1
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Gupta MN, Uversky VN. Biological importance of arginine: A comprehensive review of the roles in structure, disorder, and functionality of peptides and proteins. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 257:128646. [PMID: 38061507 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.128646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Arginine shows Jekyll and Hyde behavior in several respects. It participates in protein folding via ionic and H-bonds and cation-pi interactions; the charge and hydrophobicity of its side chain make it a disorder-promoting amino acid. Its methylation in histones; RNA binding proteins; chaperones regulates several cellular processes. The arginine-centric modifications are important in oncogenesis and as biomarkers in several cardiovascular diseases. The cross-links involving arginine in collagen and cornea are involved in pathogenesis of tissues but have also been useful in tissue engineering and wound-dressing materials. Arginine is a part of active site of several enzymes such as GTPases, peroxidases, and sulfotransferases. Its metabolic importance is obvious as it is involved in production of urea, NO, ornithine and citrulline. It can form unusual functional structures such as molecular tweezers in vitro and sprockets which engage DNA chains as part of histones in vivo. It has been used in design of cell-penetrating peptides as drugs. Arginine has been used as an excipient in both solid and injectable drug formulations; its role in suppressing opalescence due to liquid-liquid phase separation is particularly very promising. It has been known as a suppressor of protein aggregation during protein refolding. It has proved its usefulness in protein bioseparation processes like ion-exchange, hydrophobic and affinity chromatographies. Arginine is an amino acid, whose importance in biological sciences and biotechnology continues to grow in diverse ways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Munishwar Nath Gupta
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Vladimir N Uversky
- Department of Molecular Medicine, USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
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2
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Lin Z, Li D, Zheng J, Yao C, Liu D, Zhang H, Feng H, Chen C, Li P, Zhang Y, Jiang B, Hu Z, Zhao Y, Shi F, Cao D, Rodriguez-Wallberg KA, Li Z, Yeung WSB, Chow LT, Wang H, Liu K. The male pachynema-specific protein MAPS drives phase separation in vitro and regulates sex body formation and chromatin behaviors in vivo. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113651. [PMID: 38175751 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Dynamic chromosome remodeling and nuclear compartmentalization take place during mammalian meiotic prophase I. We report here that the crucial roles of male pachynema-specific protein (MAPS) in pachynema progression might be mediated by its liquid-liquid phase separation in vitro and in cellulo. MAPS forms distinguishable liquid phases, and deletion or mutations of its N-terminal amino acids (aa) 2-9 disrupt its secondary structure and charge properties, impeding phase separation. Maps-/- pachytene spermatocytes exhibit defects in nucleus compartmentalization, including defects in forming sex bodies, altered nucleosome composition, and disordered chromatin accessibility. MapsΔ2-9/Δ2-9 male mice expressing MAPS protein lacking aa 2-9 phenocopy Maps-/- mice. Moreover, a frameshift mutation in C3orf62, the human counterpart of Maps, is correlated with nonobstructive azoospermia in a patient exhibiting pachynema arrest in spermatocyte development. Hence, the phase separation property of MAPS seems essential for pachynema progression in mouse and human spermatocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zexiong Lin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Dongliang Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jiahuan Zheng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chencheng Yao
- Department of Andrology, Center for Men's Health, Department of ART, Institute of Urology, Urologic Medical Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Dongteng Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Haiwei Feng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chunxu Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Care, Massey Cancer Institute, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Peng Li
- Department of Andrology, Center for Men's Health, Department of ART, Institute of Urology, Urologic Medical Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Yuxiang Zhang
- Department of Andrology, Center for Men's Health, Department of ART, Institute of Urology, Urologic Medical Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Binjie Jiang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Zhe Hu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yu Zhao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Fu Shi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Dandan Cao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Zheng Li
- Department of Andrology, Center for Men's Health, Department of ART, Institute of Urology, Urologic Medical Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - William S B Yeung
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Louise T Chow
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
| | - Hengbin Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Care, Massey Cancer Institute, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
| | - Kui Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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3
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Liu X, Cheng X, Sun Y, Nie J, Cheng M, Li W, Zhao J. Peptide/glycyrrhizic acid supramolecular polymer: An emerging medical adhesive for dural sealing and repairing. Biomaterials 2023; 301:122239. [PMID: 37451001 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2023.122239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Medical adhesives have emerged as potential materials for sealing, hemostasis and wound repairing in modern clinical surgery. However, most of existing medical adhesives are still far away from the clinical requirements for simultaneously meeting desirable tissue adhesion, safety, biodegradability, anti-swelling property, and convenient operability. Here, we present an entirely new kind of peptide-based underwater adhesives, which are constructed via cross-linked supramolecular copolymerization between cationic short peptides and glycyrrhizic acid (GA) in an aqueous solution. We revealed the unique molecular mechanism of the peptide/GA supramolecular polymers and underlined the importance of arginine residues in the enhancement of the bulk cohesion of the peptide/GA adhesive. We thus concluded a design guideline that the peptide sequence has to be encoded with multiple arginine termini and hydrophobic residues. The resulting adhesives exhibited effective tissue adhesion, robust cohesion, low cell cytotoxicity, acceptable hemocompatibility, inappreciable inflammation response, appropriate biodegradability, and excellent anti-swelling property. More attractively, the dried peptide/GA powder was able to rapidly self-gel into adhesives by absorbing water, suggesting conveniently clinical operability. Animal experiments showed that the peptide/GA supramolecular polymers could be utilized as reliable medical adhesives for dural sealing and repairing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Qianjin Avenue 2699, Changchun, 130012, China
| | - Xueliang Cheng
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, 218 Ziqiang Street, Nanguan District, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130014, China
| | - Yingchuan Sun
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, 218 Ziqiang Street, Nanguan District, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130014, China
| | - Junlian Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Qianjin Avenue 2699, Changchun, 130012, China
| | - Meng Cheng
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, 218 Ziqiang Street, Nanguan District, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130014, China
| | - Wen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Qianjin Avenue 2699, Changchun, 130012, China.
| | - Jianwu Zhao
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, 218 Ziqiang Street, Nanguan District, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130014, China.
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4
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A mini-review on bio-inspired polymer self-assembly: single-component and interactive polymer systems. Emerg Top Life Sci 2022; 6:593-607. [PMID: 36254846 DOI: 10.1042/etls20220057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Biology demonstrates meticulous ways to control biomaterials self-assemble into ordered and disordered structures to carry out necessary bioprocesses. Empowering the synthetic polymers to self-assemble like biomaterials is a hallmark of polymer physics studies. Unlike protein engineering, polymer science demystifies self-assembly by purposely embedding particular functional groups into the backbone of the polymer while isolating others. The polymer field has now entered an era of advancing materials design by mimicking nature to a very large extend. For example, we can make sequence-specific polymers to study highly ordered mesostructures similar to studying proteins, and use charged polymers to study liquid-liquid phase separation as in membraneless organelles. This mini-review summarizes recent advances in studying self-assembly using bio-inspired strategies on single-component and multi-component systems. Sequence-defined techniques are used to make on-demand hybrid materials to isolate the effects of chirality and chemistry in synthetic block copolymer self-assembly. In the meantime, sequence patterning leads to more hierarchical assemblies comprised of only hydrophobic and hydrophilic comonomers. The second half of the review discusses complex coacervates formed as a result of the associative charge interactions of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes. The tunable phase behavior and viscoelasticity are unique in studying liquid macrophase separation because the slow polymer relaxation comes primarily from charge interactions. Studies of bio-inspired polymer self-assembly significantly impact how we optimize user-defined materials on a molecular level.
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Hong Y, Najafi S, Casey T, Shea JE, Han SI, Hwang DS. Hydrophobicity of arginine leads to reentrant liquid-liquid phase separation behaviors of arginine-rich proteins. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7326. [PMID: 36443315 PMCID: PMC9705477 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35001-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Intrinsically disordered proteins rich in cationic amino acid groups can undergo Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation (LLPS) in the presence of charge-balancing anionic counterparts. Arginine and Lysine are the two most prevalent cationic amino acids in proteins that undergo LLPS, with arginine-rich proteins observed to undergo LLPS more readily than lysine-rich proteins, a feature commonly attributed to arginine's ability to form stronger cation-π interactions with aromatic groups. Here, we show that arginine's ability to promote LLPS is independent of the presence of aromatic partners, and that arginine-rich peptides, but not lysine-rich peptides, display re-entrant phase behavior at high salt concentrations. We further demonstrate that the hydrophobicity of arginine is the determining factor giving rise to the reentrant phase behavior and tunable viscoelastic properties of the dense LLPS phase. Controlling arginine-induced reentrant LLPS behavior using temperature and salt concentration opens avenues for the bioengineering of stress-triggered biological phenomena and drug delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuri Hong
- School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea
- Division of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Saeed Najafi
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Thomas Casey
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Joan-Emma Shea
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
| | - Song-I Han
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
| | - Dong Soo Hwang
- School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea.
- Division of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea.
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6
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Li W, Whitcomb KL, Warncke K. Confinement dependence of protein-associated solvent dynamics around different classes of proteins, from the EPR spin probe perspective. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:23919-23928. [PMID: 36165617 PMCID: PMC10371532 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp03047k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Protein function is modulated by coupled solvent fluctuations, subject to the degree of confinement from the surroundings. To identify universal features of the external confinement effect, the temperature dependence of the dynamics of protein-associated solvent over 200-265 K for proteins representative of different classes and sizes is characterized by using the rotational correlation time (detection bandwidth, 10-10-10-7 s) of the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR, X-band) spin probe, TEMPOL, which is restricted to regions vicinal to protein in frozen aqueous solution. Weak (protein surrounded by aqueous-dimethylsulfoxide cryosolvent mesodomain) and strong (no added crysolvent) conditions of ice boundary confinement are imposed. The panel of soluble proteins represents large and small oligomeric (ethanolamine ammonia-lyase, 488 kDa; streptavidin, 52.8 kDa) and monomeric (myoglobin, 16.7 kDa) globular proteins, an intrinsically disordered protein (IDP, β-casein, 24.0 kDa), an unstructured peptide (protamine, 4.38 kDa) and a small peptide with partial backbone order (amyloid-β residues 1-16, 1.96 kDa). Expanded and condensate structures of β-casein and protamine are resolved by the spin probe under weak and strong confinement, respectively. At each confinement condition, the soluble globular proteins display common T-dependences of rotational correlation times and normalized weights, for two mobility components, protein-associated domain, PAD, and surrounding mesodomain. Strong confinement induces a detectable PAD component and emulation of globular protein T-dependence by the amyloid-β peptide. Confinement uniformly impacts soluble globular protein PAD dynamics, and is therefore a generic control parameter for modulation of soluble globular protein function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Li
- Department of Physics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, 30322.
| | | | - Kurt Warncke
- Department of Physics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, 30322.
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7
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Parolini F, Tira R, Barracchia CG, Munari F, Capaldi S, D'Onofrio M, Assfalg M. Ubiquitination of Alzheimer's-related tau protein affects liquid-liquid phase separation in a site- and cofactor-dependent manner. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 201:173-181. [PMID: 35016968 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.12.191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 12/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The formation of biomolecular condensates has emerged as a crucial player both in neuronal physiology and neurodegeneration. Phase separation of the Alzheimer's related protein tau into liquid condensates is facilitated by polyanions and is regulated by post-translational modifications. Given the central role of ubiquitination in proteostasis regulation and signaling, we investigated the behavior of monoubiquitinated tau during formation of condensates. We ubiquitinated the lysine-rich, four-repeat domain of tau either unspecifically via enzymatic conjugation or in a position-specific manner by semisynthesis. Ubiquitin conjugation at specific sites weakened multivalent tau/RNA interactions and disfavored tau/heparin condensation. Yet, heterogeneous ubiquitination was tolerated during phase separation and stabilized droplets against aggregation-linked dissolution. Thus, we demonstrated that cofactor chemistry and site of modification affect the mesoscopic and molecular signatures of ubiquitinated tau condensates. Our findings suggest that ubiquitination could influence the physiological states and pathological transformations of tau in cellular condensates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Roberto Tira
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | | | - Francesca Munari
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Stefano Capaldi
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | | | - Michael Assfalg
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy.
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Pir Cakmak F, Marianelli AM, Keating CD. Phospholipid Membrane Formation Templated by Coacervate Droplets. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2021; 37:10366-10375. [PMID: 34398617 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c01562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
We report the formation of coacervate-supported phospholipid membranes by hydrating a dried lipid film in the presence of coacervate droplets. Coacervate-supported membranes were characterized by fluorescence imaging, polarization, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching of labeled lipids, lipid quenching experiments, and solute uptake experiments. Our findings are consistent with the presence of lipid membranes around the coacervates, with many droplets fully coated by what appear to be continuous lipid bilayers. In contrast to traditional giant lipid vesicles formed by gentle hydration in the absence of coacervates, the coacervate-templated membrane vesicles are more uniform in size, shape, and apparent lamellarity. Due to their fully coacervate model cytoplasm, these simple artificial cells are macromolecularly crowded and can be easily pre-loaded with high concentrations of proteins or nucleic acids. Within the same population, in addition to coacervate droplets having intact lipid membrane coatings, other coacervate droplets are coated with membranes having defects or pores that permit solute entry, and some are coated with multilayered membranes. Membranes surrounding protein-based coacervate droplets provided protection from a protease added to the external solution. The simplicity of producing artificial cells having a coacervate model cytoplasm surrounded by a model membrane is at the same time interesting as a potential mechanism for prebiotic protocell formation and appealing for biotechnology. We anticipate that such structures could serve as a new type of model system for understanding interactions between intracellular phases and cell or organelle membranes, which are implicated in a growing number of processes ranging from neurotransmission to signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatma Pir Cakmak
- Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Allyson M Marianelli
- Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Christine D Keating
- Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
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9
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Flemming P, Münch AS, Fery A, Uhlmann P. Constrained thermoresponsive polymers - new insights into fundamentals and applications. Beilstein J Org Chem 2021; 17:2123-2163. [PMID: 34476018 PMCID: PMC8381851 DOI: 10.3762/bjoc.17.138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last decades, numerous stimuli-responsive polymers have been developed and investigated regarding their switching properties. In particular, thermoresponsive polymers, which form a miscibility gap with the ambient solvent with a lower or upper critical demixing point depending on the temperature, have been intensively studied in solution. For the application of such polymers in novel sensors, drug delivery systems or as multifunctional coatings, they typically have to be transferred into specific arrangements, such as micelles, polymer films or grafted nanoparticles. However, it turns out that the thermodynamic concept for the phase transition of free polymer chains fails, when thermoresponsive polymers are assembled into such sterically confined architectures. Whereas many published studies focus on synthetic aspects as well as individual applications of thermoresponsive polymers, the underlying structure-property relationships governing the thermoresponse of sterically constrained assemblies, are still poorly understood. Furthermore, the clear majority of publications deals with polymers that exhibit a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior, with PNIPAAM as their main representative. In contrast, for polymer arrangements with an upper critical solution temperature (UCST), there is only limited knowledge about preparation, application and precise physical understanding of the phase transition. This review article provides an overview about the current knowledge of thermoresponsive polymers with limited mobility focusing on UCST behavior and the possibilities for influencing their thermoresponsive switching characteristics. It comprises star polymers, micelles as well as polymer chains grafted to flat substrates and particulate inorganic surfaces. The elaboration of the physicochemical interplay between the architecture of the polymer assembly and the resulting thermoresponsive switching behavior will be in the foreground of this consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Flemming
- Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany
- Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Alexander S Münch
- Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Andreas Fery
- Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany
- Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Petra Uhlmann
- Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln, NE 68588, Lincoln, USA
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10
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Huang Y, Bai Y, Jin W, Shen D, Lyu H, Zeng L, Wang M, Liu Y. Common Pitfalls and Recommendations for Using a Turbidity Assay to Study Protein Phase Separation. Biochemistry 2021; 60:2447-2456. [PMID: 34369156 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.1c00386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The turbidity assay is commonly exploited to study protein liquid-to-liquid phase separation (LLPS) or liquid-to-solid phase separation (LSPS) processes in biochemical analyses. Herein, we present common pitfalls of this assay caused by exceeding the detection linear range. We showed that aggregated proteins of high concentration and large particle size can lead to inaccurate quantification in multiple applications, including the optical density measurement, the thermal shift assay, and the dynamic light scattering experiment. Finally, we demonstrated that a simple sample dilution of insoluble aggregated protein (LSPS) samples or direct imaging of liquid droplets (LLPS) can address these issues and improve the accuracy of the turbidity assay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China
| | - Yulong Bai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wenhan Jin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China
| | - Di Shen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China
| | - Haochen Lyu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China
| | - Lianggang Zeng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China
| | - Mengdie Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yu Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China
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11
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Lim K, Lee YS, Simoska O, Dong F, Sima M, Stewart RJ, Minteer SD. Rapid Entrapment of Phenazine Ethosulfate within a Polyelectrolyte Complex on Electrodes for Efficient NAD + Regeneration in Mediated NAD +-Dependent Bioelectrocatalysis. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:10942-10951. [PMID: 33646753 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c22302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Over the past two decades, the designs of redox polymers have become critical to the field of mediated bioelectrocatalysis and are used in commercial glucose biosensors, as well as other bioelectrochemical applications (e.g., energy harvesting). These polymers are specifically used to immobilize redox mediators on electrode surfaces, allowing for self-exchange-based conduction of electrons from enzymes far from the electrode to the electrode surface. However, the synthesis of redox polymers is challenging and results in large batch-to-batch variability. Herein, we report a rapid entrapment of mediators for NAD+-dependent bioelectrocatalysis within reverse ionically condensed polyelectrolytes. A high ionic strength aqueous solution of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes, composed of cationic polyguanidinium (PG) chloride and anionic sodium hexametaphosphate (P6), undergoes phase inversion into a solid microporous polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) when introduced into a low ionic strength aqueous solution. The ionic strength-triggered phase inversion of PGP6 solutions was investigated as a means to entrap mediators on the surface of electrodes for mediated bioelectrocatalysis. Compared to the traditional cross-linked immobilizations using redox polymers, this phase inversion takes place within seconds and requires up to 60 min for complete stabilization. In this work, redox mediator phenazine ethosulfate (PES) was entrapped within PGP6 on electrode surfaces for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-dependent bioelectrocatalysis. In the bulk solution, NAD+-dependent dehydrogenase enzymes catalyze the oxidation of the substrate while reducing NAD to reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH). The resulting NADH is reoxidized to NAD+ by the entrapped PES that gets reduced on the electrode, completing the NAD+-regeneration-based bioelectrocatalysis. To show the use of these new materials in an application, biofuel cells were evaluated using four different anodic enzyme systems (alcohol dehydrogenase, lactate hydrogenase, glycerol dehydrogenase, and glucose dehydrogenase).
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Affiliation(s)
- Koun Lim
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Yoo Seok Lee
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Olja Simoska
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Fangyuan Dong
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Monika Sima
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Russell J Stewart
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Shelley D Minteer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
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Bhopatkar AA, Uversky VN, Rangachari V. Granulins modulate liquid-liquid phase separation and aggregation of the prion-like C-terminal domain of the neurodegeneration-associated protein TDP-43. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:2506-2519. [PMID: 31911437 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.011501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Revised: 01/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) has emerged as a key player in many neurodegenerative pathologies, including frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Hallmarks of both FTLD and ALS are the toxic cytoplasmic inclusions of the prion-like C-terminal fragments of TDP-43 CTD (TDP-43 C-terminal domain), formed upon proteolytic cleavage of full-length TDP-43 in the nucleus and subsequent transport to the cytoplasm. Both full-length TDP-43 and its CTD are also known to form stress granules by coacervating with RNA in the cytoplasm during stress and may be involved in these pathologies. Furthermore, mutations in the PGRN gene, leading to haploinsufficiency and diminished function of progranulin (PGRN) protein, are strongly linked to FTLD and ALS. Recent reports have indicated that proteolytic processing of PGRN to smaller protein modules called granulins (GRNs) contributes to FTLD and ALS progression, with specific GRNs exacerbating TDP-43-induced cytotoxicity. Here we investigated the interactions between the proteolytic products of both TDP-43 and PGRN. Based on structural disorder and charge distributions, we hypothesized that GRN-3 and GRN-5 could interact with the TDP-43 CTD. We show that, under both reducing and oxidizing conditions, GRN-3 and GRN-5 interact with and differentially modulate TDP-43 CTD aggregation and/or liquid-liquid phase separation in vitro GRN-3 promoted insoluble aggregates of the TDP-43 CTD while GRN-5 mediated liquid-liquid phase separation. These results constitute the first observation of an interaction between GRNs and TDP-43, suggesting a mechanism by which attenuated PGRN function could lead to familial FTLD or ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anukool A Bhopatkar
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406
| | - Vladimir N Uversky
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Byrd Alzheimer's Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620; Laboratory of New Methods in Biology, Institute for Biological Instrumentation, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Vijayaraghavan Rangachari
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406.
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Lim K, Sima M, Stewart RJ, Minteer SD. Direct bioelectrocatalysis by redox enzymes immobilized in electrostatically condensed oppositely charged polyelectrolyte electrode coatings. Analyst 2020; 145:1250-1257. [DOI: 10.1039/c9an02168j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The ionic induced phase inversion of two oppositely charged electrolytes for enzyme immobilization and its application in bioelectrocatalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koun Lim
- Department of Chemistry
- University of Utah
- Salt Lake City
- USA
| | - Monika Sima
- Department of Biomedical Engineering University of Utah Salt Lake City
- USA
| | - Russell J. Stewart
- Department of Biomedical Engineering University of Utah Salt Lake City
- USA
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Liu X, Xie X, Du Z, Li B, Wu L, Li W. Aqueous self-assembly of arginine and K 8SiW 11O 39: fine-tuning the formation of a coacervate intended for sprayable anticorrosive coatings. SOFT MATTER 2019; 15:9178-9186. [PMID: 31584062 DOI: 10.1039/c9sm01511f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Coacervates are commonly thought to be formed from the liquid-liquid phase separation of macromolecules, such as oppositely charged polyelectrolytes, proteins or peptides. Unlike conventional systems, we here show an entirely novel coacervate obtained from the self-assembly of arginine (Arg) and K8[α-SiW11O39] (SiW11) in water. The formation of the coacervate Arg/SiW11 is confirmed by combined techniques, including turbidity, rheology, optical microscopy, and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Assessment of the rheological response reveals that the complex coacervate exhibits shear thinning behaviour. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, elemental analysis and thermogravimetric analysis are used to characterize the coacervate. The thermodynamic parameters of the coacervation are monitored by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), which identifies that the formation of the coacervate by mixing of Arg and SiW11 is driven by a combination of entropic and enthalpic effects. The resultant coacervate shows a typical upper critical solution temperature (UCST) phenomenon, which is strongly dependent on the concentration of the species. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the coacervation could be tuned by stoichiometry and pH. A phase diagram for the complexation of Arg and SiW11 thus has been constructed using turbidity measurements. Such a phase diagram is a very useful tool for the preparation of coacervates from a specific combination of Arg and SiW11. Finally, the acid induced gelation of the coacervate has been explored to fabricate an anticorrosive coating to protect a copper plate from exposure to acid vapour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Qianjin Avenue 2699, Changchun 130012, China.
| | - Xiaoming Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Qianjin Avenue 2699, Changchun 130012, China.
| | - Zhanglei Du
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Qianjin Avenue 2699, Changchun 130012, China.
| | - Bao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Qianjin Avenue 2699, Changchun 130012, China.
| | - Lixin Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Qianjin Avenue 2699, Changchun 130012, China.
| | - Wen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Qianjin Avenue 2699, Changchun 130012, China.
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