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Revell CK, Jensen OE, Shearer T, Lu Y, Holmes DF, Kadler KE. Collagen fibril assembly: New approaches to unanswered questions. Matrix Biol Plus 2021; 12:100079. [PMID: 34381990 PMCID: PMC8334717 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbplus.2021.100079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Collagen fibrils are essential for metazoan life. They are the largest, most abundant, and most versatile protein polymers in animals, where they occur in the extracellular matrix to form the structural basis of tissues and organs. Collagen fibrils were first observed at the turn of the 20th century. During the last 40 years, the genes that encode the family of collagens have been identified, the structure of the collagen triple helix has been solved, the many enzymes involved in the post-translational modifications of collagens have been identified, mutations in the genes encoding collagen and collagen-associated proteins have been linked to heritable disorders, and changes in collagen levels have been associated with a wide range of diseases, including cancer. Yet despite extensive research, a full understanding of how cells assemble collagen fibrils remains elusive. Here, we review current models of collagen fibril self-assembly, and how cells might exert control over the self-assembly process to define the number, length and organisation of fibrils in tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher K. Revell
- Department of Mathematics, University of Manchester, Alan Turing Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Oliver E. Jensen
- Department of Mathematics, University of Manchester, Alan Turing Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Tom Shearer
- Department of Mathematics, University of Manchester, Alan Turing Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
- Department of Materials, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Yinhui Lu
- Wellcome Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - David F. Holmes
- Wellcome Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Karl E. Kadler
- Wellcome Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
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de C Bittencourt DM, Oliveira PF, Souto BM, de Freitas SM, Silva LP, Murad AM, Michalczechen-Lacerda VA, Lewis RV, Rech EL. Molecular Dynamics of Synthetic Flagelliform Silk Fiber Assembly. MACROMOLECULAR MATERIALS AND ENGINEERING 2021; 306:2000530. [PMID: 34539237 PMCID: PMC8445496 DOI: 10.1002/mame.202000530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In order to better understand the relationship between Flagelliform (Flag) spider silk molecular structural organization and the mechanisms of fiber assembly, it was designed and produced the Nephilengys cruentata Flag spidroin analogue rNcFlag2222. The recombinant proteins are composed by the elastic repetitive glycine-rich motifs (GPGGX/GGX) and the spacer region, rich in hydrophilic charged amino acids, present at the native silk spidroin. Using different approaches for nanomolecular protein analysis, the structural data of rNcFlag2222 recombinant proteins were compared in its fibrillar and in its fully solvated states. Based on the results was possible to identify the molecular structural dynamics of NcFlag2222 prior to and after fiber formation. Overal rNcFlag2222 shows a mixture of semiflexible and rigid conformations, characterized mostly by the presence of PPII, β-turn and β-sheet. These results agree with previous studies and bring insights about the molecular mechanisms that might driven Flag silk fibers assembly and elastomeric behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela M de C Bittencourt
- Brazilian Agriculture Research Corporation - Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology CENARGEN, Parque Estação Biológica, PqEB, Av. W5 Norte (final), Brasília DF, 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Paula F Oliveira
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, 5305 Old Main Hill, Logan UT, 84322-5305, US
| | - Betulia M Souto
- Brazilian Agriculture Research Corporation - Embrapa Agroenergy, STN - Brasília, DF, 70297-400, Brazil
| | - Sonia M de Freitas
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of BiologicDral Sciences, University of Brasilia, Campos Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasilia, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Luciano P Silva
- Brazilian Agriculture Research Corporation - Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology CENARGEN, Parque Estação Biológica, PqEB, Av. W5 Norte (final), Brasília DF, 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Andre M Murad
- Brazilian Agriculture Research Corporation - Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology CENARGEN, Parque Estação Biológica, PqEB, Av. W5 Norte (final), Brasília DF, 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Valquiria A Michalczechen-Lacerda
- Brazilian Agriculture Research Corporation - Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology CENARGEN, Parque Estação Biológica, PqEB, Av. W5 Norte (final), Brasília DF, 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Randolph V Lewis
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, 5305 Old Main Hill, Logan UT, 84322-5305, US
| | - Elibio L Rech
- Brazilian Agriculture Research Corporation - Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology CENARGEN, Parque Estação Biológica, PqEB, Av. W5 Norte (final), Brasília DF, 70770-917, Brazil
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Zennifer A, Sekar MP, Subramanian A, Sethuraman S. Nanofiber matrices of protein mimetic bioactive peptides for biomedical applications. ARTIFICIAL PROTEIN AND PEPTIDE NANOFIBERS 2020:199-217. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-08-102850-6.00009-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
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Nonuniform Internal Structure of Fibrin Fibers: Protein Density and Bond Density Strongly Decrease with Increasing Diameter. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2017; 2017:6385628. [PMID: 29130043 PMCID: PMC5654258 DOI: 10.1155/2017/6385628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2017] [Revised: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The major structural component of a blood clot is a meshwork of fibrin fibers. It has long been thought that the internal structure of fibrin fibers is homogeneous; that is, the protein density and the bond density between protofibrils are uniform and do not depend on fiber diameter. We performed experiments to investigate the internal structure of fibrin fibers. We formed fibrin fibers with fluorescently labeled fibrinogen and determined the light intensity of a fiber, I, as a function of fiber diameter, D. The intensity and, thus, the total number of fibrin molecules in a cross-section scaled as D1.4. This means that the protein density (fibrin per cross-sectional area), ρp , is not homogeneous but instead strongly decreases with fiber diameter as D-0.6. Thinner fibers are denser than thicker fibers. We also determined Young's modulus, Y, as a function of fiber diameter. Y decreased strongly with increasing D; Y scaled as D-1.5. This implies that the bond density, ρb , also scales as D-1.5. Thinner fibers are stiffer than thicker fibers. Our data suggest that fibrin fibers have a dense, well-connected core and a sparse, loosely connected periphery. In contrast, electrospun fibrinogen fibers, used as a control, have a homogeneous cross-section.
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McGuinness K, Khan IJ, Nanda V. Morphological diversity and polymorphism of self-assembling collagen peptides controlled by length of hydrophobic domains. ACS NANO 2014; 8:12514-12523. [PMID: 25390880 PMCID: PMC4278691 DOI: 10.1021/nn505369d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2014] [Accepted: 11/12/2014] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic collagen mimetic peptides are used to probe the role of hydrophobic forces in mediating protein self-assembly. Higher order association is an integral property of natural collagens, which assemble into fibers and meshes that comprise the extracellular matrix of connective tissues. The unique triple-helix fold fully exposes two-thirds of positions in the protein to solvent, providing ample opportunities for engineering interaction sites. Inclusion of just a few hydrophobic groups in a minimal peptide promotes a rich variety of self-assembly behaviors, resulting in hundred-nanometer to micron size nanodiscs and nanofibers. Morphology depends primarily on the length of hydrophobic domains. Peptide discs contain lipophilic domains capable of sequestering small hydrophobic dyes. Combining multiple peptide types result in composite structures of discs and fibers ranging from stars to plates-on-a-string. These systems provide valuable tools to shed insight into the fundamental principles underlying hydrophobicity-driven higher order protein association that will facilitate the design of self-assembling systems in biomaterials and nanomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Vikas Nanda
- Address correspondence to . Phone: 732-235-5328
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Jones LH, Narayanan A, Hett EC. Understanding and applying tyrosine biochemical diversity. MOLECULAR BIOSYSTEMS 2014; 10:952-69. [PMID: 24623162 DOI: 10.1039/c4mb00018h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
This review highlights some of the recent advances made in our understanding of the diversity of tyrosine biochemistry and shows how this has inspired novel applications in numerous areas of molecular design and synthesis, including chemical biology and bioconjugation. The pathophysiological implications of tyrosine biochemistry will be presented from a molecular perspective and the opportunities for therapeutic intervention explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyn H Jones
- Pfizer R&D, Chemical Biology Group, BioTherapeutics Chemistry, WorldWide Medicinal Chemistry, 200 Cambridge Park Drive, Cambridge, MA 02140, USA.
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Grabowska KJ, Tekidou S, Boom RM, van der Goot AJ. Shear structuring as a new method to make anisotropic structures from soy-gluten blends. Food Res Int 2014; 64:743-751. [PMID: 30011712 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2014.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2014] [Revised: 08/03/2014] [Accepted: 08/14/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The concept of shear-induced structuring was applied to concentrated blends of soy protein isolate (SPI) and wheat gluten (WG) to create novel semi-solid food textures. Concurrent simple shear deformation and heating (95°C) of the protein blends generated original structures consisting of fibers or layers. The ratio of SPI to vital WG and the final concentration determined the morphology of the structure. It is hypothesized that the spatial distribution of the SPI-rich phase and the WG-rich phase in a blend was altered by the shear flow. When both phases became aligned horizontally in the shear cell, a fibrous structure was formed; when they became aligned vertically in the shear cell, a layered structure was formed. The structures obtained were analyzed visually and using texture analysis and scanning electron microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna J Grabowska
- Food Process Engineering Laboratory, Wageningen University, Bornse weilanden 9, 6708 WG Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Stavroula Tekidou
- Food Process Engineering Laboratory, Wageningen University, Bornse weilanden 9, 6708 WG Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Remko M Boom
- Food Process Engineering Laboratory, Wageningen University, Bornse weilanden 9, 6708 WG Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Atze-Jan van der Goot
- Food Process Engineering Laboratory, Wageningen University, Bornse weilanden 9, 6708 WG Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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Smith DW, Rubenson J, Lloyd D, Zheng M, Fernandez J, Besier T, Xu J, Gardiner BS. A conceptual framework for computational models of Achilles tendon homeostasis. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-SYSTEMS BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2013; 5:523-38. [PMID: 23757159 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2012] [Revised: 04/22/2013] [Accepted: 04/25/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Computational modeling of tendon lags the development of computational models for other tissues. A major bottleneck in the development of realistic computational models for Achilles tendon is the absence of detailed conceptual and theoretical models as to how the tissue actually functions. Without the conceptual models to provide a theoretical framework to guide the development and integration of multiscale computational models, modeling of the Achilles tendon to date has tended to be piecemeal and focused on specific mechanical or biochemical issues. In this paper, we present a new conceptual model of Achilles tendon tissue homeostasis, and discuss this model in terms of existing computational models of tendon. This approach has the benefits of structuring the research on relevant computational modeling to date, while allowing us to identify new computational models requiring development. The critically important functional issue for tendon is that it is continually damaged during use and so has to be repaired. From this follows the centrally important issue of homeostasis of the load carrying collagen fibrils within the collagen fibers of the Achilles tendon. Collagen fibrils may be damaged mechanically-by loading, or damaged biochemically-by proteases. Upon reviewing existing computational models within this conceptual framework of the Achilles tendon structure and function, we demonstrate that a great deal of theoretical and experimental research remains to be done before there are reliably predictive multiscale computational model of Achilles tendon in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W Smith
- Faculty of Engineering, Computing, and Mathematics, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
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Polymorphisms in the human tropoelastin gene modify in vitro self-assembly and mechanical properties of elastin-like polypeptides. PLoS One 2012; 7:e46130. [PMID: 23049958 PMCID: PMC3458006 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2012] [Accepted: 08/23/2012] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Elastin is a major structural component of elastic fibres that provide properties of stretch and recoil to tissues such as arteries, lung and skin. Remarkably, after initial deposition of elastin there is normally no subsequent turnover of this protein over the course of a lifetime. Consequently, elastic fibres must be extremely durable, able to withstand, for example in the human thoracic aorta, billions of cycles of stretch and recoil without mechanical failure. Major defects in the elastin gene (ELN) are associated with a number of disorders including Supravalvular aortic stenosis (SVAS), Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) and autosomal dominant cutis laxa (ADCL). Given the low turnover of elastin and the requirement for the long term durability of elastic fibres, we examined the possibility for more subtle polymorphisms in the human elastin gene to impact the assembly and long-term durability of the elastic matrix. Surveys of genetic variation resources identified 118 mutations in human ELN, 17 being non-synonymous. Introduction of two of these variants, G422S and K463R, in elastin-like polypeptides as well as full-length tropoelastin, resulted in changes in both their assembly and mechanical properties. Most notably G422S, which occurs in up to 40% of European populations, was found to enhance some elastomeric properties. These studies reveal that even apparently minor polymorphisms in human ELN can impact the assembly and mechanical properties of the elastic matrix, effects that over the course of a lifetime could result in altered susceptibility to cardiovascular disease.
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