCID: PMC10643446 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42874-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Challenging the basis of our chemical intuition, recent experimental evidence reveals the presence of a new type of intrinsic fluorescence in biomolecules that exists even in the absence of aromatic or electronically conjugated chemical compounds. The origin of this phenomenon has remained elusive so far. In the present study, we identify a mechanism underlying this new type of fluorescence in different biological aggregates. By employing non-adiabatic ab initio molecular dynamics simulations combined with a data-driven approach, we characterize the typical ultrafast non-radiative relaxation pathways active in non-fluorescent peptides. We show that the key vibrational mode for the non-radiative decay towards the ground state is the carbonyl elongation. Non-aromatic fluorescence appears to emerge from blocking this mode with strong local interactions such as hydrogen bonds. While we cannot rule out the existence of alternative non-aromatic fluorescence mechanisms in other systems, we demonstrate that this carbonyl-lock mechanism for trapping the excited state leads to the fluorescence yield increase observed experimentally, and set the stage for design principles to realize novel non-invasive biocompatible probes with applications in bioimaging, sensing, and biophotonics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gonzalo Díaz Mirón
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Analítica y Química Física, Instituto de Química Física de los Materiales, Medio Ambiente y Energía (INQUIMAE), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jonathan A Semelak
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Analítica y Química Física, Instituto de Química Física de los Materiales, Medio Ambiente y Energía (INQUIMAE), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Luca Grisanti
- Division of Theoretical Physics, Ruder Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Alex Rodriguez
- Condensed Matter and Statistical Physics, The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy
| | - Irene Conti
- Dipartimento di Chimica industriale "Toso Montanari", Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Martina Stella
- Condensed Matter and Statistical Physics, The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy
| | | | - Nicola Seriani
- Condensed Matter and Statistical Physics, The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy
| | - Nadja Došlić
- Division of Theoretical Physics, Ruder Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ivan Rivalta
- Dipartimento di Chimica industriale "Toso Montanari", Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- ENSL, CNRS, Lyon, France
| | - Marco Garavelli
- Dipartimento di Chimica industriale "Toso Montanari", Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Dario A Estrin
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Analítica y Química Física, Instituto de Química Física de los Materiales, Medio Ambiente y Energía (INQUIMAE), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Mariano C González Lebrero
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Analítica y Química Física, Instituto de Química Física de los Materiales, Medio Ambiente y Energía (INQUIMAE), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ali Hassanali
- Condensed Matter and Statistical Physics, The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy.
| | - Uriel N Morzan
- Condensed Matter and Statistical Physics, The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Unnikrishnan AC, Balamurugan K, Shanmugam G. Structural Insights into the Amyloid Fibril Polymorphism Using an Isotope-Edited Vibrational Circular Dichroism Study at the Amino Acid Residue Level. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:7674-7684. [PMID: 37667494 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c03437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Polymorphism is common in both in vitro and in vivo amyloid fibrils formed by the same peptide/protein. However, the differences in their self-assembled structures at the amino acid level remain poorly understood. In this study, we utilized isotope-edited vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) on a well-known amyloidogenic peptide fragment (N22FGAIL27) of human islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPf) to investigate the structural polymorphism. Two individual isotope-labeled IAPf peptides were used, with a 13C label on the carbonyl group of phenylalanine (IAPf-F) and glycine (IAPf-G). We compared the amyloid-like nanofibril of IAPf induced by solvent casting (fibril B) with our previous report on the same IAPf peptide fibril but with a different fibril morphology (fibril A) formed in an aqueous buffer solution. Fibril B consisted of entangled, laterally fused amyloid-like nanofibrils with a relatively shorter diameter (15-50 nm) and longer length (several microns), while fibril A displayed nanofibrils with a higher diameter (30-60 nm) and shorter length (500 nm-2 μm). The isotope-edited VCD analysis indicated that fibrils B consisted of anti-parallel β-sheet arrangements with glycine residues in the registry and phenylalanine residues out of the registry, which was significantly different from fibrils A, where a mixture of parallel β-sheet and turn structure with the registry at phenylalanine and glycine residues was observed. The VCD analysis, therefore, suggests that polymorphism in amyloid-like fibrils can be attributed to the difference in the packing/arrangement of the individual β-strands in the β-sheet and the difference in the amino acid registry. Our findings provide insights into the structural aspects of fibril polymorphism related to various amyloid diseases and may aid in designing amyloid fibril inhibitors for therapeutic purposes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anagha C Unnikrishnan
- Organic & Bioorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)─Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), Adyar, Chennai 600020, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Kanagasabai Balamurugan
- Centre for High Computing, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)─Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), Adyar, Chennai 600020, India
| | - Ganesh Shanmugam
- Organic & Bioorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)─Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), Adyar, Chennai 600020, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Deng D, Chang Y, Liu W, Ren M, Xia N, Hao Y. Advancements in Biosensors Based on the Assembles of Small Organic Molecules and Peptides. BIOSENSORS 2023; 13:773. [PMID: 37622859 PMCID: PMC10452798 DOI: 10.3390/bios13080773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Over the past few decades, molecular self-assembly has witnessed tremendous progress in a variety of biosensing and biomedical applications. In particular, self-assembled nanostructures of small organic molecules and peptides with intriguing characteristics (e.g., structure tailoring, facile processability, and excellent biocompatibility) have shown outstanding potential in the development of various biosensors. In this review, we introduced the unique properties of self-assembled nanostructures with small organic molecules and peptides for biosensing applications. We first discussed the applications of such nanostructures in electrochemical biosensors as electrode supports for enzymes and cells and as signal labels with a large number of electroactive units for signal amplification. Secondly, the utilization of fluorescent nanomaterials by self-assembled dyes or peptides was introduced. Thereinto, typical examples based on target-responsive aggregation-induced emission and decomposition-induced fluorescent enhancement were discussed. Finally, the applications of self-assembled nanomaterials in the colorimetric assays were summarized. We also briefly addressed the challenges and future prospects of biosensors based on self-assembled nanostructures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dehua Deng
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anyang Normal University, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Yong Chang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anyang Normal University, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Wenjing Liu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anyang Normal University, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Mingwei Ren
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anyang Normal University, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Ning Xia
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anyang Normal University, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Yuanqiang Hao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Balasco N, Diaferia C, Rosa E, Monti A, Ruvo M, Doti N, Vitagliano L. A Comprehensive Analysis of the Intrinsic Visible Fluorescence Emitted by Peptide/Protein Amyloid-like Assemblies. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:8372. [PMID: 37176084 PMCID: PMC10178990 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24098372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid aggregation is a widespread process that involves proteins and peptides with different molecular complexity and amino acid composition. The structural motif (cross-β) underlying this supramolecular organization generates aggregates endowed with special mechanical and spectroscopic properties with huge implications in biomedical and technological fields, including emerging precision medicine. The puzzling ability of these assemblies to emit intrinsic and label-free fluorescence in regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, such as visible and even infrared, usually considered to be forbidden in the polypeptide chain, has attracted interest for its many implications in both basic and applied science. Despite the interest in this phenomenon, the physical basis of its origin is still poorly understood. To gain a global view of the available information on this phenomenon, we here provide an exhaustive survey of the current literature in which original data on this fluorescence have been reported. The emitting systems have been classified in terms of their molecular complexity, amino acid composition, and physical state. Information about the wavelength of the radiation used for the excitation as well as the emission range/peak has also been retrieved. The data collected here provide a picture of the complexity of this multifaceted phenomenon that could be helpful for future studies aimed at defining its structural and electronic basis and/or stimulating new applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Balasco
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, National Research Council (CNR), Department of Chemistry, University of Rome Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Carlo Diaferia
- Department of Pharmacy and CIRPeB, Research Centre on Bioactive Peptides “Carlo Pedone”, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (C.D.); (E.R.)
| | - Elisabetta Rosa
- Department of Pharmacy and CIRPeB, Research Centre on Bioactive Peptides “Carlo Pedone”, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (C.D.); (E.R.)
| | - Alessandra Monti
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), National Research Council (CNR), 80131 Napoli, Italy; (A.M.); (M.R.)
| | - Menotti Ruvo
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), National Research Council (CNR), 80131 Napoli, Italy; (A.M.); (M.R.)
| | - Nunzianna Doti
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), National Research Council (CNR), 80131 Napoli, Italy; (A.M.); (M.R.)
| | - Luigi Vitagliano
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), National Research Council (CNR), 80131 Napoli, Italy; (A.M.); (M.R.)
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Atkinson JT, Chavez MS, Niman CM, El-Naggar MY. Living electronics: A catalogue of engineered living electronic components. Microb Biotechnol 2023; 16:507-533. [PMID: 36519191 PMCID: PMC9948233 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Biology leverages a range of electrical phenomena to extract and store energy, control molecular reactions and enable multicellular communication. Microbes, in particular, have evolved genetically encoded machinery enabling them to utilize the abundant redox-active molecules and minerals available on Earth, which in turn drive global-scale biogeochemical cycles. Recently, the microbial machinery enabling these redox reactions have been leveraged for interfacing cells and biomolecules with electrical circuits for biotechnological applications. Synthetic biology is allowing for the use of these machinery as components of engineered living materials with tuneable electrical properties. Herein, we review the state of such living electronic components including wires, capacitors, transistors, diodes, optoelectronic components, spin filters, sensors, logic processors, bioactuators, information storage media and methods for assembling these components into living electronic circuits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua T Atkinson
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Marko S Chavez
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Christina M Niman
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Mohamed Y El-Naggar
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Sapra R, Gupta M, Khare K, Chowdhury PK, Haridas V. Fluorescence by self-assembly: autofluorescent peptide vesicles and fibers. Analyst 2023; 148:973-984. [PMID: 36756978 DOI: 10.1039/d3an00124e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
A series of oxidized cysteinyl peptides ([P-Cys-X-OMe]2; P = Boc or H; X = Trp or Glu) showed vesicular and fibrillar assemblies. The anatomy of the self-assembled vesicles from the water-soluble cystine peptide [Cys-Trp-OMe]2 (1a) has been investigated by using various fluorescent probes such as ammonium 8-anilinonaphthalene-1-sulfonate, Nile Red and pyrene. The morphological characterization was carried out by fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) and super resolution-structured illumination microscopy (SR-SIM) utilizing the autofluorescence of the vesicles stemming from the self-assembly. The self-assembled structures are also observed in solution as evident from the quantitative phase images obtained using a dual-mode digital holographic microscope (DHM) system. Present investigations show that the self-assembly is enthalpy- and entropy-driven in the aqueous medium. Based on the CD spectral studies, we proposed that 1a organizes into vesicles through the sequestration of indole units. We observed that the solutions of dipeptides 1a-b exhibit autofluorescence in the blue region upon excitation at a wavelength >350 nm. Detailed spectroscopic studies on the peptides lacking tryptophan 2a-b unequivocally showed that the autofluorescence stems exclusively from peptide aggregation. Our experimental results with appropriate controls revealed that the clustering of carbonyl chromophores is central to autofluorescence. Autofluorescence was also used to probe the vesicle formation without using any external fluorescent probe. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on autofluorescent vesicles formed by the spontaneous association of dipeptides. We also found that the vesicles formed by 1a can act as a host for guests like C60. The biocompatibility and biodegradability of these peptides along with the autofluorescent nature and guest binding ability of peptide-based vesicles offer numerous applications in the biomedical area.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachit Sapra
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India.
| | - Monika Gupta
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India.
| | - Kedar Khare
- Optics and Photonics Centre, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi-110016, India
| | - Pramit K Chowdhury
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India.
| | - V Haridas
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Natarajan A, Rangan K, Vadrevu R. Self-assembly of a peptide sequence, EKKE, composed of exclusively charged amino acids: Role of charge in morphology and lead binding. J Pept Sci 2023; 29:e3451. [PMID: 36098076 DOI: 10.1002/psc.3451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The self-assembly of peptides is influenced by their amino acid sequence and other factors including pH, charge, temperature, and solvent. Herein, we explore whether a four-residue sequence, EKKE, consisting of exclusively charged amino acids shows the propensity to form self-assembled ordered nanostructures and whether the overall charge plays any role in morphological and functional properties. From a combination of experimental data provided by Thioflavin T fluorescence, Congo red absorbance, circular dichroism spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, field emission-scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and confocal microscopy, it is clear that the all-polar peptide and charged EKKE sequence shows a pH-dependent tendency to form amyloid-like structures, and the self-assembled entities under acidic, basic and neutral conditions exhibit morphological variation. Additionally, the ability of the self-assembled amyloid nanostructures to bind to the toxic metal, lead (Pb2+ ), was demonstrated from the analysis of the ultraviolet absorbance and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data. The modulation at the sequence level for the amyloid-forming EKKE scaffold can further extend its potential role not only in the remediation of other toxic metals but also towards biomedical applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aishwarya Natarajan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, Hyderabad Campus, Hyderabad, India
| | - Krishnan Rangan
- Department of Chemistry, Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, Hyderabad Campus, Hyderabad, India
| | - Ramakrishna Vadrevu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, Hyderabad Campus, Hyderabad, India
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Forlano N, Bucci R, Contini A, Venanzi M, Placidi E, Gelmi ML, Lettieri R, Gatto E. Non-Conventional Peptide Self-Assembly into a Conductive Supramolecular Rope. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:nano13020333. [PMID: 36678086 PMCID: PMC9867255 DOI: 10.3390/nano13020333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Structures composed of alternating α and β amino acids can give rise to peculiar secondary structural motifs, which could self-assemble into complex structures of controlled geometries. This work describes the self-assembly properties of an α,β-peptide, containing three units of syn H2-(2-F-Phe)-h-PheGly-OH, able to self-organize on surfaces into a fascinating supramolecular rope. This material was characterized by AFM, electronic conduction and fluorescence measurements. Molecular dynamics simulations showed that this hexapeptide can self-assemble into an antiparallel β-sheet layer, stabilized by intermolecular H-bonds, which, in turn, can self-assemble into many side-by-side layers, due to π-π interactions. As a matter of fact, we demonstrated that in this system, the presence of aromatic residues at the intramolecular interface promoted by the alternation of α,β-amino-acids in the primary sequence, endorses the formation of a super-secondary structure where the aromatic groups are close to each other, conferring to the system good electron conduction properties. This work demonstrates the capability and future potential of designing and fabricating distinctive nanostructures and efficient bioelectronic interfaces based on an α,β-peptide, by controlling structure and interaction processes beyond those obtained with α- or β-peptides alone.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Forlano
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Raffaella Bucci
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, Via Venezian 21, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandro Contini
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, Via Venezian 21, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Mariano Venanzi
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Ernesto Placidi
- Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Luisa Gelmi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, Via Venezian 21, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Raffaella Lettieri
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Emanuela Gatto
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Rosa E, de Mello L, Castelletto V, Dallas ML, Accardo A, Seitsonen J, Hamley IW. Cell Adhesion Motif-Functionalized Lipopeptides: Nanostructure and Selective Myoblast Cytocompatibility. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:213-224. [PMID: 36520063 PMCID: PMC9832505 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c01068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The conformation and self-assembly of four lipopeptides, peptide amphiphiles comprising peptides conjugated to lipid chains, in aqueous solution have been examined. The peptide sequence in all four lipopeptides contains the integrin cell adhesion RGDS motif, and the cytocompatibility of the lipopeptides is also analyzed. Lipopeptides have either tetradecyl (C14, myristyl) or hexadecyl (C16, palmitoyl) lipid chains and peptide sequence WGGRGDS or GGGRGDS, that is, with either a tryptophan-containing WGG or triglycine GGG tripeptide spacer between the bioactive peptide motif and the alkyl chain. All four lipopeptides self-assemble above a critical aggregation concentration (CAC), determined through several comparative methods using circular dichroism (CD) and fluorescence. Spectroscopic methods [CD and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy] show the presence of β-sheet structures, consistent with the extended nanotape, helical ribbon, and nanotube structures observed by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM). The high-quality cryo-TEM images clearly show the coexistence of helically twisted ribbon and nanotube structures for C14-WGGRGDS, which highlight the mechanism of nanotube formation by the closure of the ribbons. Small-angle X-ray scattering shows that the nanotapes comprise highly interdigitated peptide bilayers, which are also present in the walls of the nanotubes. Hydrogel formation was observed at sufficiently high concentrations or could be induced by a heat/cool protocol at lower concentrations. Birefringence due to nematic phase formation was observed for several of the lipopeptides, along with spontaneous flow alignment of the lyotropic liquid crystal structure in capillaries. Cell viability assays were performed using both L929 fibroblasts and C2C12 myoblasts to examine the potential uses of the lipopeptides in tissue engineering, with a specific focus on application to cultured (lab-grown) meat, based on myoblast cytocompatibility. Indeed, significantly higher cytocompatibility of myoblasts was observed for all four lipopeptides compared to that for fibroblasts, in particular at a lipopeptide concentration below the CAC. Cytocompatibility could also be improved using hydrogels as cell supports for fibroblasts or myoblasts. Our work highlights that precision control of peptide sequences using bulky aromatic residues within "linker sequences" along with alkyl chain selection can be used to tune the self-assembled nanostructure. In addition, the RGDS-based lipopeptides show promise as materials for tissue engineering, especially those of muscle precursor cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Rosa
- School
of Chemistry, Pharmacy and Food Biosciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights,
Reading, Berkshire RG6 6AD, U.K.,Department
of Pharmacy and Research Centre on Bioactive Peptides (CIRPeB), University of Naples “Federico II”, Via Domenico Montesano 49, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Lucas de Mello
- School
of Chemistry, Pharmacy and Food Biosciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights,
Reading, Berkshire RG6 6AD, U.K.,Departamento
de Biofísica, Universidade Federal
de São Paulo, São
Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Valeria Castelletto
- School
of Chemistry, Pharmacy and Food Biosciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights,
Reading, Berkshire RG6 6AD, U.K.
| | - Mark L. Dallas
- School
of Chemistry, Pharmacy and Food Biosciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights,
Reading, Berkshire RG6 6AD, U.K.
| | - Antonella Accardo
- Department
of Pharmacy and Research Centre on Bioactive Peptides (CIRPeB), University of Naples “Federico II”, Via Domenico Montesano 49, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Jani Seitsonen
- Nanomicroscopy
Center, Aalto University, Puumiehenkuja 2, Espoo FIN-02150, Finland
| | - Ian W. Hamley
- School
of Chemistry, Pharmacy and Food Biosciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights,
Reading, Berkshire RG6 6AD, U.K.,
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Stagi L, Farris R, de Villiers Engelbrecht L, Mocci F, Maria Carbonaro C, Innocenzi P. At the root of l-lysine emission in aqueous solutions. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2022; 283:121717. [PMID: 35944345 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2022.121717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
l-lysine is an essential amino acid whose peculiar optical properties in aqueous solutions are still in search of a comprehensive explanation. In crystalline form l-lysine does not emit, but when in an aqueous solution, as the concentration increases, emits in the blue. The origin of such fluorescence is not yet clear. In the present article, we have combined quantum mechanics and classical simulations with experimental techniques to demonstrate that optical absorption and excitation-dependent fluorescence are directly correlated with the formation of aggregates, their dimensions and intermolecular interactions. The nature of the aggregates has been studied as a function of the pH and concentration of the amino acid. At low concentrations, fluorescence intensity increases linearly with molarity, while at high concentrations a new condition is established in which emitting and non-emitting molecular species coexist. The l-lysine aggregation and the formation of intermolecular H-bonding are at the ground of the emission in the blue range.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Stagi
- Laboratory of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, CR-INSTM, Department of Chemical, Physics, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Sassari. Via Vienna 2. 07100 Sassari. Italy
| | - Riccardo Farris
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Cagliari. Sp 8, km 0.700, 09042 Monserrato, CA, Italy
| | - Leon de Villiers Engelbrecht
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Cagliari. Sp 8, km 0.700, 09042 Monserrato, CA, Italy
| | - Francesca Mocci
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Cagliari. Sp 8, km 0.700, 09042 Monserrato, CA, Italy
| | - Carlo Maria Carbonaro
- Department of Physics, University of Cagliari. Sp 8, km 0.700, 09042 Monserrato, CA, Italy
| | - Plinio Innocenzi
- Laboratory of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, CR-INSTM, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Viale San Pietro 43/B, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Morzan UN, Díaz Mirón G, Grisanti L, González Lebrero MC, Kaminski Schierle GS, Hassanali A. Non-Aromatic Fluorescence in Biological Matter: The Exception or the Rule? J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:7203-7211. [PMID: 36128666 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c04280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
While in the vast majority of cases fluorescence in biological matter has been attributed to aromatic or conjugated groups, peptides associated with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, or Huntington's, have been recently shown to display an intrinsic visible fluorescence even in the absence of aromatic residues. This has called the attention of researchers from many different fields, trying to understand the origin of this peculiar behavior and, at the same time, motivating the search for novel strategies to control the optical properties of new biophotonic materials. Today, after nearly 15 years of its discovery, there is a growing consensus about the mechanism underlying this phenomenon, namely, that electronic interactions between non-optically active molecules can result in supramolecular assemblies that are fluorescent. Despite this progress, many aspects of this phenomenon remain uncharted territory. In this Perspective, we lay down the state-of-the-art in the field highlighting the open questions from both experimental and theoretical fronts in this fascinating emerging area of non-aromatic fluorescence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Uriel N Morzan
- International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Strada Costiera 11, 34151 Trieste, Italy
| | - Gonzalo Díaz Mirón
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Analítica y Química Física, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1053 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Luca Grisanti
- Division of Theoretical Physics, Ruđer Bos̆cković Institute, Bijenic̆ka cesta 54, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Mariano C González Lebrero
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Analítica y Química Física, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1053 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Ali Hassanali
- International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Strada Costiera 11, 34151 Trieste, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Radomska K, Wolszczak M. Spontaneous and Ionizing Radiation-Induced Aggregation of Human Serum Albumin: Dityrosine as a Fluorescent Probe. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23158090. [PMID: 35897662 PMCID: PMC9331647 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of spectroscopic techniques has shown that human serum albumin (HSA) undergoes reversible self-aggregation through protein−protein interactions. It ensures the subsequent overlapping of electron clouds along with the stiffening of the conformation of the interpenetrating network of amino acids of adjacent HSA molecules. The HSA oxidation process related to the transfer of one electron was investigated by pulse radiolysis and photochemical methods. It has been shown that the irradiation of HSA solutions under oxidative stress conditions results in the formation of stable protein aggregates. The HSA aggregates induced by ionizing radiation are characterized by specific fluorescence compared to the emission of non-irradiated solutions. We assume that HSA dimers are mainly responsible for the new emission. Dityrosine produced by the intermolecular recombination of protein tyrosine radicals as a result of radiolysis of an aqueous solution of the protein is the main cause of HSA aggregation by cross-linking. Analysis of the oxidation process of HSA confirmed that the reaction of mild oxidants (Br2•−, N3•, SO4•−) with albumin leads to the formation of covalent bonds between tyrosine residues. In the case of •OH radicals and partly, Cl2•−, species other than DT are formed. The light emission of this species is similar to the emission of self-associated HSA.
Collapse
|
26
|
Bendrea AD, Cianga L, Ailiesei GL, Göen Colak D, Popescu I, Cianga I. Thiophene α-Chain-End-Functionalized Oligo(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) as Precursor Amphiphilic Macromonomer for Grafted Conjugated Oligomers/Polymers and as a Multifunctional Material with Relevant Properties for Biomedical Applications. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:7495. [PMID: 35886844 PMCID: PMC9317439 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Because the combination of π-conjugated polymers with biocompatible synthetic counterparts leads to the development of bio-relevant functional materials, this paper reports a new oligo(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) (OMeOx)-containing thiophene macromonomer, denoted Th-OMeOx. It can be used as a reactive precursor for synthesis of a polymerizable 2,2'-3-OMeOx-substituted bithiophene by Suzuki coupling. Also a grafted polythiophene amphiphile with OMeOx side chains was synthesized by its self-acid-assisted polymerization (SAAP) in bulk. The results showed that Th-OMeOx is not only a reactive intermediate but also a versatile functional material in itself. This is due to the presence of 2-bromo-substituted thiophene and ω-hydroxyl functional end-groups, and due to the multiple functionalities encoded in its structure (photosensitivity, water self-dispersibility, self-assembling capacity). Thus, analysis of its behavior in solvents of different selectivities revealed that Th-OMeOx forms self-assembled structures (micelles or vesicles) by "direct dissolution".Unexpectedly, by exciting the Th-OMeOx micelles formed in water with λabs of the OMeOx repeating units, the intensity of fluorescence emission varied in a concentration-dependent manner.These self-assembled structures showed excitation-dependent luminescence as well. Attributed to the clusteroluminescence phenomenon due to the aggregation and through space interactions of electron-rich groups in non-conjugated, non-aromatic OMeOx, this behavior certifies that polypeptides mimic the character of Th-OMeOx as a non-conventional intrinsic luminescent material.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anca-Dana Bendrea
- Centre of Advanced Research in Bionanoconjugates and Biopolymers, “PetruPoni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41 A, Grigore-GhicaVoda Alley, 700487 Iasi, Romania;
| | - Luminita Cianga
- Centre of Advanced Research in Bionanoconjugates and Biopolymers, “PetruPoni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41 A, Grigore-GhicaVoda Alley, 700487 Iasi, Romania;
| | - Gabriela-Liliana Ailiesei
- NMR Spectroscopy Department, “PetruPoni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41 A, Grigore-GhicaVoda Alley, 700487 Iasi, Romania;
| | - Demet Göen Colak
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Letters, Istanbul Technical University, Maslak, 34469 Istanbul, Turkey;
| | - Irina Popescu
- Department of Natural Polymers, Bioactive and Biocompatible Materials, “PetruPoni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41 A, Grigore-GhicaVoda Alley, 700487 Iasi, Romania;
| | - Ioan Cianga
- Centre of Advanced Research in Bionanoconjugates and Biopolymers, “PetruPoni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41 A, Grigore-GhicaVoda Alley, 700487 Iasi, Romania;
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Anionic polymerization of nonaromatic maleimide to achieve full-color nonconventional luminescence. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3717. [PMID: 35764631 PMCID: PMC9240025 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31547-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Nonconventional or nonconjugated luminophore without polycyclic aromatics or extended π-conjugation is a rising star in the area of luminescent materials. However, continuously tuning the emission color within a broad visible region via rational molecular design remains quite challenging because the mechanism of nonconventional luminescence is not fully understood. Herein, we present a new class of nonconventional luminophores, poly(maleimide)s (PMs), with full-color emission that can be finely regulated by anionic polymerization even at ambient temperature. Interestingly, the general characteristics of nonconventional luminescence, cluster-triggered emission, e.g., concentration-enhanced emission, are not observed in PMs. Instead, PMs have features similar to aggregation-caused quenching due to boosted intra/inter-molecular charge transfer. Such a biocompatible luminescent material synthesized from a low-cost monomer shows great prospects in large-scale production and applications, including security printing, fingerprint identification, metal ion recognition, etc. It also provides a new platform of rational molecular design to achieve full-color nonconventional luminescence without any aromatics. Nonconventional luminophores without extended π-conjugation is a rising star in the area of luminescent materials but continuously tuning the emission color within a broad visible region via rational molecular design remains challenging. Here, the authors present poly(maleimide)s as a new class of nonconventional luminophores with fully tunable room temperature color emission that can be regulated by anionic polymerization
Collapse
|
28
|
Villa AM, Doglia SM, De Gioia L, Natalello A, Bertini L. Fluorescence of KCl Aqueous Solution: A Possible Spectroscopic Signature of Nucleation. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:2564-2572. [PMID: 35344657 PMCID: PMC8996234 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c01496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Ion pairing
in water solutions alters both the water hydrogen-bond network and
ion solvation, modifying the dynamics and properties of electrolyte
water solutions. Here, we report an anomalous intrinsic fluorescence
of KCl aqueous solution at room temperature and show that its intensity
increases with the salt concentration. From the ab initio density
functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT modeling, we propose
that the fluorescence emission could originate from the stiffening
of the hydrogen bond network in the hydration shell of solvated ion-pairs
that suppresses the fast nonradiative decay and allows the slower
radiative channel to become a possible decay pathway. Because computations
suggest that the fluorophores are the local ion-water structures present
in the prenucleation phase, this band could be the signature of the
incoming salt precipitation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Maria Villa
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Maria Doglia
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Luca De Gioia
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Antonino Natalello
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Bertini
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milan, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Chung CW, Stephens AD, Ward E, Feng Y, Davis MJ, Kaminski CF, Kaminski Schierle GS. Label-Free Characterization of Amyloids and Alpha-Synuclein Polymorphs by Exploiting Their Intrinsic Fluorescence Property. Anal Chem 2022; 94:5367-5374. [PMID: 35333515 PMCID: PMC8988127 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c05651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Conventional in vitro aggregation assays often involve tagging with extrinsic fluorophores, which can interfere with aggregation. We propose the use of intrinsic amyloid fluorescence lifetime probed using two-photon excitation and represented by model-free phasor plots as a label-free assay to characterize the amyloid structure. Intrinsic amyloid fluorescence arises from the structured packing of β-sheets in amyloids and is independent of aromatic-based fluorescence. We show that different amyloids [i.e., α-Synuclein (αS), β-Lactoglobulin (βLG), and TasA] and different polymorphic populations of αS (induced by aggregation in salt-free and salt buffers mimicking the intra-/extracellular environments) can be differentiated by their unique fluorescence lifetimes. Moreover, we observe that disaggregation of the preformed fibrils of αS and βLG leads to increased fluorescence lifetimes, distinct from those of their fibrillar counterparts. Our assay presents a medium-throughput method for rapid classification of amyloids and their polymorphs (the latter of which recent studies have shown lead to different disease pathologies) and for testing small-molecule inhibitory compounds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chyi Wei Chung
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Phillipa Fawcett Drive, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0AS, U.K
| | - Amberley D Stephens
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Phillipa Fawcett Drive, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0AS, U.K
| | - Edward Ward
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Phillipa Fawcett Drive, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0AS, U.K
| | - Yuqing Feng
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Phillipa Fawcett Drive, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0AS, U.K
| | - Molly Jo Davis
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Phillipa Fawcett Drive, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0AS, U.K
| | - Clemens F Kaminski
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Phillipa Fawcett Drive, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0AS, U.K
| | - Gabriele S Kaminski Schierle
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Phillipa Fawcett Drive, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0AS, U.K
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Zhang Z, Zhang Z, Zhang H, Sun JZ, Tang BZ. The mysterious blue emission around 440 nm in carbonyl‐based aliphatic clusteroluminogens. JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/pol.20210954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhiming Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering Zhejiang University Hangzhou Zhejiang 310027 China
| | - Ziteng Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering Zhejiang University Hangzhou Zhejiang 310027 China
| | - Haoke Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering Zhejiang University Hangzhou Zhejiang 310027 China
- ZJU‐Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center Hangzhou Zhejiang 310027 China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Luminescence from Molecular Aggregates South China University of Technology Guangzhou Guangdong 510006 China
| | - Jing Zhi Sun
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering Zhejiang University Hangzhou Zhejiang 310027 China
| | - Ben Zhong Tang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering Zhejiang University Hangzhou Zhejiang 310027 China
- Shenzhen Institute of Aggregate Science and Technology, School of Science and Engineering The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Guangdong 518172 China
- The Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Kowloon Hong Kong SAR 999077 China
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Pennacchio A, Giampaolo F, Piccialli F, Cuomo S, Notomista E, Spinelli M, Amoresano A, Piscitelli A, Giardina P. A machine learning-enhanced biosensor for mercury detection based on an hydrophobin chimera. Biosens Bioelectron 2022; 196:113696. [PMID: 34655970 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2021.113696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Marine waters are becoming contaminated by diverse pollutants at a fast rate, and detection of these water pollutants has become a major concern in recent years. Among these, mercury is considered the most toxic element for human health. At present, despite the commonly used methods for its detection are accurate, they often require sophisticated equipments, have relatively high costs, are demanding and time-consuming. Herein a novel solution to detect mercury (II) pollution in sea water is proposed, and an easy and portable detection method has been developed. Indeed, a hydrophobin based chimera able to both adhere to polystyrene multiwell plates and bind mercury (II) with a consequent fluorescent decrease was designed. The chimera was the recognition element in a fluorescence-based biosensor able to detect mercury (II) in the nM range. Indeed, this biosensor specifically measure Hg2+ concentration also in the presence of other metals, reaching a limit of detection of 0.4 nM in tap water and 0.3 nM in sea water. Moreover, the developed biosensor was coupled to machine learning methodologies with the big advantage of predicting mercury concentration levels without the use of classical reader devices, thus allowing in situ monitoring of sea pollution by non-skilled personnel.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Pennacchio
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
| | - Fabio Giampaolo
- Department of Mathematics and Applications "R. Caccioppoli", University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
| | - Francesco Piccialli
- Department of Mathematics and Applications "R. Caccioppoli", University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
| | - Salvatore Cuomo
- Department of Mathematics and Applications "R. Caccioppoli", University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
| | | | - Michele Spinelli
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
| | - Angela Amoresano
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
| | | | - Paola Giardina
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Schiattarella C, Diaferia C, Gallo E, Della Ventura B, Morelli G, Vitagliano L, Velotta R, Accardo A. Solid-state optical properties of self-assembling amyloid-like peptides with different charged states at the terminal ends. Sci Rep 2022; 12:759. [PMID: 35031624 PMCID: PMC8760239 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04394-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The self-assembling of small peptides not only leads to the formation of intriguing nanoarchitectures, but also generates materials with unexpected functional properties. Oligopeptides can form amyloid-like cross-β assemblies that are able to emit intrinsic photoluminescence (PL), over the whole near-UV/visible range, whose origin is still largely debated. As proton transfer between the peptide chain termini within the assembly is one of the invoked interpretations of this phenomenon, we here evaluated the solid state PL properties of a series of self-assembled hexaphenylalanine peptides characterized by a different terminal charge state. Overall, our data indicate that the charge state of these peptides has a marginal role in the PL emission as all systems exhibit very similar multicolour PL associated with a violation of the Kasha’s rule. On the other hand, charged/uncharged ends occasionally produce differences in the quantum yields. The generality of these observations has been proven by extending these analyses to the Aβ16–21 peptide. Collectively, the present findings provide useful information for deciphering the code that links the spectroscopic properties of these assemblies to their structural/electronic features.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Schiattarella
- Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems, CNR, Via P. Castellino 111, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Carlo Diaferia
- Department of Pharmacy and Research Centre on Bioactive Peptides (CIRPeB), University of Naples "Federico II", Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | - Enrico Gallo
- IRCCS Synlab SDN, Via Gianturco 113, 80143, Naples, Italy
| | - Bartolomeo Della Ventura
- Department of Physics "Ettore Pancini", University of Naples "Federico II", Via Cintia 26, 80125, Naples, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Morelli
- Department of Pharmacy and Research Centre on Bioactive Peptides (CIRPeB), University of Naples "Federico II", Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | - Luigi Vitagliano
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), CNR, Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | - Raffaele Velotta
- Department of Physics "Ettore Pancini", University of Naples "Federico II", Via Cintia 26, 80125, Naples, Italy.
| | - Antonella Accardo
- Department of Pharmacy and Research Centre on Bioactive Peptides (CIRPeB), University of Naples "Federico II", Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Yuan Y, Almohammadi H, Probst J, Mezzenga R. Plasmonic Amyloid Tactoids. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2021; 33:e2106155. [PMID: 34658087 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202106155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Despite their link to neurodegenerative diseases, amyloids of natural and synthetic sources can also serve as building blocks for functional materials, while possessing intrinsic photonic properties. Here, it is demonstrated that orientationally ordered amyloid fibrils exhibit polarization-dependent fluorescence, and can mechanically align rod-shaped plasmonic nanoparticles codispersed with them. The coupling between the photonic fibrils in liquid crystalline phases and the plasmonic effect of the nanoparticles leads to selective activation of plasmonic extinctions as well as enhanced fluorescence from the hybrid material. These findings are consistent with numerical simulations of the near-field plasmonic enhancement around the nanoparticles. The study provides an approach to synthesize the intrinsic photonic and mechanical properties of amyloid into functional hybrid materials, and may help improve the detection of amyloid deposits based on their enhanced intrinsic luminescence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ye Yuan
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, 8092, Switzerland
| | - Hamed Almohammadi
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, 8092, Switzerland
| | - Julie Probst
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Raffaele Mezzenga
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, 8092, Switzerland
- Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Zürich, 8093, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Tang S, Yang T, Zhao Z, Zhu T, Zhang Q, Hou W, Yuan WZ. Nonconventional luminophores: characteristics, advancements and perspectives. Chem Soc Rev 2021; 50:12616-12655. [PMID: 34610056 DOI: 10.1039/d0cs01087a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Nonconventional luminophores devoid of remarkable conjugates have attracted considerable attention due to their unique luminescence behaviors, updated luminescence mechanism of organics and promising applications in optoelectronic, biological and medical fields. Unlike classic luminogens consisting of molecular segments with greatly extended electron delocalization, these unorthodox luminophores generally possess nonconjugated structures based on subgroups such as ether (-O-), hydroxyl (-OH), halogens, carbonyl (CO), carboxyl (-COOH), cyano (CN), thioether (-S-), sulfoxide (SO), sulfone (OSO), phosphate, and aliphatic amine, as well as their grouped functionalities like amide, imide, anhydride and ureido. They can exhibit intriguing intrinsic luminescence, generally featuring concentration-enhanced emission, aggregation-induced emission, excitation-dependent luminescence and prevailing phosphorescence. Herein, we review the recent progress in exploring these nonconventional luminophores and discuss the current challenges and future perspectives. Notably, different mechanisms are reviewed and the clustering-triggered emission (CTE) mechanism is highlighted, which emphasizes the clustering of the above mentioned electron rich moieties and consequent electron delocalization along with conformation rigidification. The CTE mechanism seems widely applicable for diversified natural, synthetic and supramolecular systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Saixing Tang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Shanghai Key Lab of Electrical Insulation and Thermal Aging, Shanghai Electrochemical Energy Devices Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, No. 800 Dongchuan Rd., Minhang, Shanghai 200240, China.
| | - Tianjia Yang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Shanghai Key Lab of Electrical Insulation and Thermal Aging, Shanghai Electrochemical Energy Devices Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, No. 800 Dongchuan Rd., Minhang, Shanghai 200240, China.
| | - Zihao Zhao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Shanghai Key Lab of Electrical Insulation and Thermal Aging, Shanghai Electrochemical Energy Devices Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, No. 800 Dongchuan Rd., Minhang, Shanghai 200240, China.
| | - Tianwen Zhu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Shanghai Key Lab of Electrical Insulation and Thermal Aging, Shanghai Electrochemical Energy Devices Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, No. 800 Dongchuan Rd., Minhang, Shanghai 200240, China.
| | - Qiang Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Shanghai Key Lab of Electrical Insulation and Thermal Aging, Shanghai Electrochemical Energy Devices Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, No. 800 Dongchuan Rd., Minhang, Shanghai 200240, China.
| | - Wubeiwen Hou
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Shanghai Key Lab of Electrical Insulation and Thermal Aging, Shanghai Electrochemical Energy Devices Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, No. 800 Dongchuan Rd., Minhang, Shanghai 200240, China.
| | - Wang Zhang Yuan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Shanghai Key Lab of Electrical Insulation and Thermal Aging, Shanghai Electrochemical Energy Devices Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, No. 800 Dongchuan Rd., Minhang, Shanghai 200240, China.
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Politakos N, Moutsios I, Manesi GM, Moschovas D, Abukaev AF, Nikitina EA, Kortaberria G, Ivanov DA, Avgeropoulos A. Synthesis, Characterization and Structure Properties of Biobased Hybrid Copolymers Consisting of Polydiene and Polypeptide Segments. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:3818. [PMID: 34771373 PMCID: PMC8588293 DOI: 10.3390/polym13213818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Novel hybrid materials of the PB-b-P(o-Bn-L-Tyr) and PI-b-P(o-Bn-L-Tyr) type (where PB: 1,4/1,2-poly(butadiene), PI: 3,4/1,2/1,4-poly(isoprene) and P(o-Bn-L-Tyr): poly(ortho-benzyl-L-tyrosine)) were synthesized through anionic and ring-opening polymerization under high-vacuum techniques. All final materials were molecularly characterized through infrared spectroscopy (IR) and proton and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR, 13C-NMR) in order to confirm the successful synthesis and the polydiene microstructure content. The stereochemical behavior of secondary structures (α-helices and β-sheets) of the polypeptide segments combined with the different polydiene microstructures was also studied. The influence of the α-helices and β-sheets, as well as the polydiene chain conformations on the thermal properties (glass transition temperatures, thermal stability, α- and β-relaxation) of the present biobased hybrid copolymers, was investigated through differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and dielectric spectroscopy (DS). The obtained morphologies in thin films for all the synthesized materials via atomic force microscopy (AFM) indicated the formation of polypeptide fibrils in the polydiene matrix.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Politakos
- Department of Materials Science Engineering, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece; (N.P.); (I.M.); (G.-M.M.); (D.M.)
- POLYMAT and Departamento de Química Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Joxe Mari Korta Zentroa, Tolosa Etorbidea 72, 20018 San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Ioannis Moutsios
- Department of Materials Science Engineering, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece; (N.P.); (I.M.); (G.-M.M.); (D.M.)
| | - Gkreti-Maria Manesi
- Department of Materials Science Engineering, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece; (N.P.); (I.M.); (G.-M.M.); (D.M.)
| | - Dimitrios Moschovas
- Department of Materials Science Engineering, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece; (N.P.); (I.M.); (G.-M.M.); (D.M.)
| | - Ainur F. Abukaev
- Faculty of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU), GSP-1, 1-3 Leninskiye Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (A.F.A.); (E.A.N.); (D.A.I.)
- Institute of Problems of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142432 Moscow, Russia
| | - Evgeniia A. Nikitina
- Faculty of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU), GSP-1, 1-3 Leninskiye Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (A.F.A.); (E.A.N.); (D.A.I.)
- Institute of Problems of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142432 Moscow, Russia
| | - Galder Kortaberria
- ‘Materials + Tecnologies’ Research Group, Chemistry and Environmental Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Plaza Europa 1, 20018 Donostia, Spain;
| | - Dimitri A. Ivanov
- Faculty of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU), GSP-1, 1-3 Leninskiye Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (A.F.A.); (E.A.N.); (D.A.I.)
- Institute of Problems of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142432 Moscow, Russia
- Institut de Sciences des Matériaux de Mulhouse–IS2M, CNRS UMR7361, 15 Jean Starcky, 68057 Mulhouse, France
| | - Apostolos Avgeropoulos
- Department of Materials Science Engineering, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece; (N.P.); (I.M.); (G.-M.M.); (D.M.)
- Faculty of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU), GSP-1, 1-3 Leninskiye Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (A.F.A.); (E.A.N.); (D.A.I.)
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Diaferia C, Schiattarella C, Gallo E, Della Ventura B, Morelli G, Velotta R, Vitagliano L, Accardo A. Fluorescence Emission of Self-assembling Amyloid-like Peptides: Solution versus Solid State. Chemphyschem 2021; 22:2215-2221. [PMID: 34496136 PMCID: PMC8597038 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202100570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Analysis of the intrinsic UV-visible fluorescence exhibited by self-assembling amyloid-like peptides in solution and in solid the state highlights that their physical state has a profound impact on the optical properties. In the solid state, a linear dependence of the fluorescence emission peaks as a function of excitation wavelength is detected. On the contrary, an excitation-independent emission is observed in solution. The present findings constitute a valuable benchmark for current and future explanations of the fluorescence emission by amyloids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Diaferia
- Department of Pharmacy andResearch Centre on Bioactive Peptides (CIRPeB)University of Naples “Federico II”Via Mezzocannone 16Naples80134Italy
| | - Chiara Schiattarella
- Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems, CNRVia P. Castellino 111Naples80131Italy
| | | | - Bartolomeo Della Ventura
- Department of Physics “Ettore Pancini”University of Naples “Federico II”Via Cintia 26Naples80125Italy
| | - Giancarlo Morelli
- Department of Pharmacy andResearch Centre on Bioactive Peptides (CIRPeB)University of Naples “Federico II”Via Mezzocannone 16Naples80134Italy
| | - Raffaele Velotta
- Department of Physics “Ettore Pancini”University of Naples “Federico II”Via Cintia 26Naples80125Italy
| | - Luigi Vitagliano
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), CNRVia Mezzocannone 1680134NaplesItaly
| | - Antonella Accardo
- Department of Pharmacy andResearch Centre on Bioactive Peptides (CIRPeB)University of Naples “Federico II”Via Mezzocannone 16Naples80134Italy
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Yaman YT, Bolat G, Abaci S, Saygin TB. Peptide nanotube functionalized molecularly imprinted polydopamine based single-use sensor for impedimetric detection of malathion. Anal Bioanal Chem 2021; 414:1115-1128. [PMID: 34738221 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-021-03737-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 10/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In the present study, a peptide nanotube functionalized polydopamine (p-Dop) based molecularly imprinted (MIP) sensor system was constructed, characterized, and studied for the impedimetric sensing of an organophosphorus pesticide, malathion (MLT). Electropolymerization in the presence of a template (MLT) was utilized as a convenient and effective strategy to generate imprinted p-Dop films on peptide nanotubes (PNTs) modified graphite electrodes (PGEs). Upon the removal of template, the adsorption of MLT on the specific cavities formed in the MIP film was tracked using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). To attain optimal sensor response, experimental conditions, such as film thickness, analyte/functional monomer ratio, and desorption/adsorption time, were analyzed. The obtained MIP(p-Dop)-PNT-PGE sensor exhibited high sensitivity for electrochemical MLT analysis with a wide dynamic detection range of 13 pg mL-1 - 1.3 µg mL-1 and a LOD of 1.39 pg mL-1. The combination of a bio-inspired p-Dop-based MIP with the EIS technique allowed excellent sensitivity and selectivity toward MLT sensing which also yielded high recoveries in real samples. The success of this research strategy in real samples revealed its potential for various future environmental applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yesim Tugce Yaman
- Advanced Technologies Application and Research Center, Hacettepe University, Ankara, 06800, Turkey
- Analytical Chemistry Division, Department of Chemistry, Hacettepe University, Ankara, 06800, Turkey
| | - Gulcin Bolat
- Analytical Chemistry Division, Department of Chemistry, Hacettepe University, Ankara, 06800, Turkey
| | - Serdar Abaci
- Analytical Chemistry Division, Department of Chemistry, Hacettepe University, Ankara, 06800, Turkey.
| | - Turkan Busra Saygin
- Analytical Chemistry Division, Department of Chemistry, Hacettepe University, Ankara, 06800, Turkey
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Zhang TD, Deng X, Wang MY, Chen LL, Wang XT, Li CY, Shi WP, Lin WJ, Li Q, Pan W, Ni X, Pan T, Yin DC. Formation of β-Lactoglobulin Self-Assemblies via Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation for Applications beyond the Biological Functions. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:46391-46405. [PMID: 34570465 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c14634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Proteins are like miracle machines, playing important roles in living organisms. They perform vital biofunctions by further combining together and/or with other biomacromolecules to form assemblies or condensates such as membraneless organelles. Therefore, studying the self-assembly of biomacromolecules is of fundamental importance. In addition to their biological activities, protein assemblies also exhibit extra properties that enable them to achieve applications beyond their original functions. Herein, this study showed that in the presence of monosaccharides, ethylene glycols, and amino acids, β-lactoglobulin (β-LG) can form assemblies with specific structures, which were highly reproducible. The mechanism of the assembly process was studied through multi-scale observations and theoretical analysis, and it was found that the assembling all started from the formation of solute-rich liquid droplets via liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). These droplets then combined together to form condensates with elaborate structures, and the condensates finally evolved to form assemblies with various morphologies. Such a mechanism of the assembly is valuable for studying the assembly processes that frequently occur in living organisms. Detailed studies concerning the properties and applications of the obtained β-LG assemblies showed that the assemblies exhibited significantly better performances than the protein itself in terms of autofluorescence, antioxidant activity, and metal ion absorption, which indicates broad applications of these assemblies in bioimaging, biodetection, biodiagnosis, health maintenance, and pollution treatment. This study revealed that biomacromolecules, especially proteins, can be assembled via LLPS, and some unexpected application potentials could be found beyond their original biological functions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tuo-Di Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Xudong Deng
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Meng-Ying Wang
- Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, c/o DESY, Building 22a, Notkestr. 85, Hamburg 22607, Germany
| | - Liang-Liang Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Xue-Ting Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Chen-Yuan Li
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Pu Shi
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Juan Lin
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiang Li
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Weichun Pan
- Food Safety Key Lab of Zhejiang Province, The School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaodan Ni
- Laboratory of Membrane Proteins and Structural Biology, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Tiezheng Pan
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Da-Chuan Yin
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Ujike N, Iwaide S, Ono Y, Okano T, Murakami T. Intrinsic fluorescence-based label-free detection of bovine amyloid A amyloidosis. J Vet Diagn Invest 2021; 34:130-132. [PMID: 34609271 DOI: 10.1177/10406387211049217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloidosis is diagnosed by the histologic detection of amyloid deposits; however, this method has limitations such as a prolonged diagnosis time and the need for histologic proficiency. We aimed to develop a rapid and simple method for diagnosing amyloidosis by targeting amyloid-specific endogenous fluorescence, which has not been reported previously, to our knowledge. Fluorescence fingerprint analysis of amyloid extracts and tissue homogenates derived from amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis-affected cattle exhibited a specific intrinsic fluorescence pattern. Furthermore, principal component analysis using analytical data revealed that AA could be identified by peaks near λex 350 nm and λem 430 nm. Fluorescence spectrometry analysis using tissue homogenates, which does not require special histochemical staining, enables the rapid detection of bovine AA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Ujike
- Laboratory of Veterinary Toxicology, Cooperative Department of Veterinary Medicine, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Susumu Iwaide
- Laboratory of Veterinary Toxicology, Cooperative Department of Veterinary Medicine, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuki Ono
- Advanced Technology Center, Corporate R&D Headquarters, Konica Minolta Inc., Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takayuki Okano
- Advanced Technology Center, Corporate R&D Headquarters, Konica Minolta Inc., Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomoaki Murakami
- Laboratory of Veterinary Toxicology, Cooperative Department of Veterinary Medicine, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Identification of different body fluids through novel deep blue autofluorescence. Forensic Sci Int 2021; 327:110976. [PMID: 34478895 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.110976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Identification of different body fluids at crime scene is imperative to know about its source and the type of crime committed. Non-invasive fluorimetric techniques for the identification of body fluids rely upon the aromatic amino acids, which are not always prevalent in many proteins. Novel fluorescence technique, known as deep blue autofluorescence (dbAF), is independent of aromatic amino acids fluorescence, and can differentiate different body fluids. Contributed mainly by carbonyl group of amino acids, this auto fluorescence shows emission in deep blue (~400-600 nm) region after exciting at the edge of the long wavelength UV range (~360--380 nm). The present study demonstrate the first ever report of deep blue autofluorescence in the identification of different body fluids like, urine, saliva, blood, semen and vaginal sample. dbAF of human body fluids were observed to be distinct from the body fluids of dog, and thus provides a prospective alternative to differentiate human and non-human body fluids. We also demonstrated that dbAF decreases over the time window of 7 days, however it was not completely diminished and still detects the different body fluids. Since all body fluids are inherently fluorescent, present technique could be a novel approach for the identification of various body fluids at crime scene during forensic investigation.
Collapse
|
41
|
Arnon ZA, Kreiser T, Yakimov B, Brown N, Aizen R, Shaham-Niv S, Makam P, Qaisrani MN, Poli E, Ruggiero A, Slutsky I, Hassanali A, Shirshin E, Levy D, Gazit E. On-off transition and ultrafast decay of amino acid luminescence driven by modulation of supramolecular packing. iScience 2021; 24:102695. [PMID: 34258546 PMCID: PMC8253955 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Luminescence of biomolecules in the visible range of the spectrum has been experimentally observed upon aggregation, contrary to their monomeric state. However, the physical basis for this phenomenon is still elusive. Here, we systematically examine all coded amino acids to provide non-biased empirical insights. Several amino acids, including non-aromatic, show intense visible luminescence. Lysine crystals display the highest signal, whereas the very chemically similar non-coded ornithine does not, implying a role for molecular packing rather than the chemical characteristics. Furthermore, cysteine shows luminescence that is indeed crystal packing dependent as repeated rearrangements between two crystal structures result in a reversible on-off optical transition. In addition, ultrafast lifetime decay is experimentally validated, corroborating a recently raised hypothesis regarding the governing role of nπ∗ states in the emission formation. Collectively, our study supports that electronic interactions between non-fluorescent, non-absorbing molecules at the monomeric state may result in reversible optically active states by the formation of supramolecular fluorophores.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zohar A Arnon
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Topaz Kreiser
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Boris Yakimov
- Faculty of Physics, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991 Russia
| | - Noam Brown
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Ruth Aizen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Shira Shaham-Niv
- BLAVATNIK CENTER for Drug Discovery, Metabolite Medicine Division, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Pandeeswar Makam
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | | | - Emiliano Poli
- International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Strada Costiera, 11, 34151 Trieste, Italy
| | - Antonella Ruggiero
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv University, 6997801 Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Inna Slutsky
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv University, 6997801 Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ali Hassanali
- International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Strada Costiera, 11, 34151 Trieste, Italy
| | - Evgeny Shirshin
- Faculty of Physics, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991 Russia
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, I.M. Sechenov Moscow State Medical University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Davide Levy
- X-Ray Diffraction Lab, Wolfson Applied Materials Research Centre, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Ehud Gazit
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Abstract
Intrinsic fluorescence of nonaromatic amino acids is a puzzling phenomenon with an enormous potential in biophotonic applications. The physical origins of this effect, however, remain elusive. Herein, we demonstrate how specific hydrogen bond networks can modulate fluorescence. We highlight the key role played by short hydrogen bonds, present in the protein structure, on the ensuing fluorescence. We provide detailed experimental and molecular evidence to explain these unusual nonaromatic optical properties. Our findings should benefit the design of novel optically active biomaterials for applications in biosensing and imaging. Fluorescence in biological systems is usually associated with the presence of aromatic groups. Here, by employing a combined experimental and computational approach, we show that specific hydrogen bond networks can significantly affect fluorescence. In particular, we reveal that the single amino acid L-glutamine, by undergoing a chemical transformation leading to the formation of a short hydrogen bond, displays optical properties that are significantly enhanced compared with L-glutamine itself. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations highlight that these short hydrogen bonds prevent the appearance of a conical intersection between the excited and the ground states and thereby significantly decrease nonradiative transition probabilities. Our findings open the door to the design of new photoactive materials with biophotonic applications.
Collapse
|
43
|
Intrinsic electronic conductivity of individual atomically resolved amyloid crystals reveals micrometer-long hole hopping via tyrosines. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2014139118. [PMID: 33372136 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2014139118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteins are commonly known to transfer electrons over distances limited to a few nanometers. However, many biological processes require electron transport over far longer distances. For example, soil and sediment bacteria transport electrons, over hundreds of micrometers to even centimeters, via putative filamentous proteins rich in aromatic residues. However, measurements of true protein conductivity have been hampered by artifacts due to large contact resistances between proteins and electrodes. Using individual amyloid protein crystals with atomic-resolution structures as a model system, we perform contact-free measurements of intrinsic electronic conductivity using a four-electrode approach. We find hole transport through micrometer-long stacked tyrosines at physiologically relevant potentials. Notably, the transport rate through tyrosines (105 s-1) is comparable to cytochromes. Our studies therefore show that amyloid proteins can efficiently transport charges, under ordinary thermal conditions, without any need for redox-active metal cofactors, large driving force, or photosensitizers to generate a high oxidation state for charge injection. By measuring conductivity as a function of molecular length, voltage, and temperature, while eliminating the dominant contribution of contact resistances, we show that a multistep hopping mechanism (composed of multiple tunneling steps), not single-step tunneling, explains the measured conductivity. Combined experimental and computational studies reveal that proton-coupled electron transfer confers conductivity; both the energetics of the proton acceptor, a neighboring glutamine, and its proximity to tyrosine influence the hole transport rate through a proton rocking mechanism. Surprisingly, conductivity increases 200-fold upon cooling due to higher availability of the proton acceptor by increased hydrogen bonding.
Collapse
|
44
|
Monti A, Bruckmann C, Blasi F, Ruvo M, Vitagliano L, Doti N. Amyloid-like Prep1 peptides exhibit reversible blue-green-red fluorescence in vitro and in living cells. Chem Commun (Camb) 2021; 57:3720-3723. [PMID: 33729264 DOI: 10.1039/d1cc01145f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
PREP1-based peptides form amyloid-like aggregates endowed with an intrinsic blue-green-red fluorescence with an unusual sharp maximum at 520 nm upon excitation with visible light under physiological conditions. The peptide PREP1[117-132], whose sequence does not contain aromatic residues, presents a pH-dependent and reversible fluorescence, in line with its structural transition from β-sheet rich aggregates to α-helix structures. These findings further demonstrate that the non-canonical fluorescence exhibited by amyloids is an articulated phenomenon.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Monti
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB)-CNR, Via Mezzocannone 16, Naples 80134, Italy.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
45
|
Jesus CSH, Soares HT, Piedade AP, Cortes L, Serpa C. Using amyloid autofluorescence as a biomarker for lysozyme aggregation inhibition. Analyst 2021; 146:2383-2391. [PMID: 33646214 DOI: 10.1039/d0an02260h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The assembly of proteins into amyloidogenic aggregates underlies the onset and symptoms of several pathologies, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and type II diabetes. Among the efforts for fighting these diseases, there is a great demand for developing novel, fast and reliable methods for in vitro screening of new drugs that may suppress or reverse amyloidogenesis. Recent studies unravelled a progressive increase in a blue autofluorescence upon amyloid formation originated from many different proteins, including the peptide amyloid-β, lysozyme or insulin. Herein, we propose a drug screening method using this property, avoiding the use of external probe dyes. We demonstrate that the inhibition of lysozyme amyloid formation by means of two known inhibitors, tartrazine and amaranth, can be monitored based on the autofluorescence of lysozyme amyloid aggregates. Our results show that amyloid luminescence is an intrinsic property that can be potentially applied in a screening assay, allowing the ranking of drug efficiency. The assays demonstrated here are fast to perform and suitable for scaling using microplate assays, configuring a new sensitive and economically feasible method.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Catarina S H Jesus
- University of Coimbra, CQC, Department of Chemistry, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
46
|
He B, Zhang J, Zhang J, Zhang H, Wu X, Chen X, Kei KHS, Qin A, Sung HHY, Lam JWY, Tang BZ. Clusteroluminescence from Cluster Excitons in Small Heterocyclics Free of Aromatic Rings. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2021; 8:2004299. [PMID: 33854902 PMCID: PMC8025018 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202004299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
The study of nonconventional luminescence is important for revealing the luminescence of natural systems and has gradually drawn the attention of researchers in recent years. However, the underlying mechanism is still inexplicable. Herein, the luminescence behavior of two series of simple, heteroatom-containing small molecules without aromatic rings, i.e., maleimide and succinimide derivatives, are studied to gain further mechanistic insight into the nonconventional luminescence process. It has been unveiled that all the molecules exhibit bright and visible luminescence in concentrated solution and solid state and the formation of clusters is the root cause for such behaviors, which can effectively increase the possibility of both the nonradiative n-π* and favorable π-π* transitions and stabilize the excitons formed in the excited state. The distinctive luminescent phenomena and intriguing mechanism presented in this work will be significant for understanding the mechanism of clusteroluminescence and provide new strategies for the rational design of novel luminescent materials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benzhao He
- Department of ChemistryThe Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyClear Water BayKowloonHong Kong999077China
- Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering. Research Center for Tissue Restoration and ReconstructionInstitute for Advanced StudyDepartment of Chemical and Biological EngineeringThe Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyClear Water BayKowloonHong Kong999077China
- HKUST‐Shenzhen Research InstituteNo. 9 Yuexing 1st RD, South Area, Hi‐tech ParkNanshanShenzhen518057China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of ChemistryThe Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyClear Water BayKowloonHong Kong999077China
- Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering. Research Center for Tissue Restoration and ReconstructionInstitute for Advanced StudyDepartment of Chemical and Biological EngineeringThe Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyClear Water BayKowloonHong Kong999077China
| | - Jianyu Zhang
- Department of ChemistryThe Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyClear Water BayKowloonHong Kong999077China
- Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering. Research Center for Tissue Restoration and ReconstructionInstitute for Advanced StudyDepartment of Chemical and Biological EngineeringThe Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyClear Water BayKowloonHong Kong999077China
| | - Haoke Zhang
- Department of Polymer Science and EngineeringZhejiang UniversityXihu DistrictHangzhou310027China
| | - Xiuying Wu
- Center for Aggregation‐Induced EmissionSCUT‐HKUST Joint Research InstituteState Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and DevicesSouth China University of TechnologyGuangzhou510640China
| | - Xu Chen
- Center for Aggregation‐Induced EmissionSCUT‐HKUST Joint Research InstituteState Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and DevicesSouth China University of TechnologyGuangzhou510640China
| | - Konnie H. S. Kei
- Department of ChemistryThe Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyClear Water BayKowloonHong Kong999077China
- Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering. Research Center for Tissue Restoration and ReconstructionInstitute for Advanced StudyDepartment of Chemical and Biological EngineeringThe Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyClear Water BayKowloonHong Kong999077China
| | - Anjun Qin
- Center for Aggregation‐Induced EmissionSCUT‐HKUST Joint Research InstituteState Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and DevicesSouth China University of TechnologyGuangzhou510640China
| | - Herman H. Y. Sung
- Department of ChemistryThe Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyClear Water BayKowloonHong Kong999077China
| | - Jacky W. Y. Lam
- Department of ChemistryThe Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyClear Water BayKowloonHong Kong999077China
- Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering. Research Center for Tissue Restoration and ReconstructionInstitute for Advanced StudyDepartment of Chemical and Biological EngineeringThe Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyClear Water BayKowloonHong Kong999077China
- HKUST‐Shenzhen Research InstituteNo. 9 Yuexing 1st RD, South Area, Hi‐tech ParkNanshanShenzhen518057China
| | - Ben Zhong Tang
- Department of ChemistryThe Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyClear Water BayKowloonHong Kong999077China
- Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering. Research Center for Tissue Restoration and ReconstructionInstitute for Advanced StudyDepartment of Chemical and Biological EngineeringThe Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyClear Water BayKowloonHong Kong999077China
- HKUST‐Shenzhen Research InstituteNo. 9 Yuexing 1st RD, South Area, Hi‐tech ParkNanshanShenzhen518057China
- Department of Polymer Science and EngineeringZhejiang UniversityXihu DistrictHangzhou310027China
- Center for Aggregation‐Induced EmissionSCUT‐HKUST Joint Research InstituteState Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and DevicesSouth China University of TechnologyGuangzhou510640China
- AIE InstituteGuangzhou Development DistrictHuangpuGuangzhou510530China
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Wang Z, Zhang H, Li S, Lei D, Tang BZ, Ye R. Recent Advances in Clusteroluminescence. Top Curr Chem (Cham) 2021; 379:14. [PMID: 33655404 DOI: 10.1007/s41061-021-00326-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Clusteroluminescence is a phenomenon whereby the aggregation or clustering of non-conjugated electron-rich units leads to the emission of light at long wavelengths. This phenomenon was first discovered in poly(amido amine) (PAMAM) dendrimers. In recent years, clusteroluminescence has attracted growing research interest and its photophysical properties and mechanism have been thoroughly studied. In this review, we first briefly introduce the development of different types of clusteroluminogens. Then we highlight recent developments in clusteroluminescence, including mechanistic studies, the disclosure of room-temperature phosphorescence, and the extension of emission to the longer-wavelength region. Lastly, we demonstrate a few applications in various fields. With advantages such as being earth-abundant, biocompatible and biodegradable, clusteroluminogens are envisioned to be commonplace in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoyu Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Haoke Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Siqi Li
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Dangyuan Lei
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ben Zhong Tang
- Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
- Center for Aggregation-Induced Emission, State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, SCUT-HKUST Joint Research Institute, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China
- AIE Institute, Guangzhou Development District, Guangzhou, 510530, China
| | - Ruquan Ye
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Garifullin R, Guler MO. Electroactive peptide-based supramolecular polymers. Mater Today Bio 2021; 10:100099. [PMID: 33778465 PMCID: PMC7985408 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2021.100099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The electroactivity as a supramolecular feature of intelligently designed self-assembled systems stimulates a wide interest in development of new stimuli-responsive biomaterials. A diverse set of nanostructures are fabricated through programmed self-assembly of molecules for functional materials. Electroactive groups are conjugated as a functional moiety for organic semiconductor applications. In this review, we present recent examples of self-assembling peptide molecules and electroactive units for supramolecular functional electronic and optical materials with potential biomedical and bioelectronics applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruslan Garifullin
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420021 Kazan, Russian Federation
| | - Mustafa O. Guler
- The Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Albert SK, Lee S, Durai P, Hu X, Jeong B, Park K, Park SJ. Janus Nanosheets with Face-Selective Molecular Recognition Properties from DNA-Peptide Conjugates. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2021; 17:e2006110. [PMID: 33721400 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202006110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Chemical and functional anisotropy in Janus materials offer intriguing possibilities for constructing complex nanostructures and regulating chemical and biological reactions. Here, the authors report the fabrication of Janus nanosheets from molecular building blocks composed of two information-carrying biopolymers, DNA and peptides. Experimental and structural modeling studies reveal that DNA-peptide diblock conjugates assemble into Janus nanosheets with distinct DNA and peptide faces. The surprising level of structural control is attributed to the exclusive parallel β-sheet formation of phenylalanine-rich peptides. This approach is extended to triblock DNA1-peptide-DNA2 conjugates, which assemble into nanosheets presenting two different DNA on opposite faces. The Janus nanosheets with independently addressable faces are utilized to organize an enzyme pair for concerted enzymatic reactions, where enhanced catalytic activities are observed. These results demonstrate that the predictable and designable peptide interaction is a promising tool for creating Janus nanostructures with regio-selective and sequence-specific molecular recognition properties.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shine K Albert
- Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience, Ewha Womans University, 52, Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03760, South Korea
| | - Sunghee Lee
- Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience, Ewha Womans University, 52, Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03760, South Korea
| | - Prasannavenkatesh Durai
- KIST Gangneung Institute of Natural Products, 679, Saimdang-ro, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do, 25451, South Korea
| | - Xiaole Hu
- Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience, Ewha Womans University, 52, Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03760, South Korea
| | - Byeongmoon Jeong
- Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience, Ewha Womans University, 52, Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03760, South Korea
| | - Keunwan Park
- KIST Gangneung Institute of Natural Products, 679, Saimdang-ro, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do, 25451, South Korea
| | - So-Jung Park
- Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience, Ewha Womans University, 52, Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03760, South Korea
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Pyne P, Samanta N, Gohil H, Prabhu SS, Mitra RK. Alteration of water absorption in the THz region traces the onset of fibrillation in proteins. Chem Commun (Camb) 2021; 57:998-1001. [PMID: 33399590 DOI: 10.1039/d0cc06500e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Using terahertz spectroscopy, we established the alteration of the collective hydration of water during the fibrillation process (native → intermediate → fibril) of a model protein bovine serum albumin. This label-free study concludes that water dynamics change systematically with protein conformational changes as it experiences a hydrophobic environment during the initial protein unfolding process, followed by the release of bound water during oligomerization and finally the hydrophobic interior of the fibril.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Partha Pyne
- Department of Chemical, Biological & Macro-Molecular Sciences, Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Block-JD; Sector-III; Salt Lake, Kolkata-700106, India.
| | - Nirnay Samanta
- Department of Chemical, Biological & Macro-Molecular Sciences, Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Block-JD; Sector-III; Salt Lake, Kolkata-700106, India. and Institute for Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, TU Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Himanshu Gohil
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics And Material Science, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhahba Road, Colaba, Mumbai-400005, India.
| | - S S Prabhu
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics And Material Science, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhahba Road, Colaba, Mumbai-400005, India.
| | - Rajib Kumar Mitra
- Department of Chemical, Biological & Macro-Molecular Sciences, Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Block-JD; Sector-III; Salt Lake, Kolkata-700106, India.
| |
Collapse
|