1
|
Nishio T, Schiessel H. Coalescence of liquid or gel-like DNA-encapsulating microdroplets. J Chem Phys 2024; 161:134904. [PMID: 39356067 DOI: 10.1063/5.0223951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 09/19/2024] [Indexed: 10/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Liquid-liquid phase separation plays a prominent role in the physics of life, providing the cells with various membrane-less compartments. These structures exhibit a range of material properties that, in many cases, change over time. Inspired by this, we investigate here an aqueous two-phase system formed by mixing polyethylene glycol with dextran. We modulate the material properties of the resulting dextran droplets by adding DNA that readily enters the droplets. We find a non-monotonic dependence of the physical properties of the droplets under the imposed ionic conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Nishio
- Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, TUD Dresden University of Technology, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Helmut Schiessel
- Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, TUD Dresden University of Technology, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Institut für Theoretische Physik, TUD Dresden University of Technology, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Rivas G, Minton AP. Surfaces as frameworks for intracellular organization. Trends Biochem Sci 2024:S0968-0004(24)00187-7. [PMID: 39375067 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2024.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 10/09/2024]
Abstract
A large fraction of soluble protein within the interior of living cells may reversibly associate with structural elements, including proteinaceous fibers and phospholipid membranes. In this opinion, we present theoretical and experimental evidence that many of these associations are due to nonspecific attraction between the protein and the surface of the fiber or membrane, and that such associations may lead to substantial changes in the association state of the adsorbed proteins, the biological function of the adsorbed proteins, and the distribution of these proteins between the many microenvironments existing within the cell.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Germán Rivas
- CIB Margarita Salas - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.
| | - Allen P Minton
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Genetics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Furuki T, Sakuta H, Yanagisawa N, Tabuchi S, Kamo A, Shimamoto DS, Yanagisawa M. Marangoni Droplets of Dextran in PEG Solution and Its Motile Change Due to Coil-Globule Transition of Coexisting DNA. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:43016-43025. [PMID: 39088740 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c09362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/03/2024]
Abstract
Motile droplets using Marangoni convection are attracting attention for their potential as cell-mimicking small robots. However, the motion of droplets relative to the internal and external environments that generate Marangoni convection has not been quantitatively described. In this study, we used an aqueous two-phase system [poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and dextran] in an elongated chamber to generate motile dextran droplets in a constant PEG concentration gradient. We demonstrated that dextran droplets move by Marangoni convection, resulting from the PEG concentration gradient and the active transport of PEG and dextran into and out of the motile dextran droplet. Furthermore, by spontaneously incorporating long DNA into the dextran droplets, we achieved cell-like motility changes controlled by coexisting environment-sensing molecules. The DNA changes its position within the droplet and motile speed in response to external conditions. In the presence of Mg2+, the coil-globule transition of DNA inside the droplet accelerates the motile speed due to the decrease in the droplet's dynamic viscosity. Globule DNA condenses at the rear part of the droplet along the convection, while coil DNA moves away from the droplet's central axis, separating the dipole convections. These results provide a blueprint for designing autonomous small robots using phase-separated droplets, which change the mobility and molecular distribution within the droplet in reaction with the environment. It will also open unexplored areas of self-assembly mechanisms through phase separation under convections, such as intracellular phase separation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tomohiro Furuki
- Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennodai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8573, Japan
- Department of Integrated Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Hiroki Sakuta
- Komaba Institute for Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
- Center for Complex Systems Biology, Universal Biology Institute, The University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Naoya Yanagisawa
- Komaba Institute for Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Shingo Tabuchi
- Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Akari Kamo
- Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Daisuke S Shimamoto
- Komaba Institute for Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Miho Yanagisawa
- Department of Integrated Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
- Komaba Institute for Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
- Center for Complex Systems Biology, Universal Biology Institute, The University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
- Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lainscsek X, Taher L. Predicting chromosomal compartments directly from the nucleotide sequence with DNA-DDA. Brief Bioinform 2023; 24:bbad198. [PMID: 37264486 PMCID: PMC10359093 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbad198] [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: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) genome architecture is characterized by multi-scale patterns and plays an essential role in gene regulation. Chromatin conformation capturing experiments have revealed many properties underlying 3D genome architecture, such as the compartmentalization of chromatin based on transcriptional states. However, they are complex, costly and time consuming, and therefore only a limited number of cell types have been examined using these techniques. Increasing effort is being directed towards deriving computational methods that can predict chromatin conformation and associated structures. Here we present DNA-delay differential analysis (DDA), a purely sequence-based method based on chaos theory to predict genome-wide A and B compartments. We show that DNA-DDA models derived from a 20 Mb sequence are sufficient to predict genome wide compartmentalization at the scale of 100 kb in four different cell types. Although this is a proof-of-concept study, our method shows promise in elucidating the mechanisms responsible for genome folding as well as modeling the impact of genetic variation on 3D genome architecture and the processes regulated thereby.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xenia Lainscsek
- Institute of Biomedical Informatics, Graz University of Technology, Austria
| | - Leila Taher
- Institute of Biomedical Informatics, Graz University of Technology, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Shew CY, Yoshikawa K. Crowding effect on the alignment of rod molecules confined in a spherical cavity. Chem Phys Lett 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2023.140437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
|
6
|
Sakuta H, Nakatani N, Torisawa T, Sumino Y, Tsumoto K, Oiwa K, Yoshikawa K. Self-emergent vortex flow of microtubule and kinesin in cell-sized droplets under water/water phase separation. Commun Chem 2023; 6:80. [PMID: 37100870 PMCID: PMC10133263 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-023-00879-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
By facilitating a water/water phase separation (w/wPS), crowded biopolymers in cells form droplets that contribute to the spatial localization of biological components and their biochemical reactions. However, their influence on mechanical processes driven by protein motors has not been well studied. Here, we show that the w/wPS droplet spontaneously entraps kinesins as well as microtubules (MTs) and generates a micrometre-scale vortex flow inside the droplet. Active droplets with a size of 10-100 µm are generated through w/wPS of dextran and polyethylene glycol mixed with MTs, molecular-engineered chimeric four-headed kinesins and ATP after mechanical mixing. MTs and kinesin rapidly created contractile network accumulated at the interface of the droplet and gradually generated vortical flow, which can drive translational motion of a droplet. Our work reveals that the interface of w/wPS contributes not only to chemical processes but also produces mechanical motion by assembling species of protein motors in a functioning manner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Sakuta
- Faculty of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University, Kyotanabe, Kyoto, 610-0394, Japan
- Organization for Research Initiatives and Development, Doshisha University, Kyotanabe, Kyoto, 610-0394, Japan
- Center for Complex Systems Biology, Universal Biology Institute, The University of Tokyo, Meguro, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan
- Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Meguro, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan
| | - Naoki Nakatani
- Faculty of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University, Kyotanabe, Kyoto, 610-0394, Japan
| | - Takayuki Torisawa
- Cell Architecture Laboratory, Structural Biology Center, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka, 411-8540, Japan
| | - Yutaka Sumino
- Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Advanced Engineering, WaTUS and DCIS, Tokyo University of Science, Katsushika, Tokyo, 125-8585, Japan.
| | - Kanta Tsumoto
- Division of Chemistry for Materials, Graduate School of Engineering, Mie University, Tsu, Mie, 514-8507, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Oiwa
- Advanced ICT Research Institute, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Kobe, Hyogo, 651-2492, Japan.
- Department of Life Science, Graduate School of Science, University of Hyogo, Ako, Hyogo, 678-1297, Japan.
| | - Kenichi Yoshikawa
- Faculty of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University, Kyotanabe, Kyoto, 610-0394, Japan
- Center for Integrative Medicine and Physics, Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Yanagisawa M, Watanabe C, Yoshinaga N, Fujiwara K. Cell-Size Space Regulates the Behavior of Confined Polymers: From Nano- and Micromaterials Science to Biology. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:11811-11827. [PMID: 36125172 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c01397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Polymer micromaterials in a liquid or gel phase covered with a surfactant membrane are widely used materials in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and foods. In particular, cell-sized micromaterials of biopolymer solutions covered with a lipid membrane have been studied as artificial cells to understand cells from a physicochemical perspective. The characteristics and phase transitions of polymers confined to a microscopic space often differ from those in bulk systems. The effect that causes this difference is referred to as the cell-size space effect (CSE), but the specific physicochemical factors remain unclear. This study introduces the analysis of CSE on molecular diffusion, nanostructure transition, and phase separation and presents their main factors, i.e., short- and long-range interactions with the membrane surface and small volume (finite element nature). This serves as a guide for determining the dominant factors of CSE. Furthermore, we also introduce other factors of CSE such as spatial closure and the relationships among space size, the characteristic length of periodicity, the structure size, and many others produced by biomolecular assemblies through the analysis of protein reaction-diffusion systems and biochemical reactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miho Yanagisawa
- Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Chiho Watanabe
- School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Kagamiyama 1-7-1, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8521, Japan
| | - Natsuhiko Yoshinaga
- Mathematical Science Group, WPI Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR), Tohoku University, Katahira 2-1-1, Aoba-Ku, Sendai 9808577, Japan
- MathAM-OIL, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Kei Fujiwara
- Department of Biosciences & Informatics, Keio University, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Yoshikawa K. Quantitative evaluation of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) through single-molecule observation. Enzymes 2022; 51:7-27. [PMID: 36336410 DOI: 10.1016/bs.enz.2022.08.002] [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] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
By adapting the method of single molecular observation for individual DNAs, it will be shown that reliable analysis of double-strand breaks, DSBs, becomes possible for various kinds of damage sources. Single DNA above the size of several-tens kilo base-pairs exhibits the length scale above several μm, indicating that their whole conformation is visible with fluorescence microscopy by adding suitable fluoresce dye to the solution. Various examples of the quantitative evaluation on DSBs are described, together with the evaluation of the protective effects of anti-oxidants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kenichi Yoshikawa
- Faculty of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan; Center for Integrative Medicine and Physics, Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Masukawa M, Sato Y, Yu F, Tsumoto K, Yoshikawa K, Takinoue M. Water-in-water droplets selectively uptake self-assembled DNA nano/microstructures: a versatile method for purification in DNA nanotechnology. Chembiochem 2022; 23:e202200240. [PMID: 35686962 PMCID: PMC9544409 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202200240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
DNA is an excellent material for constructing self-assembled nano/microstructures. Owing to the widespread use of DNA as a building block in laboratories and industry, it is desirable to increase the efficiency of all steps involved in producing self-assembled DNA structures. One of the bottlenecks is the purification required to separate the excess components from the target structures. This paper describes a purification method based on the fractionation by water-in-water (W/W) droplets composed of phase-separated dextran-rich droplets in a polyethylene glycol (PEG)-rich continuous phase. The dextran-rich droplets facilitate the selective uptake of self-assembled DNA nano/microstructures and allow the separation of the target structure. This study investigates the ability to purify DNA origami, DNA hydrogels, and DNA microtubes. The W/W-droplet fractionation allows the purification of structures of a broad size spectrum without changes to the protocol. By quantifying the activity of deoxyribozyme-modified DNA origami after W/W-droplet purification, this study demonstrates that this method sufficiently preserves the accessibility to the surface of a functional DNA nanostructure. It is considered that the W/W-droplet fractionation could become one of the standard methods for the purification of self-assembled DNA nano/microstructures for biomedical and nanotechnology applications owing to its low cost and simplicity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Masukawa
- Tokyo Institute of Technology: Tokyo Kogyo Daigaku, Computer Science, JAPAN
| | - Yusuke Sato
- Kyushu Institute of Technology - Iizuka Campus: Kyushu Kogyo Daigaku - Iizuka Campus, Intelligent and Control Systems, JAPAN
| | - Fujio Yu
- Tokyo Institute of Technology: Tokyo Kogyo Daigaku, Computer Science, JAPAN
| | - Kanta Tsumoto
- Mie University: Mie Daigaku, Chemistry for Materials, JAPAN
| | - Kenichi Yoshikawa
- Kyoto University: Kyoto Daigaku, Center for Integrative Medicine and Physics, Institute for Advanced Study, JAPAN
| | - Masahiro Takinoue
- Tokyo Institute of Technology, Department of Computer Science, 4259-J2-36 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, 226-8502, Yokohama, JAPAN
| |
Collapse
|