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Motovilov KA, Mostert AB. Melanin: Nature's 4th bioorganic polymer. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:5635-5651. [PMID: 39012013 DOI: 10.1039/d4sm00491d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
The pigments known as the melanins are widely recognized for their responsibility in the coloration of human skin, eyes, hair, and minimising the harmful effects of solar ultraviolet radiation. But specialists are aware that the melanins are present in all living kingdoms, barring viruses, and have functionality that extends beyond neutralizing ionising radiation. The ubiquitous presence of melanin in almost all human organs, recognized in recent years, as well as the presence of melanin in organisms that are evolutionarily distant from each other, indicate the fundamental importance of this class of material for all life forms. In this review, we argue for the need to accept melanins as the fourth primordial class of biological polymers, along with nucleic acids, proteins and polysaccharides. We consistently compare the properties of these canonical biological polymers with the properties of melanin and highlight key features that fundamentally distinguish melanins, their function and its mysteries.
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Affiliation(s)
- K A Motovilov
- Center for Photonics and 2D Materials, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Institutsky Lane 9, Dolgoprudny 141701, Moscow Region, Russia.
| | - A B Mostert
- Department of Physics and Centre for Integrative Semiconductor Materials, Swansea University Bay Campus, Fabian Way, Swansea SA1 8EN, UK
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2
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Zhang S, Luo W, Zhao F, Huang L, Qin R, Yan X, Tang B, Luo X, Mai B, Yu Y, Zheng J. Melanin-mediated accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in human hair: Insights from biomonitoring and cell exposure studies. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 470:134112. [PMID: 38537572 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134112] [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: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
While human hair is widely used to monitor micro-organic contaminants (MOCs), their incorporation mechanisms are poorly understood. Melanin, known to facilitate the accumulation of drugs in hair, hasn't been studied in the field of MOCs. Here, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a class of priority MOCs, were investigated through hair biomonitoring as well as cell exposure experiments. PAH concentrations and melanin contents were measured in black and white hairs from the same individual. The results showed that five dominant PAHs (phenanthrene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene and chrysene) in black hair (0.66 ng/g - 35.1 ng/g) were significantly higher than those in white hair (0.52 ng/g - 29.6 ng/g). Melanin contents in black hair (14.9 - 48.9 ng/g) were markedly higher than in white hair (0.35 - 2.15 ng/g) and were correlated to PAH concentrations, hinting melanin-mediated accumulation of PAHs in hair. The in vitro experiment using murine melanoma cells demonstrates that PAH levels in cells were affected by melanin, suggesting the affinity of melanin to PAHs. Both biomonitoring and cell exposure experiment implicate the pivotal role of melanin in PAH accumulation in hair. Therefore, to ensure the accuracy of hair biomonitoring for MOCs, attention must be paid to the melanin content uniformity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyi Zhang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, Research Center of Emerging Contaminants, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, 510655, PR China
| | - Weikeng Luo
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, Research Center of Emerging Contaminants, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, 510655, PR China.
| | - Fang Zhao
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, Research Center of Emerging Contaminants, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, 510655, PR China; School of Environment, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Lulu Huang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, Research Center of Emerging Contaminants, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, 510655, PR China; School of Environment, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Ruixin Qin
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, Research Center of Emerging Contaminants, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, 510655, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Resources Utilization and Protection, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, PR China
| | - Xiao Yan
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, Research Center of Emerging Contaminants, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, 510655, PR China
| | - Bin Tang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, Research Center of Emerging Contaminants, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, 510655, PR China
| | - Xiaojun Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Resources Utilization and Protection, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, PR China; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Environmental Pollution and Control, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, PR China
| | - Bixian Mai
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Resources Utilization and Protection, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, PR China; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Environmental Pollution and Control, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, PR China
| | - Yunjiang Yu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, Research Center of Emerging Contaminants, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, 510655, PR China
| | - Jing Zheng
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, Research Center of Emerging Contaminants, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, 510655, PR China.
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3
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Cardia R, Dardenne N, Mula G, Pinna E, Rignanese GM, Charlier JC, Cappellini G. First-Principles Investigation of the Optical Properties of Eumelanin Protomolecules. J Phys Chem A 2023; 127:10797-10806. [PMID: 38109190 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.3c04898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Using first-principles calculations, we investigate the absorption spectra (in the near-infrared, visible, and first UV range) of the two most probable eumelanin tetrameric molecules exhibiting either a linear open-chain or a cyclic porphyrine-like configuration. In order to simulate a realistic molecular system, an implicit solvent model is used in our calculations to mimic the effect of the solvated environment around the eumelanin molecule. Although the presence of solvent is found not to significantly affect the absorption pattern of both molecules, the onset of the spectra are shifted toward higher energies, especially for the linear tetramer. Interestingly, the absorption spectra and optical onsets of the two molecules differ significantly both in a vacuum and in ethanol. However, the two predicted spectra do not allow us to definitely discriminate between the two configurations when comparing the theoretical predictions with the available experimental spectrum. In addition, a mix of the two eumelanin configurations (close to fifty-fifty) leads to a maximum overlap between theoretical and experimental spectra. Consequently, this theoretical research shows that deeper insight can be gained using beyond DFT techniques on the real form of eumelanin protomolecules present in living systems as well as on their possible use in hybrid solar cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Cardia
- Department of Physics, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria I-09042 Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Nicolas Dardenne
- Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanosciences, Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Guido Mula
- Department of Physics, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria I-09042 Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Elisa Pinna
- Department of Physics, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria I-09042 Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Gian-Marco Rignanese
- Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanosciences, Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- European Theoretical Spectroscopy Facility (ETSF)
| | - Jean-Christophe Charlier
- Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanosciences, Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- European Theoretical Spectroscopy Facility (ETSF)
| | - Giancarlo Cappellini
- Department of Physics, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria I-09042 Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
- European Theoretical Spectroscopy Facility (ETSF)
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Al-Shamery N, Benselfelt T, Lee PS. Melanin and Polypyrrole-Coated Nanocellulose Hydrogel Networks for Environmental Sensing and Energy Storage. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023. [PMID: 37205839 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c03337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Melanins are black-brown pigments of a specific class of poly indolequinones found in nature and in the human body. They are responsible for photoprotection, radical scavenging, and metal ion chelation. Recently, there has been significant interest in eumelanin as a functional material due to its macromolecular structure and the exploitation of the quinone-hydroquinone redox equilibrium. While eumelanin can be used in many promising applications, it is insoluble in most solvents, limiting its processing into homogeneous materials and coatings. A promising approach is to use a carrier system to stabilize eumelanin by incorporating cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs), a nanoscopic material that originates from plant biomass. In this work, a flexible network consisting of CNFs coupled with vapor-phase polymerized conductive polypyrrole (PPy) is utilized to form a functional eumelanin hydrogel composite (MelaGel) for environmental sensing and battery applications. Flexible sensors for detecting pH or metal ions made from MelaGel can detect both pH values in a range from 4 to 10 and metal ions like zinc(II), copper(II), and iron(III), paving the way for environmental and biomedical sensor applications. The reduced internal resistance in the MelaGel leads to improved charge storage ability compared to synthetic eumelanin composite electrodes. Other noteworthy advantages of the MelaGel are the amphiphilic nature of PPy and the additionally offered redox centers. Lastly, this material was tested in aqueous electrolyte zinc coin cells, where it was shown to have charge/discharge stability for over 1200 cycles, showcasing this MelaGel composite as a promising eumelanin-based composite hybrid sensor/energy storage material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah Al-Shamery
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798 Singapore, Singapore
| | - Tobias Benselfelt
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798 Singapore, Singapore
| | - Pooi See Lee
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798 Singapore, Singapore
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5
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Characterization of Spontaneous Melanization by Fluorescence Spectroscopy: A Basis for Analytical Application to Biological Substrates. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12030433. [PMID: 36979125 PMCID: PMC10044826 DOI: 10.3390/biology12030433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Melanin is present in various biological substrates where it may participate in several processes, from innate immunity to the still-unsolved opposite roles in antioxidant protection, including photoprotection and the related ability to interact with light. Melanin–light interaction has also been an important source of inspiration for the development of innovative bioengineering applications. These are based on melanin’s light-energy-absorption ability of its chemically and structurally complex components and precursors, and on the improvement in analytical and diagnostic procedures in biomedicine. In this regard, here, we characterized the fluorescence spectral properties of melanin and of its precursor L-tyrosine in an aqueous solution during spontaneous melanization. Besides the confirmation of the typical fluorescence-emission signature of melanin and L-tyrosine, we provide additional insights on both emission and excitation spectra recorded during melanization. On these bases, we performed a subsequent characterization on the aqueous extracts from two different melanin-containing biological substrates, namely hairs from a domestic black cat and eggs from the Asian tiger mosquito. The results from the mild extraction procedure, purposely applied to obtain only the soluble components, combined with fluorescence spectral analysis are expected to promote further investigation of the melanization processes, particularly in insects.
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Brash DE, Goncalves LCP. Chemiexcitation: Mammalian Photochemistry in the Dark †. Photochem Photobiol 2023; 99:251-276. [PMID: 36681894 PMCID: PMC10065968 DOI: 10.1111/php.13781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Light is one way to excite an electron in biology. Another is chemiexcitation, birthing a reaction product in an electronically excited state rather than exciting from the ground state. Chemiexcited molecules, as in bioluminescence, can release more energy than ATP. Excited states also allow bond rearrangements forbidden in ground states. Molecules with low-lying unoccupied orbitals, abundant in biology, are particularly susceptible. In mammals, chemiexcitation was discovered to transfer energy from excited melanin, neurotransmitters, or hormones to DNA, creating the lethal and carcinogenic cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer. That process was initiated by nitric oxide and superoxide, radicals triggered by ultraviolet light or inflammation. Several poorly understood chronic diseases share two properties: inflammation generates those radicals across the tissue, and cells that die are those containing melanin or neuromelanin. Chemiexcitation may therefore be a pathogenic event in noise- and drug-induced deafness, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's; it may prevent macular degeneration early in life but turn pathogenic later. Beneficial evolutionary selection for excitable biomolecules may thus have conferred an Achilles heel. This review of recent findings on chemiexcitation in mammalian cells also describes the underlying physics, biochemistry, and potential pathogenesis, with the goal of making this interdisciplinary phenomenon accessible to researchers within each field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas E. Brash
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520-8040, USA
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520-8028, USA
| | - Leticia C. P. Goncalves
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520-8040, USA
- Institut de Chimie de Nice CNRS UMR7272, Université Côte d’Azur, 28 Avenue Valrose 06108 Nice, France
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7
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García-Mayorga JC, Rosu HC, Jasso-Salcedo AB, Escobar-Barrios VA. Kinetic study of polydopamine sphere synthesis using TRIS: relationship between synthesis conditions and final properties. RSC Adv 2023; 13:5081-5095. [PMID: 36777934 PMCID: PMC9909370 DOI: 10.1039/d2ra06669f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The synthesis and characterization of polydopamine (PDA) using dopamine (DA) as the monomer and (hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (TRIS) as the oxidant is studied. The effect of temperature and TRIS concentration on the kinetics of dopamine polymerization is evaluated, and the kinetic parameters are also calculated. Three TRIS concentrations are used to assess their effect on DA polymerization kinetics. The reaction at 1.5 mmol of TRIS shows a sustained increase of the rate constant with temperature from 2.38 × 10-4 to 5.10 × 10-4 when the temperature is increased from 25 to 55 °C; however, not all reactions follow an Arrhenius law. In addition, the correlation between the synthesis parameters and morphological, structural, and thermal properties of polydopamine is established. The morphology of the PDA particles is evaluated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), the relationships between the diameter, distribution size, and the rate constant. Thermal characterization by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) shows an endothermic transition around 130 °C associated with the melting of PDA's regular structure. It is supported by structural studies, such as infrared and Raman spectroscopy and X-ray Diffraction (XRD), by observing a broad peak at 23.1° (2θ) that fits with a graphitic-like structure of PDA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos García-Mayorga
- Advanced Materials Department, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica A.C. Camino a la Presa San José, Lomas 4a Sección San Luis Potosí SLP 78216 Mexico
| | - Haret-Codratian Rosu
- Advanced Materials Department, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica A.C. Camino a la Presa San José, Lomas 4a Sección San Luis Potosí SLP 78216 Mexico
| | - Alma Berenice Jasso-Salcedo
- Departamento de Biociencias y Agrotecnología, Centro de Investigación en Química AplicadaBlvd. Enrique Reyna Hermosillo No. 140SaltilloCoahuila25294Mexico
| | - Vladimir Alonso Escobar-Barrios
- Advanced Materials Department, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica A.C. Camino a la Presa San José, Lomas 4a Sección San Luis Potosí SLP 78216 Mexico
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Structural Investigation of DHICA Eumelanin Using Density Functional Theory and Classical Molecular Dynamics Simulations. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27238417. [PMID: 36500509 PMCID: PMC9738096 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27238417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Eumelanin is an important pigment, for example, in skin, hair, eyes, and the inner ear. It is a highly heterogeneous polymer with 5,6-dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DHICA) and 5,6-dihydroxyindole (DHI) building blocks, of which DHICA is reported as the more abundant in natural eumelanin. The DHICA-eumelanin protomolecule consists of three building blocks, indole-2-carboxylic acid-5,6-quinone (ICAQ), DHICA and pyrrole-2,3,5-tricarboxylic acid (PTCA). Here, we focus on the self-assembly of DHICA-eumelanin using multi-microsecond molecular dynamics (MD) simulations at various concentrations in aqueous solutions. The molecule was first parameterized using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Three types of systems were studied: (1) uncharged DHICA-eumelanin, (2) charged DHICA-eumelanin corresponding to physiological pH, and (3) a binary mixture of both of the above protomolecules. In the case of uncharged DHICA-eumelanin, spontaneous aggregation occurred and water molecules were present inside the aggregates. In the systems corresponding to physiological pH, all the carboxyl groups are negatively charged and the DHICA-eumelanin model has a net charge of -4. The effect of K+ ions as counterions was investigated. The results show high probability of binding to the deprotonated oxygens of the carboxylate anions in the PTCA moiety. Furthermore, the K+ counterions increased the solubility of DHICA-eumelanin in its charged form. A possible explanation is that the charged protomolecules favor binding to the K+ ions rather than aggregating and binding to other protomolecules. The binary mixtures show aggregation of uncharged DHICA-eumelanins; unlike the charged systems with no aggregation, a few charged DHICA-eumelanins are present on the surface of the uncharged aggregation, binding to the K+ ions.
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Soltani S, Sowlati-Hashjin S, Tetsassi Feugmo CG, Karttunen M. Free Energy and Stacking of Eumelanin Nanoaggregates. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:1805-1818. [PMID: 35175060 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c07884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Eumelanin, a member of the melanin family, is a black-brown insoluble pigment. It possesses a broad range of properties such as antioxidation, free radical scavenging, photoprotection, and charge carrier transportation. Surprisingly, the exact molecular structure of eumelanin remains undefined. It is, however, generally considered to consist of two main building blocks, 5,6-dihydroxyindole (DHI) and 5,6- dihydroxyindole carboxylic acid (DHICA). We focus on DHI and report, for the first time, a computational investigation of the structural properties of DHI-eumelanin aggregates in aqueous solutions. First, multimicrosecond molecular dynamics (MD) simulations at different concentrations were performed to investigate the aggregation and ordering of tetrameric DHI-eumelanin protomolecules. This was followed by umbrella sampling (US) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations to study the physical mechanisms of stacking. Aggregation occurs through formation of nanoscale stacks and was observed in all systems. Further analyses showed that aggregation and coarsening of the domains is due to a decrease in hydrogen bonds between the eumelanins and water; while domains exist, there is no long-range order. The results show noncovalent stacks with the interlayer distance between eumelanin protomolecules being less than 3.5 Å. This is in good agreement with transmission electron microscopy data. Both free energy calculations and DFT revealed strong stacking interactions. The electrostatic potential map provides an explanation and a rationale for the slightly sheared relative orientations and, consequently, for the curved shapes of the nanoscale domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sepideh Soltani
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada.,The Centre of Advanced Materials and Biomaterials Research, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Shahin Sowlati-Hashjin
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Conrard Giresse Tetsassi Feugmo
- National Research Council Canada, Energy Mining and Environment, Mississauga, Ontario L5K 1B1, Canada.,Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Mikko Karttunen
- The Centre of Advanced Materials and Biomaterials Research, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario N6A 5B7, Canada.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada.,Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario N6A 5B7, Canada
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10
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Understanding the way eumelanin works: A unique example of properties and skills driven by molecular heterogeneity. POLYMER 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2021.123952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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11
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Darwish ER, Kalil H, Alqahtani W, Moalla SMN, Hosny NM, Amin AS, Martin HB, Bayachou M. Fast and Reliable Synthesis of Melanin Nanoparticles with Fine-Tuned Metal Adsorption Capacities for Studying Heavy Metal Ions Uptake. Nanotechnol Sci Appl 2021; 14:101-111. [PMID: 34079238 PMCID: PMC8163724 DOI: 10.2147/nsa.s296722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Adsorption and uptake of heavy metals by polymeric nanoparticles is driven by a variety of physicochemical processes. In this work, we examined heavy metal uptake by synthetic melanin nanoparticles and analyzed physicochemical properties that affect the extent of metal uptake by the nanoparticles. Methods Eumelanin nanoparticles were synthesized in a one-pot fast process from a 5,6-diacetoxy indole precursor that is hydrolyzed in situ into dihydroxy indole (DHI). The method allows the possibility of changing the level of sodium ions that ends up in the nanoparticles. Two variants of synthetic DHI–melanin (low-sodium and high sodium variants) were evaluated and demonstrated different relative adsorption efficiencies for heavy metal cations. Results and Discussion For the low-sodium DHI–melanin and in terms of percentages of metal ion removal, the relative order of extraction from 50 ppm solutions was Zn2+ > Cd2+ > Ni2+ > Co2+ > Cu2+ > Pb2+, with the extraction percentages ranging from 90% down to 76%, for a 30-minute adsorption time before equilibrium. The lower-sodium DHI–melanin consistently removed more Zn2+ than the higher-sodium variant. Electron microscopy (SEM) showed an increase in melanin particle size after metal ions uptake. In addition, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of DHI–melanin particles with depth profiling after Zn ions uptake supported particle swelling and ion transport within the particles. Conclusion These initial studies showed the potential of this straightforward synthesis to obtain synthetic DHI–melanin nanoparticles similar to those from biological sources with the possibility to fine-tune their metal adsorption capacity. These synthetic nanoparticles can be used either for the removal of a variety of metal ions or to mimic and study mechanisms of metal uptake by melanin deriving from biological sources, with the potential to understand, for instance, differential heavy metal uptake by various melanic pigments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eman R Darwish
- Department of Chemistry, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt
| | - Haitham Kalil
- Department of Chemistry, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
| | - Wafa Alqahtani
- Department of Chemistry, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Sayed M N Moalla
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt
| | - Nasser M Hosny
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt
| | - Alaa S Amin
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Benha University, Benha, Egypt
| | - Heidi B Martin
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Mekki Bayachou
- Department of Chemistry, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
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12
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Coy E, Iatsunskyi I, Colmenares JC, Kim Y, Mrówczyński R. Polydopamine Films with 2D-like Layered Structure and High Mechanical Resilience. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:23113-23120. [PMID: 33969981 PMCID: PMC8289185 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c02483] [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: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Highly oriented, layered, and mechanically resilient films of polydopamine (PDA) have been synthesized from the air/water interface. The films show a unique layered structure, as shown by scanning and transmission electron studies (SEM/TEM) and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), which resemble that of 2D layered materials. The films exhibit a composition typical of PDA-based materials, as evidenced by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS); moreover, the samples present the distinctive resonance modes of PDA-based nanomaterials in Raman and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) experiments. The presence of highly ordinated 3-4 protomolecule stacking, taking place at the air/water interface, with a unique eumelanin-like supramolecular arrangement is presented. Moreover, the films show superior mechanical resilience with E = 13 ± 4 GPa and H = 0.21 ± 0.03 GPa, as revealed by nanoindentation experiments, making them highly resilient and easily transferable. Finally, the ordering induced by the interface opens many possibilities for further studies, including those regarding the supramolecular structure on PDA due to their similarity to 2D layered materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emerson Coy
- NanoBioMedical
Centre, Adam Mickiewicz University, Wszechnicy Piastowskiej 3, 61-614 Poznan, Poland
| | - Igor Iatsunskyi
- NanoBioMedical
Centre, Adam Mickiewicz University, Wszechnicy Piastowskiej 3, 61-614 Poznan, Poland
| | - Juan Carlos Colmenares
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of
Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Yeonho Kim
- Research
Institute of Basic Sciences, Incheon National
University, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea
| | - Radosław Mrówczyński
- Faculty
of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, ul. Uniwersytet Poznańskiego
8, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
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13
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Sun K, Li S, Si Y, Huang Q. Advances in laccase-triggered anabolism for biotechnology applications. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2021; 41:969-993. [PMID: 33818232 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2021.1895053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
This is the first comprehensive overview of laccase-triggered anabolism from fundamental theory to biotechnology applications. Laccase is a typical biological oxidordeuctase that induces the one-electronic transfer of diverse substrates for engendering four phenoxy radicals with concomitant reduction of O2 into 2H2O. In vivo, laccase can participate in anabolic processes to create multifarious functional biopolymers such as fungal pigments, plant lignins, and insect cuticles, using mono/polyphenols and their derivatives as enzymatic substrates, and is thus conducive to biological tissue morphogenesis and global carbon storage. Exhilaratingly, fungal laccase has high redox potential (E° = 500-800 mV) and thermodynamic efficiency, making it a remarkable candidate for utilization as a versatile catalyst in the green and circular economy. This review elaborates the anabolic mechanisms of laccase in initiating the polymerization of natural phenolic compounds and their derivatives in vivo via radical-based self/cross-coupling. Information is also presented on laccase immobilization engineering that expands the practical application ranges of laccase in biotechnology by improving the enzymatic catalytic activity, stability, and reuse rate. Particularly, advances in biotechnology applications in vitro through fungal laccase-triggered macromolecular biosynthesis may provide a key research direction beneficial to the rational design of green chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Sun
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Farmland Ecological Conservation and Pollution Prevention, School of Resources and Environment, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Shunyao Li
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Youbin Si
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Farmland Ecological Conservation and Pollution Prevention, School of Resources and Environment, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Qingguo Huang
- College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, University of Georgia, Griffin, GA, USA
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14
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Chen YC, Kendall T, Yip P, Davy A, Sefcik J, Sutter JU. Influence of Ions and pH on the Formation of Solid- and Liquid-like Melanin. ACS OMEGA 2020; 5:25059-25068. [PMID: 33043184 PMCID: PMC7542583 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c01953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Melanin is a natural pigment with broadband absorption and effective ability to dissipate the energy absorbed. The macromolecular structure of melanin shows a delicate balance between short-range ordered and disordered structures without being a random aggregate. The presence of ions or the variation in pH or ionic strength can alter the self-assembly process which subsequently changes the structure of melanin. To understand these relationships, this study investigates the influence of ions and pH in melanin formation. The types of ions present and pH have a profound influence on the formation and structure of melanin particles, while only minor changes are observed in the absorption and excitation-emission analysis. In some conditions, the formation of discernible particles with significant refractive index contrast is avoided while retaining the spectroscopic characteristics of melanin, leading to liquid-like melanin. These findings identify potential pathways which can be used to manipulate the melanin macromolecular structure while providing the desired spectral properties to enable novel bio-engineering applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-chieh Chen
- Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Strathclyde, James Weir Building, 75 Montrose Street, Glasgow G1 1XJ, U.K.
| | - Thomas Kendall
- Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Strathclyde, James Weir Building, 75 Montrose Street, Glasgow G1 1XJ, U.K.
| | - Philip Yip
- Horiba IBH Ltd., 133 Finnieston Street, Glasgow G3 8HB, Scotland, U.K.
- Photophysics Group, Centre for Molecular Nanometrology, Department
of Physics, The Scottish Universities Physics Alliance, University of Strathclyde, John Anderson Building, 107 Rottenrow, Glasgow G4 0NG, U.K.
| | - Alastair Davy
- Photophysics Group, Centre for Molecular Nanometrology, Department
of Physics, The Scottish Universities Physics Alliance, University of Strathclyde, John Anderson Building, 107 Rottenrow, Glasgow G4 0NG, U.K.
| | - Jan Sefcik
- Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Strathclyde, James Weir Building, 75 Montrose Street, Glasgow G1 1XJ, U.K.
| | - Jens U. Sutter
- Photophysics Group, Centre for Molecular Nanometrology, Department
of Physics, The Scottish Universities Physics Alliance, University of Strathclyde, John Anderson Building, 107 Rottenrow, Glasgow G4 0NG, U.K.
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15
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Träg J, Duchstein P, Hennemann M, Clark T, Guldi DM, Zahn D. Size-Dependent Local Ordering in Melanin Aggregates and Its Implication on Optical Properties. J Phys Chem A 2019; 123:9403-9412. [PMID: 31600441 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.9b08722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
We present atomic scale models of differently sized eumelanin nanoaggregates from molecular dynamics simulations combined with a simulated annealing procedure. The analysis reveals the formation of secondary structures due to π-stacking on one hand, but on the other hand a broad distribution of stack geometries in terms of stack size, horizontal displacement angles, and relative torsion angles. The displacement angle distribution, which is a measure of the occurrence of zigzag and linear stacking motives, respectively, strongly depends on the aggregate size-and is hence controlled by the interplay of surface and bulk energy terms. Semiempirical spectra calculations of small stacks (up to five protomolecules) reveal a strong dependence on the precise stack structure and allow for a direct structure-property correlation. The observed spectral shifts result in an overall spectral broadening and, hence, further support the geometric disorder model, which complements the chemical disorder model in the interpretation of eumelanin's monotonically increasing broad-band absorption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Träg
- Lehrstuhl für Theoretische Chemie/Computer Chemie Centrum Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Nägelsbachstraße 25 , 91052 Erlangen , Germany.,Lehrstuhl für Physikalische Chemie 1 Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Egerlandstraße 3 , 91058 Erlangen , Germany
| | - Patrick Duchstein
- Lehrstuhl für Theoretische Chemie/Computer Chemie Centrum Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Nägelsbachstraße 25 , 91052 Erlangen , Germany
| | - Matthias Hennemann
- Lehrstuhl für Theoretische Chemie/Computer Chemie Centrum Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Nägelsbachstraße 25 , 91052 Erlangen , Germany
| | - Timothy Clark
- Lehrstuhl für Theoretische Chemie/Computer Chemie Centrum Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Nägelsbachstraße 25 , 91052 Erlangen , Germany
| | - Dirk M Guldi
- Lehrstuhl für Physikalische Chemie 1 Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Egerlandstraße 3 , 91058 Erlangen , Germany
| | - Dirk Zahn
- Lehrstuhl für Theoretische Chemie/Computer Chemie Centrum Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Nägelsbachstraße 25 , 91052 Erlangen , Germany
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16
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Tian Z, Hwang W, Kim YJ. Mechanistic understanding of monovalent cation transport in eumelanin pigments. J Mater Chem B 2019; 7:6355-6361. [PMID: 31465076 DOI: 10.1039/c9tb01211g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Recent research advances in charge-conducting materials have enabled the transformation of the naturally-occurring materials into crucial components in many technologies, including renewable energy storage devices or bioelectronics. Among various candidates, eumelanins are promising charge storage materials, exhibiting hybrid electronic ionic conductivity in a hydrated environment. The chemical and electrochemical properties of eumelanins are relatively well studied; however, the structure-property relationship is still elusive up to date. Herein, we reported the mesoscale structure of eumelanins and its impact on the charge transport. X-ray scattering suggests that eumelanin pigments exhibit the semi-crystalline structure with ordered d-spacings. These unique mesoscale structures further influence the charge transport mechanism with the cations of various sizes. Understanding the structures with consequent electrochemical properties suggest that eumelanins can further be tuned to serve as high-performance naturally-occurring charge storage materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Tian
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA.
| | - Wonseok Hwang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD 20740, USA
| | - Young Jo Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA.
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17
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Extensive stacking of DHI-like monomers as a model of out-of-plane complexity in eumelanin protomolecules: Chemical and structural sensitivity of optical absorption spectra. Chem Phys 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphys.2019.04.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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18
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Optimization of Bacillus licheniformis MAL tyrosinase: in vitro anticancer activity for brown and black eumelanin. Heliyon 2019; 5:e01657. [PMID: 31111112 PMCID: PMC6512574 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e01657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Revised: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The influence of tyrosinase in catalyzes/stimulates the eumelanin production was studied. Accordingly, bacterial sp. was isolated and identified as Bacillus licheniformis based on 16S rRNA. It could grow and gave monophenolase and diphenolase productivity in medium contained tyrosin and Cu2+ only. The tyrosinase enzymes were optimized by studying different environmental and nutritional factors. The maximum monophenolase and diphenolase productivity were obtained at 60 °C, pH9, Cu2+(0.01g), liver extract (1 g/L) and the oxygen level fixed at 20%. Also, the mannose as a carbon source increased the monophenolase production 6.2 times. For the first time, two types of eumelanin were extracted by hydrochloric acid treatment. The black and brown eumelanin weighed (0.1 g/100 mL and 0.7 g/100 mL respectively) and characterized by using FTIR and UV/Vis spectroscopy techniques. Their morphological structure and its elemental composition were characterized by SEM and EDAX respectively. The black melanin showed promising anticancer activity towards HEPG-2 and HCT-116 cell lines with IC50 values (6.15, 5.54 μg) compared to Doxorubicin (4.05, 4.45 μg) respectively.
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19
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Sandiford L, Holmes AM, Mangion SE, Mohammed YH, Zvyagin AV, Roberts MS. Optical Characterization of Zinc Pyrithione. Photochem Photobiol 2019; 95:1142-1150. [DOI: 10.1111/php.13100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Sandiford
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences University of South Australia and Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research Adelaide SA Australia
| | - Amy M. Holmes
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences University of South Australia and Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research Adelaide SA Australia
| | - Sean E. Mangion
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences University of South Australia and Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research Adelaide SA Australia
| | - Yousuf H. Mohammed
- Therapeutics Research Centre Diamantina Institute Translational Research Institute University of Queensland Brisbane Qld Australia
| | - Andrei V. Zvyagin
- Department of Physics and Astronomy ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics Macquarie University Sydney NSW Australia
- Institute of Molecular Medicine Sechenov University Moscow Russia
| | - Michael S. Roberts
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences University of South Australia and Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research Adelaide SA Australia
- Therapeutics Research Centre Diamantina Institute Translational Research Institute University of Queensland Brisbane Qld Australia
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20
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Chatterjee S, Prados-Rosales R, Tan S, Phan VC, Chrissian C, Itin B, Wang H, Khajo A, Magliozzo RS, Casadevall A, Stark RE. The melanization road more traveled by: Precursor substrate effects on melanin synthesis in cell-free and fungal cell systems. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:20157-20168. [PMID: 30385508 PMCID: PMC6311522 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.005791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural brown-black eumelanin pigments confer structural coloration in animals and potently block ionizing radiation and antifungal drugs. These functions also make them attractive for bioinspired materials design, including coating materials for drug-delivery vehicles, strengthening agents for adhesive hydrogel materials, and free-radical scavengers for soil remediation. Nonetheless, the molecular determinants of the melanin "developmental road traveled" and the resulting architectural features have remained uncertain because of the insoluble, heterogeneous, and amorphous characteristics of these complex polymeric assemblies. Here, we used 2D solid-state NMR, EPR, and dynamic nuclear polarization spectroscopic techniques, assisted in some instances by the use of isotopically enriched precursors, to address several open questions regarding the molecular structures and associated functions of eumelanin. Our findings uncovered: 1) that the identity of the available catecholamine precursor alters the structure of melanin pigments produced either in Cryptococcus neoformans fungal cells or under cell-free conditions; 2) that the identity of the available precursor alters the scaffold organization and membrane lipid content of melanized fungal cells; 3) that the fungal cells are melanized preferentially by an l-DOPA precursor; and 4) that the macromolecular carbon- and nitrogen-based architecture of cell-free and fungal eumelanins includes indole, pyrrole, indolequinone, and open-chain building blocks that develop depending on reaction time. In conclusion, the availability of catecholamine precursors plays an important role in eumelanin development by affecting the efficacy of pigment formation, the melanin molecular structure, and its underlying scaffold in fungal systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhasish Chatterjee
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The City College of New York and CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, New York, New York 10031,.
| | - Rafael Prados-Rosales
- the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, New York 10461,; CIC bioGUNE, Derio, Vizcaya 48160, Spain
| | - Sindy Tan
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The City College of New York and CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, New York, New York 10031
| | - Van Chanh Phan
- the Department of Natural Sciences, CUNY Hostos Community College, Bronx, New York 10451
| | - Christine Chrissian
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The City College of New York and CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, New York, New York 10031,; the City University of New York, Ph.D. Program in Biochemistry, New York, New York 10036
| | - Boris Itin
- the New York Structural Biology Center, New York, New York 10027
| | - Hsin Wang
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The City College of New York and CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, New York, New York 10031
| | - Abdelahad Khajo
- the Department of Chemistry, CUNY Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, New York 11210,; the City University of New York, Ph.D. Program in Chemistry, New York, New York 10036, and
| | - Richard S Magliozzo
- the City University of New York, Ph.D. Program in Biochemistry, New York, New York 10036,; the Department of Chemistry, CUNY Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, New York 11210,; the City University of New York, Ph.D. Program in Chemistry, New York, New York 10036, and
| | - Arturo Casadevall
- the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Ruth E Stark
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The City College of New York and CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, New York, New York 10031,; the City University of New York, Ph.D. Program in Biochemistry, New York, New York 10036,; the City University of New York, Ph.D. Program in Chemistry, New York, New York 10036, and
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21
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Collins W, Rouleau N, Bonzanni M, Kapner K, Jeremiah A, Du C, Pothos EN, Kaplan DL. Functional Effects of a Neuromelanin Analogue on Dopaminergic Neurons in 3D Cell Culture. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2018; 5:308-317. [PMID: 33405867 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.8b00976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) is a discrete region of the brain that exhibits a dark pigment, neuromelanin (NM), a biomaterial with unique properties and the subject of ongoing research pertaining to neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson's disease (PD). Obtaining human tissue to isolate this pigment is costly and labor intensive, making it necessary to find alternatives to model the biochemical interaction of NM and its implications on PD. To address this limitation, we modified our established silk 3D brain tissue model to emulate key characteristics of the SNpc by using a structural analogue of NM to examine the effects of the material on dopaminergic neurons using Lund's human mesencephalon (LUHMES) cells. We utilized a sepia-melanin, squid ink, derived NM analogue (NM-sim) to chelate ferric iron, and this iron-neuromelanin precipitate (Fe-NM) was purified and characterized. We then exposed LUHMES dopaminergic cells to the NM-sim, Fe-NM-sim, and control vehicle within 3D silk protein scaffolds. The presence of both NM-sim and Fe-NM-sim in the scaffolds negatively impacted spontaneous electrical activity from the LUMES networks, as evidenced by changes in local field potential (LFP) electrophysiological recordings. Furthermore, the Fe-NM-sim precipitate generated peroxides, depleted nutrients/antioxidants, and increased protein oxidation by carbonylation in sustained (>2 weeks) 3D cultures, thereby contributing to cell dysfunction. The results suggest that this 3D tissue engineered brain-like model may provide useful readouts related to PD neuro-toxicology research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Will Collins
- Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Nicolas Rouleau
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States.,Tufts Allen Discovery Center, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Mattia Bonzanni
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States.,Tufts Allen Discovery Center, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Kevin Kapner
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Alex Jeremiah
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Chuang Du
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Emmanuel N Pothos
- Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, United States
| | - David L Kaplan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States.,Tufts Allen Discovery Center, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
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22
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Panzella L, Ebato A, Napolitano A, Koike K. The Late Stages of Melanogenesis: Exploring the Chemical Facets and the Application Opportunities. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E1753. [PMID: 29899264 PMCID: PMC6032422 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19061753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Revised: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last decade, the late stages of melanin biosynthesis involving the oxidative polymerization of 5,6-dihydroxyindole (DHI) and 5,6-dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DHICA) have been extensively investigated. Most of the information derived from a biomimetic approach in which the oxidation of melanogenic indoles was carried out under conditions mimicking those occurring in the biological environment. Characterization of the early oligomers allowed for drawing a structural picture of DHI and DHICA melanins, providing also an interpretative basis for the different properties exhibited by these pigments, e.g., the chromophore and the antioxidant ability. The improved knowledge has opened new perspectives toward the exploitation of the unique chemistry of melanins and its precursors in cosmetic and health care applications. A noticeable example is the development of an innovative hair dyeing system that is based on the marked ease of DHI to give rise to black melanin on air oxidation under slightly alkaline conditions. The advantage of this method for a step-wise coverage of gray hair with a natural shade pigmentation on repeated treatment with a DHI-based formulation with respect to traditional dyes is presented. A variant of DHICA melanin combining solubility in water-miscible organic solvents, an intense chromophore in the UltraViolet-A UV-A region, and a marked antioxidant potency was evaluated as an ingredient for cosmetic formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Panzella
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", I-80126 Naples, Italy.
| | - Atsuko Ebato
- Hair Care Products Research Laboratories, Kao Corporation, Tokyo 131-8501, Japan.
| | - Alessandra Napolitano
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", I-80126 Naples, Italy.
| | - Kenzo Koike
- Hair Care Products Research Laboratories, Kao Corporation, Tokyo 131-8501, Japan.
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23
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Hiroto S. Innovative Synthesis and Functions of Curved π-Conjugated Molecules. BULLETIN OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY OF JAPAN 2018. [DOI: 10.1246/bcsj.20170435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Satoru Hiroto
- Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8603, Japan
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24
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Alfieri ML, Micillo R, Panzella L, Crescenzi O, Oscurato SL, Maddalena P, Napolitano A, Ball V, d'Ischia M. Structural Basis of Polydopamine Film Formation: Probing 5,6-Dihydroxyindole-Based Eumelanin Type Units and the Porphyrin Issue. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2018; 10:7670-7680. [PMID: 28937213 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b09662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The role of 5,6-dihydroxyindole (DHI)-based oligomers, including porphyrin-like tetramers, in polydopamine (PDA) film formation was addressed by a comparative structural investigation against model polymers from DHI and its 2,7'-dimer. MALDI-MS data showed that (a) PDA is structurally different from DHI melanin and does not contain species compatible with DHI-based oligomers as primary building blocks; (b) PDA films and precipitate display a single main peak at m/ z 402 in common; (c) no species matching the range of m/ z values expected for cyclic porphyrin-type tetramers was detected in DHI melanin produced in the presence or in the absence of folic acid (FA) as templating agent, nor by oxidation of the 2,7'-dimer of DHI as putative precursor. 15N NMR resonances and Raman spectra predicted by extensive DFT calculations on porphyrin-type structures at various oxidation levels did not match spectral data for PDA or DHI melanin. Notably, unlike PDA, which gave structurally homogeneous films on quartz on atomic force microscopy (AFM) and micro-Raman spectroscopy, DHI melanin did not form any adhesive deposit after as long as 24 h. It is concluded that PDA film deposition involves structural components unrelated to DHI-based oligomers or porphyrin-type tetramers, which, on mechanism-based analysis, may arise by quinone-amine conjugation leading to polycyclic systems with extensive chain breakdown.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Vincent Ball
- Université de Strasbourg , Faculté de Chirurgie Dentaire , 8 rue Sainte Elisabeth , 67000 Strasbourg , France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale , Unité Mixte de Recherche 1121, 11 rue Humann , 67085 Strasbourg Cedex , France
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25
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Mondal S, Thampi A, Puranik M. Kinetics of Melanin Polymerization during Enzymatic and Nonenzymatic Oxidation. J Phys Chem B 2018; 122:2047-2063. [PMID: 29364665 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.7b07941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Melanin is an abundant biopigment in the animal kingdom, but its structure remains poorly understood. This is a substantial impediment to understanding the mechanistic origin of its observed functions. Proposed models of melanin structure include aggregates of both linear and macrocyclic units and noncovalently held monomers. Both models are broadly in agreement with current experimental data. To constrain the structural and kinetic models of melanin, experimental data of high resolution with chemical specificity accompanied by atomistic modeling are required. We have addressed this by obtaining electronic absorption, infrared, and ultraviolet resonance Raman (RR) spectra of melanin at several wavelengths of excitation that are sensitive to small changes in structure. From these experiments, we observed kinetics of the formation of different species en route to melanin polymerization. Exclusive chemical signatures of monomer 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (dopa), intermediate dopachrome (DC), and early-time polymer are established through their vibrational bands at 1292, 1670, and 1616 cm-1 respectively. Direct evidence of reduced heterogeneity of melanin oligomers in tyrosinase-induced formation is provided from experimental measurements of vibrational bandwidths. Models made with density functional theory show that the linear homopolymeric structures of 5,6-dihydroxyindole can account for experimentally observed wavenumbers and broad bandwidth in Raman spectra of dopa-melanin. We capture resonance Raman (RR) signature of DC, the intermediate stabilized by the enzyme tyrosinase, for the first time in an enzyme-assisted melanization reaction using 488 nm excitation wavelength and propose that this wavelength can be used to probe reaction intermediates of melanin formation in solution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayan Mondal
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research , Pune 411008, India
| | - Arya Thampi
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research , Pune 411008, India
| | - Mrinalini Puranik
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research , Pune 411008, India
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26
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Yip P, Sutter JU. Tracking the formation of eumelanin from L-Dopa using coupled measurements. Methods Appl Fluoresc 2018; 6:027001. [PMID: 29087363 DOI: 10.1088/2050-6120/aa9724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Melanin plays a crucial role as a pigment all through the animal kingdom. Being a macromolecule just on the divide between an ordered crystalline or a purely amorphous form melanin has proven a challenge to structure-function analysis. Melanin assembles from small molecules much like a jigsaw and much like in a jigsaw the fine detail quickly vanishes in the overall picture. With melanin being first and foremost a photo-active molecule we focus on spectral properties for the characterisation of its structure. We use absorption measurements to illustrate the complex nature of the formation process. To gain a better hold on the formation pathway we use coupled measurements of excitation and emission to identify 'areas of interest' in the excitation-emission matrix (EEM). We then probe one area for characteristic fluorescence lifetimes to track one melanin building block through the formation process. Comparison of the EEMs of L-Dopa derived melanin with natural Sepia melanin shows characteristic differences. We show how the presence of copper ions creates a melanin closer to its natural form.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Yip
- Horiba IBH Ltd 133 Finnieston Street, Glasgow G3 8HB, Scotland, United Kingdom. Photophysics Group, Department of Physics, John Anderson Building, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG, Scotland, United Kingdom
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27
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Chen CT, Buehler MJ. Polydopamine and eumelanin models in various oxidation states. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2018; 20:28135-28143. [DOI: 10.1039/c8cp05037f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The most stable molecular structures of PDA and eumelanin are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Teh Chen
- Laboratory for Atomistic and Molecular Mechanics (LAMM)
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Cambridge
- USA
| | - Markus J. Buehler
- Laboratory for Atomistic and Molecular Mechanics (LAMM)
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Cambridge
- USA
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28
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Crescenzi O, D'Ischia M, Napolitano A. Kaxiras's Porphyrin: DFT Modeling of Redox-Tuned Optical and Electronic Properties in a Theoretically Designed Catechol-Based Bioinspired Platform. Biomimetics (Basel) 2017; 2:biomimetics2040021. [PMID: 31105182 PMCID: PMC6352670 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics2040021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2017] [Revised: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A detailed computational investigation of the 5,6-dihydroxyindole (DHI)-based porphyrin-type tetramer first described by Kaxiras as a theoretical structural model for eumelanin biopolymers is reported herein, with a view to predicting the technological potential of this unique bioinspired tetracatechol system. All possible tautomers/conformers, as well as alternative protonation states, were explored for the species at various degrees of oxidation and all structures were geometry optimized at the density functional theory (DFT) level. Comparison of energy levels for each oxidized species indicated a marked instability of most oxidation states except the six-electron level, and an unexpected resilience to disproportionation of the one-electron oxidation free radical species. Changes in the highest energy occupied molecular orbital (HOMO)–lowest energy unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) gaps with oxidation state and tautomerism were determined along with the main electronic transitions: more or less intense absorption in the visible region is predicted for most oxidized species. Data indicated that the peculiar symmetry of the oxygenation pattern pertaining to the four catechol/quinone/quinone methide moieties, in concert with the NH centers, fine-tunes the optical and electronic properties of the porphyrin system. For several oxidation levels, conjugated systems extending over two or more indole units play a major role in determining the preferred tautomeric state: thus, the highest stability of the six-electron oxidation state reflects porphyrin-type aromaticity. These results provide new clues for the design of innovative bioinspired optoelectronic materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orlando Crescenzi
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, I-80126 Naples, Italy.
| | - Marco D'Ischia
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, I-80126 Naples, Italy.
| | - Alessandra Napolitano
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, I-80126 Naples, Italy.
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29
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Datar A, Hazra A. Pathways for Excited-State Nonradiative Decay of 5,6-Dihydroxyindole, a Building Block of Eumelanin. J Phys Chem A 2017; 121:2790-2797. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.7b01110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Avdhoot Datar
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411008, Maharashtra, India
| | - Anirban Hazra
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411008, Maharashtra, India
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30
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Bonavolontà C, Lisio CD, d'Ischia M, Maddalena P, Manini P, Pezzella A, Valentino M. Anomalous evolution of broadband optical absorption reveals dynamic solid state reorganization during eumelanin build-up in thin films. Sci Rep 2017; 7:522. [PMID: 28364123 PMCID: PMC5428701 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-00597-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2016] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The origin of eumelanin optical properties remains a formidable conundrum preventing a detailed understanding of the complex photo-protective role of these widespread natural pigments and the rational design of innovative bioinspired materials for optoelectronic applications. Here we report the unusual kinetic and thickness-dependent evolution of the optical properties of black eumelanin polymers generated by spontaneous aerial polymerization of 5,6-dihydroxyindole (DHI) thin films (0.1-1 μm), consistent with peculiar solid state reorganization mechanisms governing broadband absorption. The complete reversal of eumelanin UV-visible transmittance spectrum curvature on passing from 0.2 to 0.5 μm thick films, the marked increase in visible extinction coefficients with increasing film thickness and the higher UV extinction coefficients in slowly vs. rapidly generated polymers concur to support distinct dynamic regimes of solid-state molecular reorganization at the nanoscale level and to do affect the development of broadband visible absorption. Solid state control of molecular reorganization disclosed herein may delineate new rational strategies for tuning optical properties in eumelanin thin films for optoelectronic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmela Bonavolontà
- Department of Physics "E. Pancini", University of Naples "Federico II", Via Cintia, I-80126, Napoli, Italy.
- INFN, Sezione di Napoli, Via Cintia, 80126, Napoli, Italy.
| | - Corrado de Lisio
- Department of Physics "E. Pancini", University of Naples "Federico II", Via Cintia, I-80126, Napoli, Italy
- CNR-SPIN U.O.S. di Napoli, Via Cintia, 80126, Napoli, Italy
| | - Marco d'Ischia
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Cintia 4, I-80126, Napoli, Italy
| | - Pasqualino Maddalena
- Department of Physics "E. Pancini", University of Naples "Federico II", Via Cintia, I-80126, Napoli, Italy
| | - Paola Manini
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Cintia 4, I-80126, Napoli, Italy
| | - Alessandro Pezzella
- INFN, Sezione di Napoli, Via Cintia, 80126, Napoli, Italy.
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Cintia 4, I-80126, Napoli, Italy.
- Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials (IPCB), CNR, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078, Pozzuoli (Na), Italy.
| | - Massimo Valentino
- INFN, Sezione di Napoli, Via Cintia, 80126, Napoli, Italy
- CNR-SPIN U.O.S. di Napoli, Via Cintia, 80126, Napoli, Italy
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31
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Li H, Aulin YV, Frazer L, Borguet E, Kakodkar R, Feser J, Chen Y, An K, Dikin DA, Ren F. Structure Evolution and Thermoelectric Properties of Carbonized Polydopamine Thin Films. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2017; 9:6655-6660. [PMID: 28192655 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.6b15601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Carbonization of nature-inspired polydopamine can yield thin films with high electrical conductivity. Understanding of the structure of carbonized PDA (cPDA) is therefore highly desired. In this study, neutron diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and other techniques indicate that cPDA samples are mainly amorphous with some short-range ordering and graphite-like structure that emerges with increasing heat treatment temperature. The electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient show different trends with heat treatment temperature, while the thermal conductivity remains insensitive. The largest room-temperature ZT of 2 × 10-4 was obtained on samples heat-treated at 800 °C, which is higher than that of reduced graphene oxide.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Rohit Kakodkar
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Delaware , Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
| | - Joseph Feser
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Delaware , Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
| | - Yan Chen
- Chemical and Engineering Materials Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory , Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Ke An
- Chemical and Engineering Materials Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory , Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
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32
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Chen CT, Martin-Martinez FJ, Jung GS, Buehler MJ. Polydopamine and eumelanin molecular structures investigated with ab initio calculations. Chem Sci 2017; 8:1631-1641. [PMID: 28451292 PMCID: PMC5364519 DOI: 10.1039/c6sc04692d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2016] [Accepted: 10/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
A set of computational methods that contains a brute-force algorithmic generation of chemical isomers, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations is reported and applied to investigate nearly 3000 probable molecular structures of polydopamine (PDA) and eumelanin. All probable early-polymerized 5,6-dihydroxyindole (DHI) oligomers, ranging from dimers to tetramers, have been systematically analyzed to find the most stable geometry connections as well as to propose a set of molecular models that represents the chemically diverse nature of PDA and eumelanin. Our results indicate that more planar oligomers have a tendency to be more stable. This finding is in good agreement with recent experimental observations, which suggested that PDA and eumelanin are composed of nearly planar oligomers that appear to be stacked together via π-π interactions to form graphite-like layered aggregates. We also show that there is a group of tetramers notably more stable than the others, implying that even though there is an inherent chemical diversity in PDA and eumelanin, the molecular structures of the majority of the species are quite repetitive. Our results also suggest that larger oligomers are less likely to form. This observation is also consistent with experimental measurements, supporting the existence of small oligomers instead of large polymers as main components of PDA and eumelanin. In summary, this work brings an insight into the controversial structure of PDA and eumelanin, explaining some of the most important structural features, and providing a set of molecular models for more accurate modeling of eumelanin-like materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Teh Chen
- Laboratory for Atomistic and Molecular Mechanics (LAMM) , Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering , Massachusetts Institute of Technology , 77 Massachusetts Ave. , Cambridge , Massachusetts 02139 , USA .
| | - Francisco J Martin-Martinez
- Laboratory for Atomistic and Molecular Mechanics (LAMM) , Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering , Massachusetts Institute of Technology , 77 Massachusetts Ave. , Cambridge , Massachusetts 02139 , USA .
| | - Gang Seob Jung
- Laboratory for Atomistic and Molecular Mechanics (LAMM) , Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering , Massachusetts Institute of Technology , 77 Massachusetts Ave. , Cambridge , Massachusetts 02139 , USA .
| | - Markus J Buehler
- Laboratory for Atomistic and Molecular Mechanics (LAMM) , Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering , Massachusetts Institute of Technology , 77 Massachusetts Ave. , Cambridge , Massachusetts 02139 , USA .
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33
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Thompson A, Robles FE, Wilson JW, Deb S, Calderbank R, Warren WS. Dual-wavelength pump-probe microscopy analysis of melanin composition. Sci Rep 2016; 6:36871. [PMID: 27833147 PMCID: PMC5104978 DOI: 10.1038/srep36871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2016] [Accepted: 10/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Pump-probe microscopy is an emerging technique that provides detailed chemical information of absorbers with sub-micrometer spatial resolution. Recent work has shown that the pump-probe signals from melanin in human skin cancers correlate well with clinical concern, but it has been difficult to infer the molecular origins of these differences. Here we develop a mathematical framework to describe the pump-probe dynamics of melanin in human pigmented tissue samples, which treats the ensemble of individual chromophores that make up melanin as Gaussian absorbers with bandwidth related via Frenkel excitons. Thus, observed signals result from an interplay between the spectral bandwidths of the individual underlying chromophores and spectral proximity of the pump and probe wavelengths. The model is tested using a dual-wavelength pump-probe approach and a novel signal processing method based on gnomonic projections. Results show signals can be described by a single linear transition path with different rates of progress for different individual pump-probe wavelength pairs. Moreover, the combined dual-wavelength data shows a nonlinear transition that supports our mathematical framework and the excitonic model to describe the optical properties of melanin. The novel gnomonic projection analysis can also be an attractive generic tool for analyzing mixing paths in biomolecular and analytical chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Thompson
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | | | - Jesse W. Wilson
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Sanghamitra Deb
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Robert Calderbank
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Warren S. Warren
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Physics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
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34
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Marchetti B, Karsili TNV. Theoretical insights into the photo-protective mechanisms of natural biological sunscreens: building blocks of eumelanin and pheomelanin. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2016; 18:3644-58. [PMID: 26753793 DOI: 10.1039/c5cp06767g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Eumelanin (EM) and pheomelanin (PM) are ubiquitous in mammalian skin and hair--protecting against harmful radiation from the sun. Their primary roles are to absorb solar radiation and efficiently dissipate the excess excited state energy in the form of heat without detriment to the polymeric structure. EU and PM exist as polymeric chains consisting of exotic arrangements of functionalised heteroaromatic molecules. Here we have used state-of-the-art electronic structure calculations and on-the-fly surface hopping molecular dynamics simulations to study the intrinsic deactivation paths of various building blocks of EU and PM. Ultrafast excited state decay, via electron-driven proton transfer (in EU and PM) and proton-transfer coupled ring-opening (in PM) reactions, have been identified to proceed along hitherto unknown charge-separated states in EU and PM oligomers. These results shed light on the possible relaxation pathways that dominate the photochemistry of natural skin melanins. Extrapolation of such findings could provide a gateway into engineering more effective molecular constituents in commercial sunscreens--with reduced phototoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tolga N V Karsili
- Department of Chemistry, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstr. 4, D85747 Garching, Germany.
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35
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Assis Oliveira LB, L. Fonseca T, Costa Cabral BJ, Coutinho K, Canuto S. Hydration effects on the electronic properties of eumelanin building blocks. J Chem Phys 2016; 145:084501. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4961147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Bruno Assis Oliveira
- Instituto de Física da Universidade Federal de Goiás, 74690-900 Goiânia, GO, Brazil
- Departamento de Física - CEPAE, Universidade Federal de Goiás, 74690-900 Goiânia, GO, Brazil
- Escola de Ciências Exatas e da Computação, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Goiás, 74605-010 Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Tertius L. Fonseca
- Instituto de Física da Universidade Federal de Goiás, 74690-900 Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Benedito J. Costa Cabral
- Grupo de Física Matemática da Universidade de Lisboa and Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Kaline Coutinho
- Instituto de Física da Universidade de São Paulo, CP 66318, 05314-970 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Sylvio Canuto
- Instituto de Física da Universidade de São Paulo, CP 66318, 05314-970 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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36
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Ju KY, Kang J, Chang JH, Lee JK. Clue to Understanding the Janus Behavior of Eumelanin: Investigating the Relationship between Hierarchical Assembly Structure of Eumelanin and Its Photophysical Properties. Biomacromolecules 2016; 17:2860-72. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.6b00686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kuk-Youn Ju
- Department
of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-747, Korea
| | - Jeeun Kang
- Department
of Electronics Engineering and Sogang Institute of Advanced Technology, Sogang University, Seoul, 121-742, Korea
| | - Jin Ho Chang
- Department
of Electronics Engineering and Sogang Institute of Advanced Technology, Sogang University, Seoul, 121-742, Korea
| | - Jin-Kyu Lee
- Department
of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-747, Korea
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37
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Jin Z, Fan H. The modulation of melanin-like materials: methods, characterization and applications. POLYM INT 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/pi.5187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoxia Jin
- Department of Chemistry; Renmin University of China; Beijing 100872 People's Republic of China
| | - Hailong Fan
- Department of Chemistry; Renmin University of China; Beijing 100872 People's Republic of China
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38
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d'Ischia M, Wakamatsu K, Cicoira F, Di Mauro E, Garcia-Borron JC, Commo S, Galván I, Ghanem G, Kenzo K, Meredith P, Pezzella A, Santato C, Sarna T, Simon JD, Zecca L, Zucca FA, Napolitano A, Ito S. Melanins and melanogenesis: from pigment cells to human health and technological applications. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2016; 28:520-44. [PMID: 26176788 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.12393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 279] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2015] [Accepted: 06/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
During the past decade, melanins and melanogenesis have attracted growing interest for a broad range of biomedical and technological applications. The burst of polydopamine-based multifunctional coatings in materials science is just one example, and the list may be expanded to include melanin thin films for organic electronics and bioelectronics, drug delivery systems, functional nanoparticles and biointerfaces, sunscreens, environmental remediation devices. Despite considerable advances, applied research on melanins and melanogenesis is still far from being mature. A closer intersectoral interaction between research centers is essential to raise the interests and increase the awareness of the biomedical, biomaterials science and hi-tech sectors of the manifold opportunities offered by pigment cells and related metabolic pathways. Starting from a survey of biological roles and functions, the present review aims at providing an interdisciplinary perspective of melanin pigments and related pathway with a view to showing how it is possible to translate current knowledge about physical and chemical properties and control mechanisms into new bioinspired solutions for biomedical, dermocosmetic, and technological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco d'Ischia
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Kazumasa Wakamatsu
- Department of Chemistry, Fujita Health University School of Health Sciences, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
| | - Fabio Cicoira
- Department of Chemical Engineering, École Polytechnique de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Eduardo Di Mauro
- Department of Engineering Physics, École Polytechnique de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Stephane Commo
- L'Oréal Recherche & Innovation, Aulnay sous Bois, France
| | - Ismael Galván
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Estación Biológica de Doñana - CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Ghanem Ghanem
- LOCE, Institut J. Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Koike Kenzo
- Development Research - Hair Care Products, KAO Corporation, Sumida, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Paul Meredith
- Centre for Organic Photonics and Electronics, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Alessandro Pezzella
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Clara Santato
- Department of Engineering Physics, École Polytechnique de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Tadeusz Sarna
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - John D Simon
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Luigi Zecca
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies - National Research Council of Italy, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabio A Zucca
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies - National Research Council of Italy, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Shosuke Ito
- Department of Chemistry, Fujita Health University School of Health Sciences, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
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39
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Igic B, D'Alba L, Shawkey MD. Manakins can produce iridescent and bright feather colours without melanosomes. J Exp Biol 2016; 219:1851-9. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.137182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2016] [Accepted: 03/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Males of many species often use colourful and conspicuous ornaments to attract females. Among these, male manakins (family: Pipridae) provide classic examples of sexual selection favouring the evolution of bright and colourful plumage coloration. The highly iridescent feather colours of birds are most commonly produced by the periodic arrangement of melanin-containing organelles (melanosomes) within barbules. Melanin increases the saturation of iridescent colours seen from optimal viewing angles by absorbing back-scattered light; however, this may reduce the wide-angle brightness of these signals, contributing to a dark background appearance. We examined the nanostructure of four manakin species (Lepidothrix isidorei, L. iris, L. nattereri and L. coeruleocapilla) to identify how they produce their bright plumage colours. Feather barbs of all four species were characterized by dense and fibrous internal spongy matrices that likely increase scattering of light within the barb. The iridescent, yet pale or whitish colours of L. iris and L. nattereri feathers were produced not by periodically arranged melanosomes within barbules, but by periodic matrices of air and β-keratin within barbs. Lepidothrix iris crown feathers were able to produce a dazzling display of colours with small shifts in viewing geometry, likely because of a periodic nanostructure, a flattened barb morphology and disorder at a microstructural level. We hypothesize that iridescent plumage ornaments of male L. iris and L. nattereri are under selection to increase brightness or luminance across wide viewing angles, which may potentially increase their detectability by females during dynamic and fast-paced courtship displays in dim light environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Branislav Igic
- Department of Biology, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA
| | - Liliana D'Alba
- Department of Biology, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA
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40
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Solano F. Photoprotectionversusphotodamage: updating an old but still unsolved controversy about melanin. POLYM INT 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/pi.5117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- F Solano
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology B and Research Group for Molecular Control of Cell Proliferation, School of Medicine and IMIB; University of Murcia; 30100 Murcia Spain
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41
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Banala S, Wurst K, Kräutler B. Panchromatic π-Extended Porphyrins from Conjugation with Quinones. Chempluschem 2016; 81:477-488. [PMID: 31968777 DOI: 10.1002/cplu.201600115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Typical porphyrins are coloured compounds due to their characteristic wavelength-selective visible light absorptions. An exceptional "blackened" ZnII -porphyrin was recently obtained from fusing the β,β'-positions of the porphyrin core with four quinone units. Here, studies with metal-free and NiII -containing analogues are reported. These quinone-fused porphyrins were prepared from the corresponding β,β'-tetrasulfolenoporphyrins via thermally generated porphyrindienes, which were trapped by [4+2] cycloaddition as benzoquinone cycloadducts, which were subsequently oxidised. By using this strategy, metal-free and NiII -containing porphyrins with one, two, three or four conjugated naphthoquinone moieties were prepared efficiently. The presence of the π-conjugated naphthoquinone moieties changed the porphyrin chromophores profoundly, giving broadly absorbing "blackened" pigments. The influence of coordinated NiII ions, or of the absence of a metal ion in the modified porphyrin core, on their structural and spectroscopic properties was explored. Blackened quinone-conjugated porphyrins might be pigments suitable for solar energy conversion. With their unique peripheral functional groups they are also a set of porphyrins "programmed" for further covalent extension. Thus, they are building blocks for the preparation of supra-porphyrinoid assemblies that might be useful in optoelectronics and in the nanosciences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srinivas Banala
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.,Institutes of Organic Chemistry and Experimental Molecular Imaging, RWTH University Aachen, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Klaus Wurst
- Institute of General, Inorganic and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Bernhard Kräutler
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
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Tuna D, Udvarhelyi A, Sobolewski AL, Domcke W, Domratcheva T. Onset of the Electronic Absorption Spectra of Isolated and π-Stacked Oligomers of 5,6-Dihydroxyindole: An Ab Initio Study of the Building Blocks of Eumelanin. J Phys Chem B 2016; 120:3493-502. [PMID: 27005558 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.6b01793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Eumelanin is a naturally occurring skin pigment which is responsible for developing a suntan. The complex structure of eumelanin consists of π-stacked oligomers of various indole derivatives, such as the monomeric building block 5,6-dihydroxyindole (DHI). In this work, we present an ab initio wave-function study of the absorption behavior of DHI oligomers and of doubly and triply π-stacked species of these oligomers. We have simulated the onset of the electronic absorption spectra by employing the MP2 and the linear-response CC2 methods. Our results demonstrate the effect of an increasing degree of oligomerization of DHI and of an increasing degree of π-stacking of DHI oligomers on the onset of the absorption spectra and on the degree of red-shift toward the visible region of the spectrum. We find that π-stacking of DHI and its oligomers substantially red-shifts the onset of the absorption spectra. Our results also suggest that the optical properties of biological eumelanin cannot be simulated by considering the DHI building blocks alone, but instead the building blocks indole-semiquinone and indole-quinone have to be considered as well. This study contributes to advancing the understanding of the complex photophysics of the eumelanin biopolymer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deniz Tuna
- Department of Chemistry, Technische Universität München , 85747 Garching, Germany
| | - Anikó Udvarhelyi
- Department of Biomolecular Mechanisms, Max-Planck-Institut für Medizinische Forschung , 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Wolfgang Domcke
- Department of Chemistry, Technische Universität München , 85747 Garching, Germany
| | - Tatiana Domratcheva
- Department of Biomolecular Mechanisms, Max-Planck-Institut für Medizinische Forschung , 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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43
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Kim YJ, Khetan A, Wu W, Chun SE, Viswanathan V, Whitacre JF, Bettinger CJ. Evidence of Porphyrin-Like Structures in Natural Melanin Pigments Using Electrochemical Fingerprinting. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2016; 28:3173-3180. [PMID: 26924536 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201504650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2015] [Revised: 01/13/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Eumelanins are extended heterogeneous biopolymers composed of molecular subunits with ambiguous macromolecular topology. Here, an electrochemical fingerprinting technique is described, which suggests that natural eumelanin pigments contain indole-based tetramers that are arranged into porphyrin-like domains. Spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations suggest that sodium ions undergo occupancy-dependent stepwise insertion into the core of porphyrin-like tetramers in natural eumelanins at discrete potentials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Jo Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Abhishek Khetan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Institute for Combustion Technology, RWTH, Aachen, 52062, Germany
| | - Wei Wu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Sang-Eun Chun
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | | | - Jay F Whitacre
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Christopher J Bettinger
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine, 450 Technology Drive, Suite 300, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, USA
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44
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Schroeder R, Pendleton P, Gerber J. Physical factors affecting chloroquine binding to melanin. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2015; 134:8-16. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2015.06.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2015] [Revised: 06/16/2015] [Accepted: 06/17/2015] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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45
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Fan H, Yu X, Liu Y, Shi Z, Liu H, Nie Z, Wu D, Jin Z. Folic acid-polydopamine nanofibers show enhanced ordered-stacking via π-π interactions. SOFT MATTER 2015; 11:4621-4629. [PMID: 25959650 DOI: 10.1039/c5sm00732a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Recent research has indicated that polydopamine and synthetic eumelanins are optoelectronic biomaterials in which one-dimensional aggregates composed of ordered-stacking oligomers have been proposed as unique organic semiconductors. However, improving the ordered-stacking of oligomers in polydopamine nanostructures is a big challenge. Herein, we first demonstrate how folic acid molecules influence the morphology and nanostructure of polydopamine via tuning the π-π interactions of oligomers. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry reveals that porphyrin-like tetramers are characteristic of folic acid-polydopamine (FA-PDA) nanofibers. X-ray diffraction combined with simulation studies indicate that these oligomers favour aggregation into graphite-like ordered nanostructures via strong π-π interactions. High-resolution TEM characterization of carbonized FA-PDA hybrids show that in FA-PDA nanofibers the size of the graphite-like domains is over 100 nm. The addition of folic acid in polydopamine enhances the ordered stacking of oligomers in its nanostructure. Our study steps forward to discover the mystery of the structure-property relationship of FA-PDA hybrids. It paves a way to optimize the properties of PDA through the design and selection of oligomer structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailong Fan
- Department of Chemistry, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, P. R. China.
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46
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Chatterjee S, Prados-Rosales R, Tan S, Itin B, Casadevall A, Stark RE. Demonstration of a common indole-based aromatic core in natural and synthetic eumelanins by solid-state NMR. Org Biomol Chem 2015; 12:6730-6. [PMID: 25047903 DOI: 10.1039/c4ob01066c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Despite the essential functions of melanin pigments in diverse organisms and their roles in inspiring designed nanomaterials for electron transport and drug delivery, the structural frameworks of the natural materials and their biomimetic analogs remain poorly understood. To overcome the investigative challenges posed by these insoluble heterogeneous pigments, we have used l-tyrosine or dopamine enriched with stable (13)C and (15)N isotopes to label eumelanins metabolically in cell-free and Cryptococcus neoformans cell systems and to define their molecular structures and supramolecular architectures. Using high-field two-dimensional solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), our study directly evaluates the assumption of structural commonality between synthetic melanin models and the corresponding natural pigments, demonstrating a common indole-based aromatic core in the products from contrasting synthetic protocols for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhasish Chatterjee
- Department of Chemistry, City College of New York, Graduate Center and Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, City University of New York, MR-1208B, 160 Convent Avenue, New York, NY 10031-9101, USA.
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47
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Chatterjee S, Prados-Rosales R, Itin B, Casadevall A, Stark RE. Solid-state NMR Reveals the Carbon-based Molecular Architecture of Cryptococcus neoformans Fungal Eumelanins in the Cell Wall. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:13779-90. [PMID: 25825492 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.618389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Melanin pigments protect against both ionizing radiation and free radicals and have potential soil remediation capabilities. Eumelanins produced by pathogenic Cryptococcus neoformans fungi are virulence factors that render the fungal cells resistant to host defenses and certain antifungal drugs. Because of their insoluble and amorphous characteristics, neither the pigment bonding framework nor the cellular interactions underlying melanization of C. neoformans have yielded to comprehensive molecular-scale investigation. This study used the C. neoformans requirement of exogenous obligatory catecholamine precursors for melanization to produce isotopically enriched pigment "ghosts" and applied 2D (13)C-(13)C correlation solid-state NMR to reveal the carbon-based architecture of intact natural eumelanin assemblies in fungal cells. We demonstrated that the aliphatic moieties of solid C. neoformans melanin ghosts include cell-wall components derived from polysaccharides and/or chitin that are associated proximally with lipid membrane constituents. Prior to development of the mature aromatic fungal pigment, these aliphatic moieties form a chemically resistant framework that could serve as the scaffold for melanin synthesis. The indole-based core aromatic moieties show interconnections that are consistent with proposed melanin structures consisting of stacked planar assemblies, which are associated spatially with the aliphatic scaffold. The pyrrole aromatic carbons of the pigments bind covalently to the aliphatic framework via glycoside or glyceride functional groups. These findings establish that the structure of the pigment assembly changes with time and provide the first biophysical information on the mechanism by which melanin is assembled in the fungal cell wall, offering vital insights that can advance the design of bioinspired conductive nanomaterials and novel therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhasish Chatterjee
- From the Department of Chemistry, City College of New York, Graduate Center and Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, City University of New York, New York, New York 10031-9101
| | - Rafael Prados-Rosales
- the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, New York 10461, and
| | - Boris Itin
- the New York Structural Biology Center, New York, New York 10027
| | - Arturo Casadevall
- the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, New York 10461, and
| | - Ruth E Stark
- From the Department of Chemistry, City College of New York, Graduate Center and Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, City University of New York, New York, New York 10031-9101,
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48
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Using Sepia melanin as a PD model to describe the binding characteristics of neuromelanin – A critical review. J Chem Neuroanat 2015; 64-65:20-32. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2015.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2014] [Revised: 02/03/2015] [Accepted: 02/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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49
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Prampolini G, Cacelli I, Ferretti A. Intermolecular interactions in eumelanins: a computational bottom-up approach. I. small building blocks. RSC Adv 2015. [DOI: 10.1039/c5ra03773e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Building eumelanin: from basic units to spectral properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Prampolini
- Istituto di Chimica dei Composti OrganoMetallici (ICCOM-CNR)
- Area della Ricerca
- I-56124 Pisa
- Italy
| | - Ivo Cacelli
- Istituto di Chimica dei Composti OrganoMetallici (ICCOM-CNR)
- Area della Ricerca
- I-56124 Pisa
- Italy
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale
| | - Alessandro Ferretti
- Istituto di Chimica dei Composti OrganoMetallici (ICCOM-CNR)
- Area della Ricerca
- I-56124 Pisa
- Italy
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50
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d’Ischia M, Napolitano A, Ball V, Chen CT, Buehler MJ. Polydopamine and eumelanin: from structure-property relationships to a unified tailoring strategy. Acc Chem Res 2014; 47:3541-50. [PMID: 25340503 DOI: 10.1021/ar500273y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 375] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
CONSPECTUS: Polydopamine (PDA), a black insoluble biopolymer produced by autoxidation of the catecholamine neurotransmitter dopamine (DA), and synthetic eumelanin polymers modeled to the black functional pigments of human skin, hair, and eyes have burst into the scene of materials science as versatile bioinspired functional systems for a very broad range of applications. PDA is characterized by extraordinary adhesion properties providing efficient and universal surface coating for diverse settings that include drug delivery, microfluidic systems, and water-treatment devices. Synthetic eumelanins from dopa or 5,6-dihydroxyindoles are the focus of increasing interest as UV-absorbing agents, antioxidants, free radical scavengers, and water-dependent hybrid electronic-ionic semiconductors. Because of their peculiar physicochemical properties, eumelanins and PDA hold considerable promise in nanomedicine and bioelectronics, as they are biocompatible, biodegradable, and exhibit suitable mechanical properties for integration with biological tissues. Despite considerable similarities, very few attempts have so far been made to provide an integrated unifying perspective of these two fields of technology-oriented chemical research, and progress toward application has been based more on empirical approaches than on a solid conceptual framework of structure-property relationships. The present Account is an attempt to fill this gap. Following a vis-à-vis of PDA and eumelanin chemistries, it provides an overall view of the various levels of chemical disorder in both systems and draws simple correlations with physicochemical properties based on experimental and computational approaches. The potential of large-scale simulations to capture the macroproperties of eumelanin-like materials and their hierarchical structures, to predict the physicochemical properties of new melanin-inspired materials, to understand the structure-property-function relationships of these materials from the bottom up, and to design and optimize materials to achieve desired properties is illustrated. The impact of synthetic conditions on melanin structure and physicochemical properties is systematically discussed for the first time. Rational tailoring strategies directed to critical control points of the synthetic pathways, such as dopaquinone, DAquinone, and dopachrome, are then proposed, with a view to translating basic chemical knowledge into practical guidelines for material manipulation and tailoring. This key concept is exemplified by the recent demonstration that varying DA concentration, or using Tris instead of phosphate as the buffer, results in PDA materials with quite different structural properties. Realizing that PDA and synthetic eumelanins belong to the same family of functional materials may foster unprecedented synergisms between research fields that have so far been apart in the pursuit of tailorable and marketable materials for energy, biomedical, and environmental applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco d’Ischia
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia
4, I-80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Alessandra Napolitano
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia
4, I-80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Vincent Ball
- Faculty of
Dental Surgery, University of Strasbourg, 8 rue Sainte Elizabeth Strasbourg, FR 67070 Strasbourg, France
- Institut National
de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Unité
Mixte de Recherche 1121 11 rue Humann, 67085 Strasbourg Cedex, France
| | - Chun-Teh Chen
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Markus J. Buehler
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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