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Meyer CE, Schoenenberger CA, Wehr RP, Wu D, Palivan CG. Artificial Melanogenesis by Confining Melanin/Polydopamine Production inside Polymersomes. Macromol Biosci 2021; 21:e2100249. [PMID: 34510748 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202100249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Melanin and polydopamine are potent biopolymers for the development of biomedical nanosystems. However, applications of melanin or polydopamine-based nanoparticles are limited by drawbacks related to a compromised colloidal stability over long time periods and associated cytotoxicity. To overcome these hurdles, a novel strategy is proposed that mimics the confinement of natural melanin in melanosomes. Melanosome mimics are developed by co-encapsulating the melanin/polydopamine precursors L-DOPA/dopamine with melanogenic enzyme Tyrosinase within polymersomes. The conditions of polymersome formation are optimized to obtain melanin/polydopamine polymerization within the cavity of the polymersomes. Similar to native melanosomes, polymersomes containing melanin/polydopamine show long-term colloidal stability, cell-compatibility, and potential for cell photoprotection. This novel kind of artificial melanogenesis is expected to inspire new applications of the confined melanin/polydopamine biopolymers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire E Meyer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, Basel, 4002, Switzerland
| | - Cora-Ann Schoenenberger
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, Basel, 4002, Switzerland.,NCCR-Molecular Systems Engineering, BPR1095, Basel, 4058, Switzerland
| | - Riccardo P Wehr
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, Basel, 4002, Switzerland
| | - Dalin Wu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, Basel, 4002, Switzerland.,NCCR-Molecular Systems Engineering, BPR1095, Basel, 4058, Switzerland
| | - Cornelia G Palivan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, Basel, 4002, Switzerland.,NCCR-Molecular Systems Engineering, BPR1095, Basel, 4058, Switzerland
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Dos Santos EC, Belluati A, Necula D, Scherrer D, Meyer CE, Wehr RP, Lörtscher E, Palivan CG, Meier W. Combinatorial Strategy for Studying Biochemical Pathways in Double Emulsion Templated Cell-Sized Compartments. Adv Mater 2020; 32:e2004804. [PMID: 33107187 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202004804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Cells rely upon producing enzymes at precise rates and stoichiometry for maximizing functionalities. The reasons for this optimal control are unknown, primarily because of the interconnectivity of the enzymatic cascade effects within multi-step pathways. Here, an elegant strategy for studying such behavior, by controlling segregation/combination of enzymes/metabolites in synthetic cell-sized compartments, while preserving vital cellular elements is presented. Therefore, compartments shaped into polymer GUVs are developed, producing via high-precision double-emulsion microfluidics that enable: i) tight control over the absolute and relative enzymatic contents inside the GUVs, reaching nearly 100% encapsulation and co-encapsulation efficiencies, and ii) functional reconstitution of biopores and membrane proteins in the GUVs polymeric membrane, thus supporting in situ reactions. GUVs equipped with biopores/membrane proteins and loaded with one or more enzymes are arranged in a variety of combinations that allow the study of a three-step cascade in multiple topologies. Due to the spatiotemporal control provided, optimum conditions for decreasing the accumulation of inhibitors are unveiled, and benefited from reactive intermediates to maximize the overall cascade efficiency in compartments. The non-system-specific feature of the novel strategy makes this system an ideal candidate for the development of new synthetic routes as well as for screening natural and more complex pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena C Dos Santos
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Belluati
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Danut Necula
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dominik Scherrer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
- IBM Research Europe, Saeumerstrasse 4, 8803, Rueschlikon, Switzerland
| | - Claire E Meyer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Riccardo P Wehr
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Emanuel Lörtscher
- IBM Research Europe, Saeumerstrasse 4, 8803, Rueschlikon, Switzerland
| | - Cornelia G Palivan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Wolfgang Meier
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
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