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Ferreira J, Domínguez-Arca V, Carneiro J, Prieto G, Taboada P, Moreira de Campos J. Classical and Nonclassical Nucleation Mechanisms of Insulin Crystals. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:23364-23376. [PMID: 38854527 PMCID: PMC11154923 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c10052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Although the Classical Nucleation Theory (CNT) is the most consensual theory to explain protein nucleation mechanisms, experimental observations during the shear-induced assays suggest that the CNT does not always describe the insulin nucleation process. This is the case at intermediate precipitant (ZnCl2) solution concentrations (2.3 mM) and high-temperature values (20 and 40 °C) as well as at low precipitant solution concentrations (1.6 mM) and low-temperature values (5 °C). In this work, crystallization events following the CNT registered at high precipitant solution concentrations (3.1 and 4.7 mM) are typically described by a Newtonian response. On the other hand, crystallization events following a nonclassical nucleation pathway seem to involve the formation of a metastable intermediate state before crystal formation and are described by a transition from Newtonian to shear-thinning responses. A dominant shear-thinning behavior (shear viscosity values ranging more than 6 orders of magnitude) is found during aggregation/agglomeration events. The rheological analysis is complemented with different characterization techniques (Dynamic Light Scattering, Energy-Dispersive Spectroscopy, Circular Dichroism, and Differential Scanning Calorimetry) to understand the insulin behavior in solution, especially during the occurrence of aggregation/agglomeration events. To the best of our knowledge, the current work is the first study describing nonclassical nucleation mechanisms during shear-induced crystallization experiments, which reveals the potential of the interdisciplinary approach herein described and opens a window for a clear understanding of protein nucleation mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Ferreira
- CEFT—Transport
Phenomena Research Center, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty
of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE—Associate
Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Vicente Domínguez-Arca
- Grupo
de Física de Coloides y Polímeros, Departamento de Física
de Partículas, Facultad de Física e Instituto de Materiales
(iMATUS) e Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias (IDIS), Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago
de Compostela, Spain
- Grupo
de Biosistemas e Inginería de Bioprocesos, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas (IIM-CSIC), Rúa Eduardo Cabello 6, 36208 Vigo, Spain
| | - João Carneiro
- CEFT—Transport
Phenomena Research Center, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty
of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE—Associate
Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Gerardo Prieto
- Grupo
de Física de Coloides y Polímeros, Departamento de Física
de Partículas, Facultad de Física e Instituto de Materiales
(iMATUS) e Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias (IDIS), Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago
de Compostela, Spain
| | - Pablo Taboada
- Grupo
de Física de Coloides y Polímeros, Departamento de Física
de Partículas, Facultad de Física e Instituto de Materiales
(iMATUS) e Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias (IDIS), Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago
de Compostela, Spain
| | - João Moreira de Campos
- CEFT—Transport
Phenomena Research Center, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty
of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE—Associate
Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
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