1
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Krupová M, Andrushchenko V. Vibrational circular dichroism beyond solutions. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2025; 340:125839. [PMID: 40354778 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2025.125839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2024] [Revised: 01/16/2025] [Accepted: 01/30/2025] [Indexed: 05/14/2025]
Abstract
Since the first vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) experiments conducted in the early 1970s, VCD spectroscopy has significantly advanced and firmly established itself in various fields of modern science and technology. For example, it became one of the preferred methods for absolute configuration determination in the pharmaceutical industry. Nevertheless, VCD development and applications have mostly focused on samples in solution, whereas applications to solid-state samples remain relatively rare. Although the first solid-state experiments were performed around the time of VCD discovery, they did not become the mainstream due to considerably more demanding methodological and theoretical challenges. In this review, we take the reader on a journey through some of the applications of VCD spectroscopy to solid-state samples. We look at the field of solid-state VCD from both a historical perspective and a methodological point of view, highlighting the diverse directions explored with this technique. We attempt to categorize all the variety of solid-state VCD experiments undertaken to date. Additionally, we briefly outline the main challenges faced by the field, and provide an overview of the theoretical methodology accompanying the experimental developments. Finally, we conclude our solid-state VCD journey with an outlook on the future prospects of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Krupová
- Hylleraas Centre for Quantum Molecular Sciences, Department of Chemistry, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway; Jagiellonian Centre for Experimental Therapeutics (JCET), Jagiellonian University (UJ) in Krakow, Bobrzynskiego 14, 30-348 Krakow, Poland
| | - Valery Andrushchenko
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo náměstí 2, 16610 Prague, Czech Republic.
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2
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Olsen WP, Larsen AKK, Christensen JL, Malle MG, Otzen DE. Investigating strategies for creating cross-linked amyloid fibril networks through branching of amyloid growth. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2025; 251:114617. [PMID: 40068237 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2025.114617] [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: 01/05/2025] [Revised: 02/18/2025] [Accepted: 03/04/2025] [Indexed: 04/15/2025]
Abstract
Hydrogel biomaterials have been extensively explored for applications in medicine, materials science, and the development of functionalized materials. Traditionally, hydrogels were produced using simple polymers, but advancements over recent decades have enabled the use of biological materials such as proteins, peptides, polysaccharides, and even amyloid fibrils. Among these, amyloid-based hydrogels have demonstrated unique advantages, including enhanced cell adhesion and differentiation. Furthermore, they can be engineered as living materials using bacteria capable of producing and repairing the hydrogel in situ. Here we investigate novel strategies for controlling amyloid fibrillation using the functional amyloid CsgA. We designed fusion proteins combining two CsgA moieties to explore methods for creating branched fibril networks. Our approach utilized two distinct strategies: passive and active branching. The passive strategy involved direct fusion of two CsgA moieties separated by a designed alpha-helical linker and engineered to integrate into fibrils without external intervention. The active branching approach incorporated a redox-sensitive CsgA variant containing an internal disulfide bridge that blocks fibrillation until reduced. This design allows for precise control of amyloid fibrillation in the active variants. We analyzed these constructs qualitatively approach using a combination of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), real-time atomic force microscopy (AFM), and total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy, supported by quantitative image analysis. While we did not observe direct evidence of fibril branching, our modifications led to significant changes in fibrillation behavior. Notably, TIRF imaging revealed a marked increase in high-density fibril regions following the activation of our engineered constructs, indicating the potential for controlled assembly of higher-order structures. These findings provide new insights into controlling amyloid fibrillation and suggest alternative strategies for manipulating fibril organization. The observed ability to alter local fibril density through chemical triggers offers promising directions for developing responsive biomaterials. We propose refinements for future design and suggest new directions to optimize amyloid-based hydrogels for next-generation biomaterial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- William P Olsen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus C 8000, Denmark; Sino-Danish College (SDC), University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Anne-Kathrine K Larsen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus C 8000, Denmark; Sino-Danish College (SDC), University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jakob L Christensen
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, DTU Compute, DTU Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Mette G Malle
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus C 8000, Denmark
| | - Daniel E Otzen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus C 8000, Denmark.
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3
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Vendruscolo M. The thermodynamic hypothesis of protein aggregation. Mol Aspects Med 2025; 103:101364. [PMID: 40319523 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2025.101364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2025] [Revised: 03/30/2025] [Accepted: 04/14/2025] [Indexed: 05/07/2025]
Abstract
Protein misfolding and aggregation drive some of the most prevalent and lethal disorders of our time, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, now affecting tens of millions of people worldwide. The complexity of these diseases, which are often multifactorial and related to age and lifestyle, has made it challenging to identify the causes of the accumulation of aberrant protein deposits. An insight into the origins of these deposits comes from reports of a widespread presence of protein aggregates even under normal cellular conditions. This observation is best accounted for by the thermodynamic hypothesis of protein aggregation. According to this hypothesis, many proteins are expressed at levels close to their supersaturation limits, so that their native states are metastable against aggregation. Here we integrate the evidence behind this hypothesis and outline actionable therapeutic strategies that could halt protein aggregation at its source.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
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4
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Xu X, Yang J, Han M, Yang F, Guo Q. Unraveling the Molecular Pathways of Protein Fibrillation under Thermal Acid Hydrolysis. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2025:e2504082. [PMID: 40411861 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202504082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2025] [Revised: 05/12/2025] [Indexed: 05/26/2025]
Abstract
Artificial amyloid fibrils formed by globular proteins under thermal acid hydrolysis have drawn extensive attention due to their exceptional mechanical properties and ability to form functional materials. However, the mechanisms underlying their formation, particularly the initiation of fibrillation under heat-induced acid hydrolysis, are not yet fully understood. By developing a general approach that integrates experiment and theory, the molecular pathways by which β-lactoglobulin (β-lg) monomers convert into artificial fibrils under heat-induced aggregation and acid hydrolysis at concentrations of 0.15-2% w/w are revealed. Despite all mature β-lg fibrils originating from heat-induced intermediate aggregates, most aggregates are inactive structures without forming fibrils. Only a minority of aggregates (active structures) convert into fibrils facilitated by heat-induced acid hydrolysis. Particularly, the peptides with largely consistent protein sequences, exhibiting small variations, are identified as the building blocks for fibril elongation throughout the fibrillation process. Moreover, secondary nucleation is inhibited during fibril formation. The results expand the theoretical framework for understanding amyloid formation induced by thermal acid hydrolysis, which paves the way for precise control of artificial amyloid formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiyu Xu
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
- National Engineering Research Center for Fruit and Vegetable Processing, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
- Key Laboratory of Fruit and Vegetable Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100083, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Food Non-Thermal Processing, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Jianping Yang
- College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Menghan Han
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
- National Engineering Research Center for Fruit and Vegetable Processing, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
- Key Laboratory of Fruit and Vegetable Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100083, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Food Non-Thermal Processing, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Fenglin Yang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
- National Engineering Research Center for Fruit and Vegetable Processing, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
- Key Laboratory of Fruit and Vegetable Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100083, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Food Non-Thermal Processing, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Qing Guo
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
- National Engineering Research Center for Fruit and Vegetable Processing, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
- Key Laboratory of Fruit and Vegetable Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100083, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Food Non-Thermal Processing, Beijing, 100083, China
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5
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Ray D, Madani M, Dhont JKG, Platten F, Kang K. Electric field-induced control of protein crystal morphology. SOFT MATTER 2025; 21:3012-3021. [PMID: 40152611 DOI: 10.1039/d5sm00181a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2025]
Abstract
In a previous study (D. Ray, et al., J. Phys. Chem. Lett., 2024, 15, 8108-8113), we found that an alternating electric field considerably affects the location of the crystallization boundary and the liquid-liquid phase separation line as well as crystallization kinetics in lysozyme solutions containing sodium thiocyanate (NaSCN). The present study extends this work by investigating the influence of the same electric field on the microscopic appearance of lysozyme crystals as they form from a supersaturated solution. We observe a variety of distinct crystal morphologies, which we classify as single- and multi-arm crystals, flower-like crystal structures, whiskers, and sea-urchin crystals. Crystal morphologies exhibit significant variations with changes in protein and salt concentrations, and the electric field strongly alters the morphology-state diagram in the protein-versus-salt concentration plane. This alteration is likely due to the field effect on protein-protein interactions. We believe the effect is mediated by the field-enhanced adsorption of SCN- ions to the surface of lysozyme, ultimately driving the observed changes in crystallization behavior. These findings offer insights into how electric fields can be used to control crystal formation and morphology in protein systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debes Ray
- Institute of Biological Information Processing IBI-4, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany.
- Solid State Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400085, India
| | - Mahnoush Madani
- Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Jan K G Dhont
- Institute of Biological Information Processing IBI-4, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany.
- Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Florian Platten
- Institute of Biological Information Processing IBI-4, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany.
- Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Kyongok Kang
- Institute of Biological Information Processing IBI-4, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany.
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6
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Cheng Y, Wang T, Zhu H, Hu X, Mi J, Li L, Zhang Y, Yang J, Dong L, Li Y, Sun W, Lu X, Wang W, Cao Y, Xue B. Molecular Engineering of Amino Acid Crystals with Enhanced Piezoelectric Performance for Biodegradable Sensors. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2025; 64:e202500334. [PMID: 39868665 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202500334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2025] [Revised: 01/26/2025] [Accepted: 01/27/2025] [Indexed: 01/28/2025]
Abstract
Amino acid crystals have emerged as promising piezoelectric materials for biodegradable and biocompatible sensors; however, their relatively low piezoelectric coefficients constrain practical applications. Here, we introduce a fluoro-substitution strategy to overcome this limitation and enhance the piezoelectric performance of amino acid crystals. Specifically, we substituted hydrogen atoms on the aromatic rings of L-tryptophan, L-phenylalanine, and N-Cbz-L-phenylalanine with fluorine, resulting in significantly elevated piezoelectric coefficients. Density functional theory calculations further indicate that fluorination strengthens polarization by modifying molecular dipole moments. Consequently, these fluoro-substituted crystals achieve piezoelectric coefficients of up to 50.36 pm/V, surpassing those of other organic piezoelectric materials such as polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA), and gelatin. When integrated into flexible, biodegradable force sensors, the fluoro-substituted crystals exhibit a broad sensing range, high sensitivity, and stable in vivo operation over extended periods. This work establishes a versatile route for boosting piezoelectricity in biomaterials, thereby broadening their scope in biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanqi Cheng
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, 250000, China
| | - Tianjian Wang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Haoqi Zhu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Xueli Hu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Jing Mi
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Lan Li
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Jiapeng Yang
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, 250000, China
| | - Liang Dong
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Ying Li
- Institute of Advanced Materials and Flexible Electronics (IAMFE), School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing, 210044, China
| | - Wenxu Sun
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
- School of Physics and Technology, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Xiaomei Lu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
- Institute for Brain Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Yi Cao
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, 250000, China
- Institute for Brain Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Bin Xue
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, 250000, China
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7
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Xuan Q, Cai J, Gao Y, Qiao X, Jin T, Peydayesh M, Zhou J, Sun Q, Zhan L, Liu B, Wang P, Li H, Chen C, Mezzenga R. Amyloid-Templated Ceria Nanozyme Reinforced Microneedle for Diabetic Wound Treatments. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2025; 37:e2417774. [PMID: 39995378 PMCID: PMC12004906 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202417774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2024] [Revised: 02/15/2025] [Indexed: 02/26/2025]
Abstract
Amyloid fibrils have emerged as excellent templates and building blocks for the development of ordered functional materials with considerable potential in biomedical applications. Here, lysozyme amyloid fibrils (Lys-AFs) are employed as templates for the in situ synthesis of ceria nanozymes (Lys-AFs-Ceria) with ultrafine dimensions, an optimized Ce3+/Ce4+ ratio, and uniform distribution on the fibril surface, addressing the challenges of low catalytic efficiency and high susceptibility to aggregation typical of traditional methods. As a proof of concept, it is further applied Lys-AFs-Ceria to develop hydrogel/microneedle for treating bacteria-infected diabetic wounds via non-covalent interactions between polyphenols and amyloid fibrils incorporating glucose oxidase (GOX). The hydrogel/microneedle facilitates superoxide dismutase and catalase cascade catalysis by Lys-AFs-Ceria, and integrates GOX-mediated glucose consumption, synergistically achieving glucose reduction, reactive oxygen species elimination, and hypoxia alleviation in the diabetic wound infection microenvironment. In addition to antibacterial properties and tissue regeneration promotion of Lys-AFs scaffold, Lys-AFs-Ceria regulates macrophages polarization toward an anti-inflammatory M2 state. Collectively, these attributes contribute to the enhanced efficacy of diabetic wound healing, with in vivo studies demonstrating increased healing efficiency following a single application, and more in general an effective strategy toward high-catalytic and stable nanozymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qize Xuan
- Institute for Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environmental and Chemical EngineeringShanghai UniversityShanghai200444P. R. China
- Department of Health Sciences and TechnologyETH ZürichSchmelzbergstrasse 9Zürich8092Switzerland
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering Center, School of BiotechnologyEast China University of Science and TechnologyShanghai200237China
| | - Jiazhe Cai
- Institute for Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environmental and Chemical EngineeringShanghai UniversityShanghai200444P. R. China
| | - Yuan Gao
- Institute for Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environmental and Chemical EngineeringShanghai UniversityShanghai200444P. R. China
| | - Xinchi Qiao
- Institute for Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environmental and Chemical EngineeringShanghai UniversityShanghai200444P. R. China
| | - Tonghui Jin
- Department of Health Sciences and TechnologyETH ZürichSchmelzbergstrasse 9Zürich8092Switzerland
| | - Mohammad Peydayesh
- Department of Health Sciences and TechnologyETH ZürichSchmelzbergstrasse 9Zürich8092Switzerland
| | - Jiangtao Zhou
- Department of Health Sciences and TechnologyETH ZürichSchmelzbergstrasse 9Zürich8092Switzerland
| | - Qiyao Sun
- Department of Health Sciences and TechnologyETH ZürichSchmelzbergstrasse 9Zürich8092Switzerland
| | - Lijian Zhan
- Institute for Biomedical EngineeringETH ZürichZürich8092Switzerland
| | - Bin Liu
- Department of Health Sciences and TechnologyETH ZürichSchmelzbergstrasse 9Zürich8092Switzerland
| | - Ping Wang
- Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems EngineeringUniversity of MinnesotaSt PaulMN55108USA
| | - Hui Li
- Institute for Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environmental and Chemical EngineeringShanghai UniversityShanghai200444P. R. China
| | - Chao Chen
- Institute for Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environmental and Chemical EngineeringShanghai UniversityShanghai200444P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering Center, School of BiotechnologyEast China University of Science and TechnologyShanghai200237China
| | - Raffaele Mezzenga
- Department of Health Sciences and TechnologyETH ZürichSchmelzbergstrasse 9Zürich8092Switzerland
- Department of MaterialsETH ZürichWolfgang‐Pauli‐Strasse 10Zürich8049Switzerland
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8
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Shaw R, Patel K, Chimthanawala NMA, Sathaye S, Maji SK. Peptide-Based Functional Amyloid Hydrogel Enhances Wound Healing in Normal and Diabetic Rat Models. Adv Healthc Mater 2025; 14:e2403560. [PMID: 39935087 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202403560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2024] [Revised: 01/23/2025] [Indexed: 02/13/2025]
Abstract
The inability to heal on time is a key component of chronic wounds, which can result in economic, psychological, and physiological burdens. Hydrogels based on amyloid can imitate the extracellular matrix and function as scaffolds for healing wounds. In this direction, a wound dressing inspired by peptide-based amyloid hydrogel is fabricated here. The results demonstrate that the amyloid hydrogel improves the three essential components of skin tissue regeneration: cell migration, proliferation, and collagen remodeling, both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the amyloid hydrogel accelerates wound healing and promotes wound closure within 9 and 15 d in normal and diabetic rats, respectively. Microscopic evaluation of the wound region demonstrates the ultimate stages of regeneration and skin reformation toward normal skin compared to the untreated wound. Hematoxylin and eosin-stained hydrogel-treated wound sites reveal faster dermal bridging, angiogenesis, and epidermal repair in both acute and chronic conditions. The hydrogel creates an environment that encourages the growth of dermal fibroblasts and the release of cytokines, decreasing inflammation with concomitant enhancement of collagen production at the site of injury. Thus, these findings suggest that amyloid-based hydrogel can be a promising candidate for application in acute and chronic wound healing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranjit Shaw
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, 400076, India
| | - Komal Patel
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, 400076, India
- Sunita Sanghi Centre of Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases (SCAN), IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, 400076, India
| | - Niyamat M A Chimthanawala
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, 400019, India
| | - Sadhana Sathaye
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, 400019, India
| | - Samir K Maji
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, 400076, India
- Sunita Sanghi Centre of Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases (SCAN), IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, 400076, India
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9
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López-García P, Tejero-Ojeda MM, Vaquero ME, Carrión-Vázquez M. Current amyloid inhibitors: Therapeutic applications and nanomaterial-based innovations. Prog Neurobiol 2025; 247:102734. [PMID: 40024279 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2025.102734] [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: 09/03/2024] [Revised: 02/06/2025] [Accepted: 02/20/2025] [Indexed: 03/04/2025]
Abstract
Amyloid proteins have long been in the spotlight for being involved in many degenerative diseases including Alzheimer´s, Parkinson´s or type 2 diabetes, which currently cannot be prevented and for which there is no effective treatment or cure. Here we provide a comprehensive review of inhibitors that act directly on the amyloidogenic pathway (at the monomer, oligomer or fibril level) of key pathological amyloids, focusing on the most representative amyloid-related diseases. We discuss the latest advances in preclinical and clinical trials, focusing on cutting-edge developments, particularly on nanomaterials-based inhibitors, which offer unprecedented opportunities to address the complexity of protein misfolding disorders and are revolutionizing the landscape of anti-amyloid therapeutics. Notably, nanomaterials are impacting critical areas such as bioavailability, penetrability and functionality of compounds currently used in biomedicine, paving the way for more specific therapeutic solutions tailored to various amyloid-related diseases. Finally, we highlight the window of opportunity opened by comparative analysis with so-called functional amyloids for the development of innovative therapeutic approaches for these devastating diseases.
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10
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Zhang Q, Zhu H, Wang R, He J, Ritzoulis C, Liu W, Tang W, Liu J. Fish oil emulsions stabilized by enzymatic hydrolysis, glycation, and fibrillation of β-Lg: Stability and EPA/DHA bioaccessibility. Food Chem 2025; 469:142550. [PMID: 39709919 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.142550] [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: 08/28/2024] [Revised: 12/13/2024] [Accepted: 12/15/2024] [Indexed: 12/24/2024]
Abstract
This study investigated the stabilization mechanism, storage stability, and in vitro digestion characteristics of oil-in-water fish oil emulsions stabilized by β-Lg modified through enzymatic hydrolysis, glycation, and fibrillation. The stabilization mechanism was elucidated by comparing droplet size, ζ-potential, interfacial protein thickness, and microstructure. Results showed that β-Lg modified through these combined processes formed a three-dimensional network, providing superior stabilization, while other modified proteins stabilized emulsions via surface adsorption. Emulsion stabilized by combined modified β-Lg maintained z-average particle sizes below 550 nm, delayed the peroxide value peak by 3 days, reduced TBARS content by 0.5 μg/mL, and remained unstratified for up to 50 days. During simulated in vitro digestion, emulsions exhibited greater stability in the gastric phase but destabilized in the intestinal phase, leading to 10.46 % higher EPA/DHA bioaccessibility than those emulsions stabilized by untreated β-Lg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingchun Zhang
- College of Food Science and Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, PR China
| | - Hao Zhu
- College of Food Science and Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, PR China
| | - Rui Wang
- College of Food Science and Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, PR China
| | - Jianfei He
- College of Food Science and Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, PR China
| | - Christos Ritzoulis
- Department of Food Science and Technology, International Hellenic University, Alexander Campus, Thessaloniki, 57400, Greece
| | - Weilin Liu
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, 310018, PR China
| | - Wei Tang
- College of Food Science and Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, PR China
| | - Jianhua Liu
- College of Food Science and Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, PR China.
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11
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Xu Y, Li D, Zhang Y, Zhao Q, Sun B, Liu C, Li D, Dai B. β-Lactoglobulin Forms a Conserved Fibril Core That Assembles into Diverse Fibril Polymorphs. NANO LETTERS 2025; 25:3653-3661. [PMID: 39992798 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.5c00137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/26/2025]
Abstract
The β-lactoglobulin (β-LG) protein, sourced from dietary products, is notable for forming amyloid fibrils, which are increasingly recognized as valuable protein-based nanomaterials due to their superior cytocompatibility, chemical resilience, and mechanical characteristics. However, the precise atomic details of β-LG's fibril assembly are not understood. In this study, we utilized cryo-electron microscopy to elucidate the composition and architecture of β-LG fibrils. We discovered that the β-LG fibril was rapidly assembled after a short time incubation. Remarkably, these fibril cores were composed of the first 32 residues, forming four β-strands that adopted a serpentine arrangement into a single protofilament. This protofilament core's stability was reinforced by hydrophobic interactions. Two identical protofilaments then align to form four distinct structural polymorphs through unique interfacial configurations, which were stabilized by hydrophilic interactions, hydrogen bonding, and electrostatic forces. Our findings provide a structural framework for understanding β-LG fibril formation and pave the way for designing innovative β-LG-based nanomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongyi Xu
- School of Sensing Science and Engineering, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Danni Li
- School of Sensing Science and Engineering, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yiling Zhang
- School of Sensing Science and Engineering, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Qinyue Zhao
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
- Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Bo Sun
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Cong Liu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
- Shanghai Academy of Natural Sciences (SANS), Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Dan Li
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
- Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Bin Dai
- School of Sensing Science and Engineering, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
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12
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Hu J, Liu S, Huo Y, Yang B, Yin Y, Tan ML, Liu P, Cai K, Ji W. Piezoelectric Vitamin-Based Self-Assemblies for Energy Generation. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2025; 37:e2417409. [PMID: 39838767 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202417409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2024] [Revised: 01/12/2025] [Indexed: 01/23/2025]
Abstract
Structural diversity of biomolecules leads to various supramolecular organizations and asymmetric architectures of self-assemblies with significant piezoelectric response. However, the piezoelectricity of biomolecular self-assemblies has not been fully explored and the relationship between supramolecular structures and piezoelectricity remains poorly understood, which hinders the development of piezoelectric biomaterials. Herein, for the first time, the piezoelectricity of vitamin-based self-assemblies for power generation is systematically explored. X-ray diffraction studies revealed that vitamin molecules can self-assemble into different supramolecular structures, which exhibited tunable piezoelectric coefficients ranging from 3.8 to 42.8 pC N-1 by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Notably, vitamin B7 D-biotin (D-BIO) self-assemblies exhibited superior piezoelectricity due to low crystal symmetry and high polarization of supramolecular arrangements. The D-BIO assemblies-based piezoelectric nanogenerator (PENG) produced output voltages of ≈0.8 V under a mechanical force of 47 N, showing high mechanical durability after 5400 pressing-releasing cycles and high stability of at least three months. The PENG-based wearable sensor successfully detected bending motions of human limbs. Furthermore, the PENG-based insole converted biomechanical energy into stable electrical energy upon foot movement, illuminating 12 light-emitting diodes (LEDs). This work fills knowledge gaps in piezoelectricity of vitamin-based self-assemblies, providing paradigms for realizing high-performance piezoelectric biomaterials through supramolecular engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Hu
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Shuaijie Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Yehong Huo
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Bingbing Yang
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Yuanyuan Yin
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and Biomedical Sciences, Chongqing Municipal Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Engineering of Higher Education, Stomatological Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 401147, China
| | - Mei-Ling Tan
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Peng Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Kaiyong Cai
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Wei Ji
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
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13
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Du J, Guo Z, Yan X, Yao Y, Zhang R, Zhou Y, Liu X, Shang B, Huang J, Gu S. Flexible, stretchable multifunctional silver nanoparticles-decorated cotton textile based on amyloid-like protein aggregation for electrothermal and photothermal dual-driven wearable heater. Int J Biol Macromol 2025; 292:139124. [PMID: 39722396 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.139124] [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: 10/05/2024] [Revised: 12/10/2024] [Accepted: 12/21/2024] [Indexed: 12/28/2024]
Abstract
The design of multifunctional, high-performance wearable heaters utilizing textile substrates has garnered increasing attention, particularly in the development of body temperature and health monitoring devices. However, fabricating these multifunctional wearable heaters while simultaneously ensuring flexibility, air permeability, Joule heating performance, electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and antibacterial properties remains a significant challenge. This study utilizes phase transition lysozyme (PTL) film-mediated electroless deposition (ELD) technology to deposit silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) on the cotton fabrics surface in a mild aqueous solution at room temperature, thereby constructing a wearable heater with long-term stability, high conductivity, and exceptional photothermal properties. The textiles enriched with Ag NPs exhibit remarkable electrothermal and photothermal dual-driven heating capabilities, achieving temperatures exceeding 110 °C within 50s under 2 V, or in merely a few seconds through photothermal conversion. Importantly, these textiles retain the intrinsic flexibility and breathability of the textile substrate. Furthermore, the amyloid-like protein Ag NP integrated textiles demonstrate excellent antibacterial properties, and exhibit a high EMI shielding efficiency of 50 dB within the frequency range of 8.2-12.4 GHz. Therefore, these multifunctional Ag NPs wearable heaters were expected to find applications in areas such as smart wearable clothing and future health management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiehao Du
- State Key Laboratory for New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, PR China
| | - Zengpei Guo
- State Key Laboratory for New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, PR China
| | - Xue Yan
- State Key Laboratory for New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, PR China
| | - Yiting Yao
- State Key Laboratory for New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, PR China
| | - Ruquan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, PR China
| | - Yingshan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, PR China
| | - Xin Liu
- State Key Laboratory for New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, PR China
| | - Bin Shang
- State Key Laboratory for New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, PR China
| | - Jingjing Huang
- State Key Laboratory for New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, PR China.
| | - Shaojin Gu
- State Key Laboratory for New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, PR China.
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14
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Testa E, Barbera V, Fasoli E, Giese U, Belviso MR, Rossini P, Bruno D, Tettamanti G, Orlando M, Molla G, Casartelli M, Galimberti M. Electroconductive Bionanocomposites from Black Soldier Fly Proteins for Green Flexible Electronics. ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING 2025; 13:2388-2400. [PMID: 39981221 PMCID: PMC11837284 DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.4c08242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2024] [Revised: 01/15/2025] [Accepted: 01/15/2025] [Indexed: 02/22/2025]
Abstract
Printed and flexible electronics hold the potential to revolutionize the world of electronic devices. A primary focus today is their circularity, which can be achieved by using biobased materials. In this study, electrically conductive bionanocomposite materials suitable for flexible electronics were fabricated using proteins from the black soldier fly (BSF, Hermetia illucens). The valorization of BSF biomacromolecules is currently being pursued in the framework of emerging circular economy models for the bioconversion of the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW), where BSF has been demonstrated to act as an extremely efficient bioconverter to provide lipids, chitin, and proteins. Here, the BSF protein extracts were characterized by proteomic techniques, revealing a pool of myofibrillar proteins able to interact through intermolecular β-sheet interactions. Flexible and electroconductive bionanocomposite materials were next formulated by combining BSF proteins with a conductive carbon black (CCB), either in its pristine form or functionalized with 2-(2,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrrol-1-yl)-1,3-propanediol (serinol pyrrole, SP), using water as the only solvent and incorporating glycerol and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) as additional green ingredients. A sustainable, low-pressure cold plasma (LPCP) technology was ultimately proposed to achieve high film surface hydrophobicity. Characterized by effective biodegradability, strain-sensing properties, high electrical conductivity (up to 0.9 × 10-2 S/cm at a filler content of 8% v/v (15% w/w)), and high surface hydrophobicity, the bionanocomposites presented here may be well suited for disposable flexible electronics, as in wearable devices, electrostatic discharge fabrics, or packaging, hence offering new routes toward OFMSW valorization and the development of green flexible electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edoardo Testa
- Department
of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “G. Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, Via Mancinelli 7, 20131 Milano, Italy
| | - Vincenzina Barbera
- Department
of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “G. Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, Via Mancinelli 7, 20131 Milano, Italy
| | - Elisa Fasoli
- Department
of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “G. Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, Via Mancinelli 7, 20131 Milano, Italy
| | - Ulrich Giese
- Deutsches
Institut für Kautschuktechnologie e. V., Eupener Straße 33, 30519 Hannover, Germany
| | - Maria Rosaria Belviso
- Plasmapps
Srl, Via VVF Caduti in
Servizio 14, Zona artigianale Modugno, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Pasqua Rossini
- Plasmapps
Srl, Via VVF Caduti in
Servizio 14, Zona artigianale Modugno, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Daniele Bruno
- Department
of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Università
degli Studi dell’Insubria, Via J. H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Gianluca Tettamanti
- Department
of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Università
degli Studi dell’Insubria, Via J. H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
- Interuniversity
Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-environmental Technology (BAT
Center), Università di Napoli Federico
II, Piazza Carlo di Borbone
1, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Marco Orlando
- Department
of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Università
degli Studi dell’Insubria, Via J. H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Gianluca Molla
- Department
of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Università
degli Studi dell’Insubria, Via J. H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Morena Casartelli
- Interuniversity
Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-environmental Technology (BAT
Center), Università di Napoli Federico
II, Piazza Carlo di Borbone
1, 80055 Portici, Italy
- Department
of Biosciences, Università degli
Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Maurizio Galimberti
- Department
of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “G. Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, Via Mancinelli 7, 20131 Milano, Italy
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15
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Mahato C, Pal S, Kuiry H, Das D. Pathway-Dependent Catalytic Activity of Short-Peptide-Based Metallozyme: From Promiscuous Activity to Cascade Reaction. NANO LETTERS 2025; 25:2538-2546. [PMID: 39893659 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c06230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2025]
Abstract
Many natural enzymes contain metal ions as cofactors in the active site for biological activity. However, the pathway of the introduction of metal ions in the earliest protein folds for the emergence of higher catalytic activity remains an intriguing open question. Herein, we demonstrate that pathway-dependent self-assembly of short-peptide-based metallozymes results in differences in catalytic activity. Short-peptide-based amyloids with solvent exposed arrays of colocalized catalytic units are able to bind highly soluble Cu2+ ions to demonstrate oxidase-like and RNase-like activity (promiscuity). Further, the metallozyme was able to exhibit higher hydrolase-oxidase cascade activity compared to the mixture of natural enzymes, esterase, and laccase. The collaboration between short-peptide-based amyloid microphases and metal ions suggests that metallozymes might have played a pivotal role in early metabolic processes and biopolymer evolution on the prebiotic earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiranjit Mahato
- Department of Chemical Sciences & Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal 741246, India
| | - Sumit Pal
- Department of Chemical Sciences & Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal 741246, India
| | - Himangshu Kuiry
- Department of Chemical Sciences & Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal 741246, India
| | - Dibyendu Das
- Department of Chemical Sciences & Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal 741246, India
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16
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Liu B, Zhang H, Qin X. Amyloid Fibrils and Their Applications: Current Status and Latest Developments. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2025; 15:255. [PMID: 39997818 PMCID: PMC11858031 DOI: 10.3390/nano15040255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2025] [Revised: 01/29/2025] [Accepted: 02/02/2025] [Indexed: 02/26/2025]
Abstract
Amyloid fibrils are one of the important forms of protein aggregates, first discovered in the pathological brain tissues of patients with various neurodegenerative diseases. They are considered the core pathological markers of different neurodegenerative diseases. In recent years, research has found that multiple proteins or peptides dynamically assemble to form functional amyloid-like nanofibrils under physiological conditions, exhibiting excellent mechanical properties, high environmental stability, and self-healing ability. Therefore, they have become a class of functional biological nanomaterials with important development potential. This article systematically reviews the latest progress in the preparation, functionalization, and application of amyloid-like nanofibrils in engineering and provides an outlook on possible future development directions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hongnan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Textile Science & Technology, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai 200051, China; (B.L.); (X.Q.)
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17
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Brennan GS, Goriely A. A network aggregation model for amyloid- β dynamics and treatment of Alzheimer's diseases at the brain scale. J Math Biol 2025; 90:22. [PMID: 39891738 PMCID: PMC11787187 DOI: 10.1007/s00285-024-02179-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2024] [Revised: 10/22/2024] [Accepted: 12/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2025]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are associated with the assembly of specific proteins into oligomers and fibrillar aggregates. At the brain scale, these protein assemblies can diffuse through the brain and seed other regions, creating an autocatalytic protein progression. The growth and transport of these assemblies depend on various mechanisms that can be targeted therapeutically. Here, we use spatially-extended nucleation-aggregation-fragmentation models for the dynamics of prion-like neurodegenerative protein-spreading in the brain to study the effect of different drugs on whole-brain Alzheimer's disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia S Brennan
- Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Andrew Wiles Building, Woodstock Rd, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK
| | - Alain Goriely
- Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Andrew Wiles Building, Woodstock Rd, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK.
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18
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Anselmo S, Fricano A, Sancataldo G, Vetri V. Sustainable Formation of Gold Nanoparticle-Decorated Amyloid Fibrils for the Development of Functional Hybrid Materials. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2025; 41:172-183. [PMID: 39745491 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c03136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2025]
Abstract
Amyloid fibrils have recently emerged as promising building blocks for functional materials due to their exceptional physicochemical stability and adaptable properties. These protein-based structures can be functionalized to create hybrid materials with a diverse range of applications. Here we report a simple eco-friendly protocol for generating amyloid fibrils from hen egg white lysozyme decorated with gold nanoparticles that can self-assemble in a hydrogel. Reactive oligomeric species act as reducing agents, enabling the efficient and simple formation of small gold nanoparticles without the need of harsh reagents. Furthermore, the protein molecules template the formation of gold nanoparticles, which are stabilized at regular intervals along the fibril axis, preserving gold nanoparticle properties at a macroscopic scale. As an illustration of potential application, we show that the gold nanoparticle functionalized hydrogel can be employed to sense and quantify creatinine using fluorescence detection. These findings reinforce the growing interest in utilizing proteins as foundational elements for functional biomaterials due to their high biocompatibility, availability, and the ability to finely tune supramolecular assemblies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Anselmo
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica - Emilio Segré, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze ed. 18, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Anna Fricano
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica - Emilio Segré, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze ed. 18, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Sancataldo
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica - Emilio Segré, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze ed. 18, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Valeria Vetri
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica - Emilio Segré, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze ed. 18, 90128 Palermo, Italy
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19
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Wang X, Xia H, Li T, Zuo Q, Wang Z, Yan K, Xu Z, Xue W, Sun G, Liu Z, Zhang Y. Minimalist Adjuvant-Free Nano-Vaccine Based on Antigen Self-Assembled Amyloid-Like Fibrils to Induce Potent Immune Response. Adv Healthc Mater 2025; 14:e2401625. [PMID: 39491532 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202401625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2024] [Revised: 10/12/2024] [Indexed: 11/05/2024]
Abstract
The development of cancer vaccines is at the forefront of cancer immunotherapy. Most existing strategies to induce an efficient anti-tumor immune response rely on molecular adjuvants and the incorporation of complex synthetic vectors into vaccine formulations. In contrast, this study introduces a one-step engineering technique to assemble the model antigen, Ovalbumin (OVA), into amyloid aggregates, leveraging biomimetic folding and aggregation to create non-fibrillar OVA globular aggregates and OVA amyloid-like fibrils as single-component, adjuvant-free vaccines. Notably, the OVA amyloid-like fibrils induced stronger immune responses compared to the native form, as evidenced by robust humoral immune reactions and the establishment of immune memory. These enhanced responses can be attributed to the self-adjuvant effect of the unique assembled structure, which preserves antigenic epitopes, improves antigen stability, facilitates antigen internalization, prolongs retention at the injection site, enhances antigen trafficking to the lymphoid organs, and promotes increased secretion of antibodies and cytokines. Furthermore, the efficacy of the vaccine was validated in a high OVA-expressing tumor model, demonstrating the potential of OVA amyloid-like fibrils as an effective vaccine for cancer immunoprevention. This minimalist self-adjuvant vaccine strategy holds promising implications for cancer immunotherapy and can inform the design of other protein antigen-based vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Biomaterials of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Engineering Technology Research Center of Drug Carrier of Guangdong, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Haiyang Xia
- Key Laboratory of Biomaterials of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Engineering Technology Research Center of Drug Carrier of Guangdong, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Tiantian Li
- Key Laboratory of Biomaterials of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Engineering Technology Research Center of Drug Carrier of Guangdong, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Qinhua Zuo
- Key Laboratory of Biomaterials of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Engineering Technology Research Center of Drug Carrier of Guangdong, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Biomaterials of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Engineering Technology Research Center of Drug Carrier of Guangdong, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Kangjian Yan
- Key Laboratory of Biomaterials of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Engineering Technology Research Center of Drug Carrier of Guangdong, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Zejun Xu
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Bai Yun Shan Pharmaceutical General Factory, Guangzhou Bai Yun Shan Pharmaceutical Holdings Co.Ltd., Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Wei Xue
- Key Laboratory of Biomaterials of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Engineering Technology Research Center of Drug Carrier of Guangdong, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Guodong Sun
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Reconstruction, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital (Heyuan Shenhe People's Hospital), Jinan University, Heyuan, 517000, China
| | - Zonghua Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biomaterials of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Engineering Technology Research Center of Drug Carrier of Guangdong, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biomaterials of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Engineering Technology Research Center of Drug Carrier of Guangdong, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Reconstruction, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital (Heyuan Shenhe People's Hospital), Jinan University, Heyuan, 517000, China
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20
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Ni Y, Yan T, Fu K, Xu C, Zhang L, Liu D, Wang W. Enhancement of physicochemical and techno-functional properties of soy protein isolate amyloid fibrils by moderate ultrasonic pretreatment. ULTRASONICS SONOCHEMISTRY 2025; 112:107157. [PMID: 39566339 PMCID: PMC11612365 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2024.107157] [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: 08/25/2024] [Revised: 11/07/2024] [Accepted: 11/13/2024] [Indexed: 11/22/2024]
Abstract
Plant protein can be functionally strengthened by its modification into amyloid fibrils, which has drawn growing interest. In this study, we investigated the effects of ultrasonic pretreatment on the fibrillation kinetics, physicochemical properties, and functional aspects of soy protein isolate amyloid fibrils (SPF). Firstly, soy protein isolates (SPI) were subjected to ultrasonic pretreatment by regulating time and power under neutral conditions. Subsequently, the pretreated SPI was converted into SPF through acidic heating. The results indicated that ultrasonic pretreatment significantly improved surface hydrophobicity and solubility of SPI through ultrasound's cavitation and thermal effects. Thioflavin T fluorescence assay revealed SPF40 (450 W, 40 min) had the fastest growth rate, 104.23 % higher than SPF0 (without ultrasonic pretreatment), while SPF10 (450 W, 10 min) had the highest fibril yield, 20.97 % higher than SPF0. Physicochemical analysis showed that ultrasonic pretreatment accelerated the formation of SPF from SPI by exposing the surface hydrophobic groups, lowering the zeta potential, breaking down original fibrils into shorter fibrils, and altering the secondary structure from α-helices into β-sheets. Morphological examination by transmission electron microscopy exhibited a higher maturation state, showing more rigid and straight fibrils structure in SPF10 compared to SPF0. Functionally, SPF with ultrasonic pretreatment had higher emulsifying activity than SPI and SPF0. Rheological analysis further confirmed SPF emulsions' better mechanical strength over SPI emulsions. Overall, this study demonstrates that ultrasonic pretreatment is an effective way to enhance the formation and properties of SPF, which can be further applied to developing advanced protein products and novel functional food systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunqi Ni
- College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Intelligent Food Technology and Equipment, State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Agro-Food Processing, Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory of Food Technology and Equipment, Fuli Institute of Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang University, Jiashan 314100, China
| | - Tianyi Yan
- College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Intelligent Food Technology and Equipment, State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Agro-Food Processing, Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory of Food Technology and Equipment, Fuli Institute of Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang University, Jiashan 314100, China
| | - Kai Fu
- College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Intelligent Food Technology and Equipment, State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Agro-Food Processing, Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory of Food Technology and Equipment, Fuli Institute of Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang University, Jiashan 314100, China
| | - Congyi Xu
- College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Intelligent Food Technology and Equipment, State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Agro-Food Processing, Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory of Food Technology and Equipment, Fuli Institute of Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang University, Jiashan 314100, China
| | - Liang Zhang
- College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Intelligent Food Technology and Equipment, State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Agro-Food Processing, Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory of Food Technology and Equipment, Fuli Institute of Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang University, Jiashan 314100, China
| | - Donghong Liu
- College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Intelligent Food Technology and Equipment, State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Agro-Food Processing, Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory of Food Technology and Equipment, Fuli Institute of Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang University, Jiashan 314100, China
| | - Wenjun Wang
- College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Intelligent Food Technology and Equipment, State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Agro-Food Processing, Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory of Food Technology and Equipment, Fuli Institute of Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang University, Jiashan 314100, China.
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21
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Hu T, Lee JP, Huang P, Ong AJ, Yu J, Zhu S, Jiang Y, Zhang Z, Reches M, Lee PS. Promoting Piezoelectricity in Amino Acids by Fluorination. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2025; 37:e2413049. [PMID: 39551989 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202413049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2024] [Revised: 10/20/2024] [Indexed: 11/19/2024]
Abstract
Bioinspired piezoelectric amino acids and peptides are attracting attention due to their designable sequences, versatile structures, low cost, and biodegradability. However, it remains a challenge to design amino acids and peptides with high piezoelectricity. Herein, a high piezoelectric amino acid by simple fluorination in its side chain is presented. The three phenylalanine derivatives are designed: Cbz-Phe, Cbz-Phe(4F), and Cbz-pentafluoro-Phe. The effect of fluorination on self-assembly and piezoelectricity is investigated. Cbz-Phe(4F) can self-assemble into crystals with a C2 space group, while Cbz-Phe and Cbz-pentafluoro-Phe form aggregated self-assemblies. Moreover, Cbz-Phe(4F) crystals exhibit a remarkably higher piezoelectric coefficient (d 33 e f f $d_{\ 33}^{\ eff}$ ) of ≈17.9 pm V-1 than Cbz-Phe and Cbz-pentafluoro-Phe. When fabricated as a piezoelectric nanogenerator, it generates an open-circuit voltage of ≈2.4 V. Importantly, Cbz-Phe(4F) crystals serve as a flexible piezoelectric sensor for the classification of various nuts and their quality sorting, which includes those as small as individual pumpkin seeds with high sensitivity and accuracy of sorting and quality checks. When mounted onto soft grippers, the sensor performs the tactile self-sensing functions. This work provides a promising approach to designing high piezoelectric amino acids by simple fluorination, offering exciting prospects for advancements in bioinspired piezoelectric materials in the application of smart agriculture and soft robotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tan Hu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
- Singapore-HUJ Alliance for Research and Enterprise (SHARE), The Smart Grippers for Soft Robotics (SGSR) Programme, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, 138602, Singapore
| | - Jin Pyo Lee
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Peiwen Huang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
- Singapore-HUJ Alliance for Research and Enterprise (SHARE), The Smart Grippers for Soft Robotics (SGSR) Programme, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, 138602, Singapore
| | - Amanda Jiamin Ong
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
- Singapore-HUJ Alliance for Research and Enterprise (SHARE), The Smart Grippers for Soft Robotics (SGSR) Programme, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, 138602, Singapore
| | - Jian Yu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Shuihong Zhu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Yixuan Jiang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Zhuo Zhang
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China
| | - Meital Reches
- Singapore-HUJ Alliance for Research and Enterprise (SHARE), The Smart Grippers for Soft Robotics (SGSR) Programme, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, 138602, Singapore
| | - Pooi See Lee
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
- Singapore-HUJ Alliance for Research and Enterprise (SHARE), The Smart Grippers for Soft Robotics (SGSR) Programme, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, 138602, Singapore
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22
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Isakov NA, Belousov MV, Loglio G, Miller R, Nizhnikov AA, Panda AK, Noskov BA. Cupin-1.1 Adsorption Layers at the Surface of 8 M Urea Solutions. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:11992-11998. [PMID: 39565728 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c05607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2024]
Abstract
The adsorption layers of cupin-1.1, one of the two evolutionary conserved β-barrel domains of vicilin─the garden pea storage globulin─at the liquid-gas interface were studied by a few methods of the surface chemistry. The kinetic dependencies of the surface pressure of cupin-1.1 solutions in 8 M urea overlap in a single master curve if the surface pressure is plotted as a function of the normalized time. The analysis of the master curve allows separation of a few adsorption steps including the induction period, the regions of the diffusion-controlled and barrier-controlled adsorption kinetics, and a plateau region of slow adsorption. Another master curve can be constructed from the dependencies of the dynamic surface elasticity on surface pressure. This curve has some similarities with the corresponding results for recently studied cupin-1.1 spread layers on the surface of urea solutions and gliadin adsorption layers. There are also important distinctions with the master curve for adsorption layers of cupin-1.1 in the system without denaturants. This difference can be connected with the formation of larger and more rigid aggregates in pure water than the aggregates in urea solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mikhail V Belousov
- St Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia
- All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, St. Petersburg 196608, Russia
| | - Giuseppe Loglio
- Institute of Condensed Matter Chemistry and Technologies for Energy, Genoa 16149, Italy
| | | | - Anton A Nizhnikov
- St Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia
- All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, St. Petersburg 196608, Russia
| | - Amiya K Panda
- Department of Chemistry, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, West Bengal 721102, India
| | - Boris A Noskov
- St Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia
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23
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Dey S, Kumar R, Mishra R, Bera S. Exploring cross-α amyloids: from functional roles to design innovations. Trends Biochem Sci 2024; 49:1097-1110. [PMID: 39510919 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2024.10.004] [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: 07/15/2024] [Revised: 10/09/2024] [Accepted: 10/11/2024] [Indexed: 11/15/2024]
Abstract
Amyloids are filamentous protein aggregates that have traditionally been associated with neurodegenerative diseases, although they are also known to play pivotal functional roles across diverse forms of life. Although the cross-β structure has represented the hallmark of amyloidal assemblies, a cross-α structure was recently characterized as a functional microbial amyloid, and further work has shown that de novo designed sequences also assemble into cross-α amyloids, emphasizing cross-α as an alternative paradigm for self-assembly into ordered aggregates. In this review, we summarize recent discoveries of cross-α amyloids both in nature and artificially designed systems, and we describe their fundamental structural organization, self-assembly mechanisms, and biological functions. Finally, we outline the future opportunities for research and development in this potential field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sukantha Dey
- Department of Chemistry, Ashoka University, Sonipat, Haryana 131029, India
| | - Rohit Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, Ashoka University, Sonipat, Haryana 131029, India
| | - Rajkumar Mishra
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, S.A.S. Nagar (Mohali) 160062, India
| | - Santu Bera
- Department of Chemistry, Ashoka University, Sonipat, Haryana 131029, India.
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24
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Wang L, Solin N. Valorization of Protein Materials Through Mechanochemistry and Self-Assembly. Chempluschem 2024; 89:e202400512. [PMID: 39239834 DOI: 10.1002/cplu.202400512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2024] [Revised: 09/04/2024] [Accepted: 09/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024]
Abstract
The concept of combining mixing of solids by milling (a type of mechanochemistry) with aqueous self-assembly provides interesting possibilities for energy efficient production of advanced nanomaterials. Many proteins are outstanding building blocks for self-assembly, a prominent example being the conversion of proteins into protein nanofibrils (PNFs) - a structure related to amyloid fibrils. PNFs have attractive mechanical properties and have a tendency to form ordered materials. They are accordingly of interest as materials for bioplastics and potentially also for more high-tech applications. In this concept article we highlight our effort on valorization of such proteins with hydrophobic organic compounds such an organic dyes and drug molecules, by developing scalable methodology combining mechanochemistry and self-assembly. Compared to more established methodology, mechanochemical methodology is a valuable complement as it allows potential scalable production of hybrids between e. g. proteins and highly hydrophobic compounds - a class of hybrid material that is difficult to access by other means. This may allow for development of sustainable processes for fabrication of advanced protein-based materials derivable from renewable source materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Wang
- School of Chemical Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, 525000, Maoming, China
| | - Niclas Solin
- Electronic and Photonic Materials, Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, Linköping University, SE-58183, Linköping, Sweden
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25
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Sulyok-Eiler M, Harmat V, Perczel A. Unravelling the Complexity of Amyloid Peptide Core Interfaces. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:8628-8640. [PMID: 39473194 PMCID: PMC11600497 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.4c01479] [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] [Received: 08/16/2024] [Revised: 10/07/2024] [Accepted: 10/14/2024] [Indexed: 11/26/2024]
Abstract
Amyloids, large intermolecular sandwiched β-sheet structures, underlie several protein misfolding diseases but have also been shown to have functional roles and can be a basis for designing smart and responsive nanomaterials. Short segments of proteins, called aggregation-prone regions (APRs), have been identified that nucleate amyloid formation. Here we present the database of 173 APR crystal structures currently available in the PDB, and a tool, ACW, for analyzing their topologies and the 267 inter-β-sheet interfaces of zipper regions assigned in these structures. We defined a new descriptor of zipper interfaces, the surface detail index (SDi), which quantifies the intertwining between the side chains of both β-sheets of the zipper, an important factor for the molecular recognition and self-assembly of these mesostructures. This allowed a comparative analysis of the zipper interfaces and identification of 6 clusters with different intertwining, steric fit, and size characteristics using three complementary descriptors, SDi, shape complementarity, and buried surface area. 60% of the APR structures are formed by parallel β-sheets, of which 52% belong to the topological class 1. This could be explained by the better fit and a deeper entanglement of the zipper regions of the parallel structures than of the antiparallel structures, as the analysis showed that both their shape complementarity (0.79 vs 0.70) and SDi (1.53 vs 1.32) were higher. The higher abundance of certain residues (Asn and Gln in parallel and Leu and Ala in antiparallel β-sheets) can be explained by their ability to form different ladder-like secondary interaction patterns within β-sheets. Analogous to the hierarchy of protein structure, we interpreted the primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structure levels of APRs revealing different characteristics of the zipper regions for both parallel and antiparallel β-sheet structures, which may provide clues to the structural conditions of amyloid core formation and the rational design of amyloid polymorphs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Máté Sulyok-Eiler
- Laboratory
of Structural Chemistry and Biology, Institute of Chemistry, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. stny. 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
- Hevesy
György PhD School of Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. stny. 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Veronika Harmat
- Laboratory
of Structural Chemistry and Biology, Institute of Chemistry, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. stny. 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
- HUN-REN-ELTE
Protein Modeling Research Group, Hungarian
Research Network, Pázmány
P. stny. 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - András Perczel
- Medicinal
Chemistry Research Group, HUN-REN Research
Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar Tudósok Körútja 2, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
- Laboratory
of Structural Chemistry and Biology, Institute of Chemistry, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. stny. 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
- HUN-REN-ELTE
Protein Modeling Research Group, Hungarian
Research Network, Pázmány
P. stny. 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
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26
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Dey A, Naranjo E, Saha R, Zhang S, Nair MN, Li TD, Chen X, Ulijn RV. Water-Vapor Responsive Metallo-Peptide Nanofibers. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202409391. [PMID: 39137360 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202409391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2024] [Revised: 08/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
Short peptides are versatile molecules for the construction of supramolecular materials. Most reported peptide materials are hydrophobic, stiff, and show limited response to environmental conditions in the solid-state. Herein, we describe a design strategy for minimalistic supramolecular metallo-peptide nanofibers that, depending on their sequence, change stiffness, or reversibly assemble in the solid-state, in response to changes in relative humidity (RH). We tested a series of histidine (H) containing dipeptides with varying hydrophobicity, XH, where X is G, A, L, Y (glycine, alanine, leucine, and tyrosine). The one-dimensional fiber formation is supported by metal coordination and dynamic H-bonds. Solvent conditions were identified where GH/Zn and AH/Zn formed gels that upon air-drying gave rise to nanofibers. Upon exposure of the nanofiber networks to increasing RH, a reduction in stiffness was observed with GH/Zn fibers reversibly (dis-)assembled at 60-70 % RH driven by a rebalancing of hydrogen bonding interactions between peptides and water. When these metallo-peptide nanofibers were deposited on the surface of polyimide films and exposed to varying RH, peptide/water-vapor interactions in the solid-state mechanically transferred to the polymer film, leading to the rapid and reversible folding-unfolding of the films, thus demonstrating RH-responsive actuation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avishek Dey
- Nanoscience Initiative at Advanced Science Research Center of the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York, 10031, USA
| | - Elma Naranjo
- Nanoscience Initiative at Advanced Science Research Center of the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York, 10031, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The City College of New York, 275 Convent Ave, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Ranajit Saha
- Department of Chemistry, Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, 736101, India
| | - Sheng Zhang
- Nanoscience Initiative at Advanced Science Research Center of the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York, 10031, USA
| | - Maya Narayanan Nair
- Nanoscience Initiative at Advanced Science Research Center of the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York, 10031, USA
| | - Tai-De Li
- Nanoscience Initiative at Advanced Science Research Center of the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York, 10031, USA
- Department of Physics, City College of New York of City, University of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Xi Chen
- Nanoscience Initiative at Advanced Science Research Center of the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York, 10031, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The City College of New York, 275 Convent Ave, New York, NY 10031, USA
- Ph.D. Program in Physics, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 5th Ave, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Ph.D. Program in Chemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 5th Ave, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Rein V Ulijn
- Nanoscience Initiative at Advanced Science Research Center of the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York, 10031, USA
- Department of Chemistry Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, New York, 10065, USA
- Ph.D. Program in Chemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 5th Ave, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Ph.D. Program in Biochemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 5th Ave, New York, NY 10016, USA
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27
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Mohammad Karim A. Principles and Biomedical Applications of Self-Assembled Peptides: Potential Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:1442. [PMID: 39598565 PMCID: PMC11597675 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16111442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2024] [Revised: 11/08/2024] [Accepted: 11/10/2024] [Indexed: 11/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is the most prevalent metabolic disorder worldwide. There have been tremendous efforts to find a safe and prolonged effective therapy for its treatment. Peptide hormones, from certain organisms in the human body, as the pharmaceutical agents, have shown outstanding profiles of efficacy and safety in plasma glucose regulation. Their therapeutic promises have undergone intensive investigations via examining their physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties. Their major drawback is their short half-life in vivo. To address this challenge, researchers have recently started to apply the state-of-the-art molecular self-assembly on peptide hormones to form nanofibrillar structures, as a smart nanotherapeutic drug delivery technique, to tremendously enhance their prolonged bioactivity in vivo. This revolutionary therapeutic approach would significantly improve patient compliance. First, this review provides a comprehensive summary on the pathophysiology of T2DM, various efforts to treat this chronic disorder, and the limitations and drawbacks of these treatment approaches. Next, this review lays out detailed insights on various aspects of peptide self-assembly: adverse effects, potential applications in nanobiotechnology, thermodynamics and kinetics of the process, as well as the molecular structures of the self-assembled configurations. Furthermore, this review elucidates the recent efforts on applying reversible human-derived peptide self-assembly to generate highly organized smart nanostructured drug formulations known as nanofibrils to regulate and prolong the bioactivity of the human gut hormone peptides in vivo to treat T2DM. Finally, this review highlights the future research directions to advance the knowledge on the state-of-the-art peptide self-assembly process to apply the revolutionary smart nanotherapeutics for treatment of chronic disorders such as T2DM with highly improved patient compliance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Mohammad Karim
- Nanoscience Centre, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, 11 J. J. Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0FF, UK
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28
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Wang Y, Liao Y, Zhang YJ, Wu XH, Qiao ZY, Wang H. Self-Assembled Peptide with Morphological Structure for Bioapplication. Biomacromolecules 2024; 25:6367-6394. [PMID: 39297513 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.4c01179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2024]
Abstract
Peptide materials, such as self-assembled peptide materials, are very important biomaterials. Driven by multiple interaction forces, peptide molecules can self-assemble into a variety of different macroscopic forms with different properties and functions. In recent years, the research on self-assembled peptides has made great progress from laboratory design to clinical application. This review focuses on the different morphologies, including nanoparticles, nanovesicles, nanotubes, nanofibers, and others, formed by self-assembled peptide. The mechanisms and applications of the morphology transformation are also discussed in this paper, and the future direction of self-assembled nanomaterials is envisioned.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Wang
- Henan Institute of Advanced Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, P. R. China
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), No.11 Beiyitiao, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
| | - Yusi Liao
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), No.11 Beiyitiao, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of Regenerative Medicine and Medical BioResource Development and Application Co-constructed by the Province and Ministry, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, P. R. China
| | - Ying-Jin Zhang
- Henan Institute of Advanced Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, P. R. China
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), No.11 Beiyitiao, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
| | - Xiu-Hai Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), No.11 Beiyitiao, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, No. 150 Haping Road, Nangang District, Harbin150081, P. R. China
| | - Zeng-Ying Qiao
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), No.11 Beiyitiao, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
| | - Hao Wang
- Henan Institute of Advanced Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, P. R. China
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), No.11 Beiyitiao, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of Regenerative Medicine and Medical BioResource Development and Application Co-constructed by the Province and Ministry, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, P. R. China
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29
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Kihal N, Archambault MJ, Babych M, Nazemi A, Bourgault S. Probing the molecular determinants of the activation of toll-like receptor 2/6 by amyloid nanostructures through directed peptide self-assembly. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:7821-7831. [PMID: 39225438 DOI: 10.1039/d4sm00638k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Amyloid fibrils are proteinaceous nanostructures known for their ability to activate the innate immune system, which has been recently exploited for their use as self-adjuvanted antigen delivery systems for vaccines. Among mechanisms of immunostimulation, the activation of the heterodimeric toll-like receptor 2/6 (TLR2/TLR6) by the cross-β-sheet quaternary conformation appears important. Nonetheless, the lack of control over the process of self-assembly and the polydispersity of the resulting supramolecular architectures make it challenging to elucidate the molecular basis of TLR2/TLR6 engagement by amyloid assemblies. In this context, we harnessed the effects of N- and C-terminal modifications of a short 10-mer β-peptide derived from the islet amyloid polypeptide (I10) to investigate the relationships between the morphology and physicochemical properties of amyloid assemblies and their TLR2/TLR6 activity. Chemical substitutions at the N- and C-termini of the I10 peptide, including addition of charged residues at the N-terminus and α-amidation of C-terminus, allowed the controlled formation of a diversity of architectures, including belt-like filaments, rigid nanorods as well as flat and twisted fibrils. These fully cytocompatible peptide nanostructures showed different potencies to activate TLR2/TLR6, which correlated with the charge exposed on the surface. These results further demonstrate the potent modulatory effect of N- and C-terminal electrostatic capping on the self-assembly of short synthetic β-peptides. This study also indicates that self-assembly into cross-β-sheet nanostructures is essential for the activation of the TLR2/TLR6 by amyloidogenic peptides, albeit the structural requirements of the engagement of this promiscuous immune receptor by the nanostructures remain challenging to precisely untangle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadjib Kihal
- Department of Chemistry, Université du Québec à Montréal. C.P.8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, H3C 3P8, Canada.
- Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications (PROTEO), Québec, Canada
- Quebec Centre for Advanced Materials, QCAM, Montreal, Canada
| | - Marie-Jeanne Archambault
- Department of Chemistry, Université du Québec à Montréal. C.P.8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, H3C 3P8, Canada.
- Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications (PROTEO), Québec, Canada
| | - Margaryta Babych
- Department of Chemistry, Université du Québec à Montréal. C.P.8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, H3C 3P8, Canada.
- Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications (PROTEO), Québec, Canada
| | - Ali Nazemi
- Department of Chemistry, Université du Québec à Montréal. C.P.8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, H3C 3P8, Canada.
- Quebec Centre for Advanced Materials, QCAM, Montreal, Canada
| | - Steve Bourgault
- Department of Chemistry, Université du Québec à Montréal. C.P.8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, H3C 3P8, Canada.
- Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering and Applications (PROTEO), Québec, Canada
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30
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Olsen WP, Courtade G, Peña‐Díaz S, Nagaraj M, Sønderby TV, Mulder FAA, Malle MG, Otzen DE. CsgA gatekeeper residues control nucleation but not stability of functional amyloid. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e5178. [PMID: 39302107 PMCID: PMC11414021 DOI: 10.1002/pro.5178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Revised: 08/16/2024] [Accepted: 09/04/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024]
Abstract
Functional amyloids, beneficial to the organism producing them, are found throughout life, from bacteria to humans. While disease-related amyloids form by uncontrolled aggregation, the fibrillation of functional amyloid is regulated by complex cellular machinery and optimized sequences, including so-called gatekeeper residues such as Asp. However, the molecular basis for this regulation remains unclear. Here we investigate how the introduction of additional gatekeeper residues affects fibril formation and stability in the functional amyloid CsgA from E. coli. Step-wise introduction of additional Asp gatekeepers gradually eliminated fibrillation unless preformed fibrils were added, illustrating that gatekeepers mainly affect nucleus formation. Once formed, the mutant CsgA fibrils were just as stable as wild-type CsgA. HSQC NMR spectra confirmed that CsgA is intrinsically disordered, and that the introduction of gatekeeper residues does not alter this ensemble. NMR-based Dark-state Exchange Saturation Transfer (DEST) experiments on the different CsgA variants, however, show a decrease in transient interactions between monomeric states and the fibrils, highlighting a critical role for these interactions in the fibrillation process. We conclude that gatekeeper residues affect fibrillation kinetics without compromising structural integrity, making them useful and selective modulators of fibril properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- William P. Olsen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO)Aarhus UniversityAarhus CDenmark
- Sino‐Danish College (SDC)University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Gaston Courtade
- Norwegian Biopolymer Laboratory (NOBIPOL), Department of Biotechnology and Food ScienceNTNU Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyTrondheimNorway
| | - Samuel Peña‐Díaz
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO)Aarhus UniversityAarhus CDenmark
| | - Madhu Nagaraj
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO)Aarhus UniversityAarhus CDenmark
| | | | - Frans A. A. Mulder
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO)Aarhus UniversityAarhus CDenmark
- Institute of BiochemistryJohannes Kepler UniversityLinzAustria
- Department of ChemistryAarhus UniversityAarhus CDenmark
| | - Mette G. Malle
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO)Aarhus UniversityAarhus CDenmark
| | - Daniel E. Otzen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO)Aarhus UniversityAarhus CDenmark
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31
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Zalewski M, Iglesias V, Bárcenas O, Ventura S, Kmiecik S. Aggrescan4D: A comprehensive tool for pH-dependent analysis and engineering of protein aggregation propensity. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e5180. [PMID: 39324697 PMCID: PMC11425640 DOI: 10.1002/pro.5180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2024] [Revised: 09/03/2024] [Accepted: 09/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/27/2024]
Abstract
Aggrescan4D (A4D) is an advanced computational tool designed for predicting protein aggregation, leveraging structural information and the influence of pH. Building upon its predecessor, Aggrescan3D (A3D), A4D has undergone numerous enhancements aimed at assisting the improvement of protein solubility. This manuscript reviews A4D's updated functionalities and explains the fundamental principles behind its pH-dependent calculations. Additionally, it presents an antibody case study to evaluate its performance in comparison with other structure-based predictors. Notably, A4D integrates advanced protein engineering protocols with pH-dependent calculations, enhancing its utility in advising solubility-enhancing mutations. A4D considers the impact of structural flexibility on aggregation propensities, and includes a large set of precalculated predictions. These capabilities should help to open new avenues for both understanding and managing protein aggregation. A4D is accessible through a dedicated web server at https://biocomp.chem.uw.edu.pl/a4d/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateusz Zalewski
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biological and Chemical Research Center, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Valentin Iglesias
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Clinical Research Centre, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland
| | - Oriol Bárcenas
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC), CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Salvador Ventura
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Hospital Universitari Parc Taulí, Institut d'Investigació i Innovació Parc Taulí (I3PT-CERCA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Sabadell, Spain
| | - Sebastian Kmiecik
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biological and Chemical Research Center, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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32
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Manrique PD, Huo FY, El Oud S, Johnson NF. Non-equilibrium physics of multi-species assembly applied to fibrils inhibition in biomolecular condensates and growth of online distrust. Sci Rep 2024; 14:21911. [PMID: 39300202 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-72538-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 09/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Self-assembly is a key process in living systems-from the microscopic biological level (e.g. assembly of proteins into fibrils within biomolecular condensates in a human cell) through to the macroscopic societal level (e.g. assembly of humans into common-interest communities across online social media platforms). The components in such systems (e.g. macromolecules, humans) are highly diverse, and so are the self-assembled structures that they form. However, there is no simple theory of how such structures assemble from a multi-species pool of components. Here we provide a very simple model which trades myriad chemical and human details for a transparent analysis, and yields results in good agreement with recent empirical data. It reveals a new inhibitory role for biomolecular condensates in the formation of dangerous amyloid fibrils, as well as a kinetic explanation of why so many diverse distrust movements are now emerging across social media. The nonlinear dependencies that we uncover suggest new real-world control strategies for such multi-species assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro D Manrique
- Physics Department, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA.
| | - Frank Yingjie Huo
- Physics Department, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
| | - Sara El Oud
- Physics Department, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
| | - Neil F Johnson
- Physics Department, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
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33
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Dürvanger Z, Bencs F, Menyhárd DK, Horváth D, Perczel A. Solvent induced amyloid polymorphism and the uncovering of the elusive class 3 amyloid topology. Commun Biol 2024; 7:968. [PMID: 39122990 PMCID: PMC11316126 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06621-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Aggregation-prone-motifs (APRs) of proteins are short segments, which - as isolated peptides - form diverse amyloid-like crystals. We introduce two APRs - designed variants of the incretin mimetic Exendin-4 - that both display crystal-phase polymorphism. Crystallographic and spectroscopic analysis revealed that a single amino-acid substitution can greatly reduce topological variability: while LYIQWL can form both parallel and anti-parallel β-sheets, LYIQNL selects only the former. We also found that the parallel/anti-parallel switch of LYIQWL can be induced by simply changing the crystallization temperature. One crystal form of LYIQNL was found to belong to the class 3 topology, an arrangement previously not encountered among proteinogenic systems. We also show that subtle environmental changes lead to crystalline assemblies with different topologies, but similar interfaces. Spectroscopic measurements showed that polymorphism is already apparent in the solution state. Our results suggest that the temperature-, sequence- and environmental sensitivity of physiological amyloids is reflected in assemblies of the APR segments, which, complete with the new class 3 crystal form, effectively sample all the originally proposed basic topologies of amyloid-like aggregates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsolt Dürvanger
- Laboratory of Structural Chemistry and Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary
- HUN-REN-ELTE Protein Modeling Research Group, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Fruzsina Bencs
- Laboratory of Structural Chemistry and Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary
- Hevesy György PhD School of Chemistry, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dóra K Menyhárd
- Laboratory of Structural Chemistry and Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary
- HUN-REN-ELTE Protein Modeling Research Group, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dániel Horváth
- Laboratory of Structural Chemistry and Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary
- HUN-REN-ELTE Protein Modeling Research Group, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - András Perczel
- Laboratory of Structural Chemistry and Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary.
- HUN-REN-ELTE Protein Modeling Research Group, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary.
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34
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Ray D, Madani M, Dhont JKG, Platten F, Kang K. The Effects of Electric Fields on Protein Phase Behavior and Protein Crystallization Kinetics. J Phys Chem Lett 2024; 15:8108-8113. [PMID: 39087873 PMCID: PMC11318033 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c01744] [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] [Received: 06/12/2024] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
We experimentally studied the effects of an externally applied electric field on protein crystallization and liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and its crystallization kinetics. For a surprisingly weak alternating current (AC) electric field, crystallization was found to occur in a wider region of the phase diagram, while nucleation induction times were reduced, and crystal growth rates were enhanced. LLPS on the contrary was suppressed, which diminishes the tendency for a two-step crystallization scenario. The effect of the electric field is ascribed to a change in the protein-protein interaction potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Ray
- Institute
of Biological Information Processing IBI-4, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany
- Solid
State Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research
Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400085, India
| | - M. Madani
- Faculty
of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich
Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - J. K. G. Dhont
- Institute
of Biological Information Processing IBI-4, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany
- Faculty
of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich
Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - F. Platten
- Institute
of Biological Information Processing IBI-4, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany
- Faculty
of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich
Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - K. Kang
- Institute
of Biological Information Processing IBI-4, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany
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35
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Majka Z, Kwiecień K, Kaczor A. Vibrational Optical Activity of Amyloid Fibrils. Chempluschem 2024; 89:e202400091. [PMID: 38421108 DOI: 10.1002/cplu.202400091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Amyloid fibrils are supramolecular systems showing distinct chirality at different levels of their complex multilayered architectures. Due to the regular long-range chiral organization, amyloid fibrils exhibit the most intense Vibrational Optical Activity (VOA) signal observed up to now, making VOA techniques: Vibrational Circular Dichroism (VCD) and Raman Optical Activity (ROA) very promising tools to explore their structures, handedness and intricate polymorphism. This concept article reviews up-to-date experimental studies on VOA applications to investigate amyloid fibrils highlighting its future potential in analyzing of these unique supramolecular systems, in particular in the context of biomedicine and nanotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuzanna Majka
- Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, 2 Gronostajowa Str., 30-387, Krakow, Poland
| | - Karolina Kwiecień
- Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, 2 Gronostajowa Str., 30-387, Krakow, Poland
- Jagiellonian University, Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Prof. St. Łojasiewicza 11 Str., Krakow, Poland
- Łukasiewicz Research Network-Institute of Microelectronics and Photonics, 39 Zabłocie Str., 30-701, Krakow, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Kaczor
- Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, 2 Gronostajowa Str., 30-387, Krakow, Poland
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36
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Akbarian M, Kianpour M, Tayebi L. Fabricating Multiphasic Angiogenic Scaffolds Using Amyloid/Roxadustat-Assisted High-Temperature Protein Printing. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:36983-37006. [PMID: 38953207 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c06207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/03/2024]
Abstract
Repairing multiphasic defects is cumbersome. This study presents new soft and hard scaffold designs aimed at facilitating the regeneration of multiphasic defects by enhancing angiogenesis and improving cell attachment. Here, the nonimmunogenic, nontoxic, and cost-effective human serum albumin (HSA) fibril (HSA-F) was used to fabricate thermostable (up to 90 °C) and hard printable polymers. Additionally, using a 10.0 mg/mL HSA-F, an innovative hydrogel was synthesized in a mixture with 2.0% chitosan-conjugated arginine, which can gel in a cell-friendly and pH physiological environment (pH 7.4). The presence of HSA-F in both hard and soft scaffolds led to an increase in significant attachment of the scaffolds to the human periodontal ligament fibroblast (PDLF), human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC), and human osteoblast. Further studies showed that migration (up to 157%), proliferation (up to 400%), and metabolism (up to 210%) of these cells have also improved in the direction of tissue repair. By examining different in vitro and ex ovo experiments, we observed that the final multiphasic scaffold can increase blood vessel density in the process of per-vascularization as well as angiogenesis. By providing a coculture environment including PDLF and HUVEC, important cross-talk between these two cells prevails in the presence of roxadustat drug, a proangiogenic in this study. In vitro and ex ovo results demonstrated significant enhancements in the angiogenic response and cell attachment, indicating the effectiveness of the proposed design. This approach holds promise for the regeneration of complex tissue defects by providing a conducive environment for vascularization and cellular integration, thus promoting tissue healing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Akbarian
- Marquette University School of Dentistry, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53233, United States
| | - Maryam Kianpour
- Marquette University School of Dentistry, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53233, United States
| | - Lobat Tayebi
- Marquette University School of Dentistry, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53233, United States
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37
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Behbahanipour M, Navarro S, Bárcenas O, Garcia-Pardo J, Ventura S. Bioengineered self-assembled nanofibrils for high-affinity SARS-CoV-2 capture and neutralization. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 674:753-765. [PMID: 38955007 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.06.175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
The recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spurred intense research efforts to develop new materials with antiviral activity. In this study, we genetically engineered amyloid-based nanofibrils for capturing and neutralizing SARS-CoV-2. Building upon the amyloid properties of a short Sup35 yeast prion sequence, we fused it to SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) capturing proteins, LCB1 and LCB3. By tuning the reaction conditions, we achieved the spontaneous self-assembly of the Sup35-LCB1 fusion protein into a highly homogeneous and well-dispersed amyloid-like fibrillar material. These nanofibrils exhibited high affinity for the SARS-CoV-2 RBD, effectively inhibiting its interaction with the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, the primary entry point for the virus into host cells. We further demonstrate that this functional nanomaterial entraps and neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 virus-like particles (VLPs), with a potency comparable to that of therapeutic antibodies. As a proof of concept, we successfully fabricated patterned surfaces that selectively capture SARS-CoV-2 RBD protein on wet environments. Collectively, these findings suggest that these protein-only nanofibrils hold promise as disinfecting coatings endowed with selective SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing properties to combat viral spread or in the development of sensitive viral sampling and diagnostic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molood Behbahanipour
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina (IBB) and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain.
| | - Susanna Navarro
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina (IBB) and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain.
| | - Oriol Bárcenas
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina (IBB) and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain.
| | - Javier Garcia-Pardo
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina (IBB) and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain.
| | - Salvador Ventura
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina (IBB) and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain.
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38
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Mukherjee N, Ghosh S, Roy R, Mukherjee D, Sen S, Nandi D, Sarkar J, Ghosh S. Extracellular Matrix Mimicking Wound Microenvironment Responsive Amyloid-Heparin@TA AgNP Co-Assembled Hydrogel: An Effective Conductive Antibacterial Wound Healing Material. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:30929-30957. [PMID: 38832934 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c05559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Bioengineered composite hydrogel platforms made of a supramolecular coassembly have recently garnered significant attention as promising biomaterial-based healthcare therapeutics. The mechanical durability of amyloids, in conjunction with the structured charged framework rendered by biologically abundant key ECM component glycosaminoglycan, enables us to design minimalistic customized biomaterial suited for stimuli responsive therapy. In this study, by harnessing the heparin sulfate-binding aptitude of amyloid fibrils, we have constructed a pH-responsive extracellular matrix (ECM) mimicking hydrogel matrix. This effective biocompatible platform comprising heparin sulfate-amyloid coassembled hydrogel embedded with polyphenol functionalized silver nanoparticles not only provide a native skin ECM-like conductive environment but also provide wound-microenvironment responsive on-demand superior antibacterial efficacy for effective diabetic wound healing. Interestingly, both the cytocompatibility and antibacterial properties of this bioinspired matrix can be fine-tuned by controlling the mutual ratio of heparin sulfate-amyloid and incubated silver nanoparticle components, respectively. The designed biomaterial platform exhibits notable effectiveness in the treatment of chronic hyperglycemic wounds infected with multidrug-resistant bacteria, because of the integration of pH-responsive release characteristics of the incubated functionalized AgNP and the antibacterial amyloid fibrils. In addition to this, the aforementioned assemblage shows exceptional hemocompatibility with significant antibiofilm and antioxidant characteristics. Histological evidence of the incised skin tissue sections indicates that the fabricated composite hydrogel is also effective in controlling pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL6 and TNFα expressions at the wound vicinity with significant upregulation of angiogenesis markers like CD31 and α-SMA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nabanita Mukherjee
- Smart Healthcare, Interdisciplinary Research Division, Indian Institute of Technology-Jodhpur, NH 62, Surpura Bypass Road, Karwar, Rajasthan 342030, India
| | - Satyajit Ghosh
- Department of Bioscience & Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology-Jodhpur, NH 62, Surpura Bypass Road, Karwar, Rajasthan 342030, India
| | - Rajsekhar Roy
- Department of Bioscience & Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology-Jodhpur, NH 62, Surpura Bypass Road, Karwar, Rajasthan 342030, India
| | - Dipro Mukherjee
- Department of Bioscience & Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology-Jodhpur, NH 62, Surpura Bypass Road, Karwar, Rajasthan 342030, India
| | - Samya Sen
- iHUB Drishti Foundation, Indian Institute of Technology-Jodhpur, NH 62, Surpura Bypass Road, Karwar, Rajasthan 342030, India
| | - Debasmita Nandi
- Department of Bioscience & Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology-Jodhpur, NH 62, Surpura Bypass Road, Karwar, Rajasthan 342030, India
| | - Jayita Sarkar
- Centre for Research and Development for Scientific Instruments, Indian Institute of Technology-Jodhpur, NH 62, Surpura Bypass Road, Karwar, Rajasthan 342030, India
| | - Surajit Ghosh
- Smart Healthcare, Interdisciplinary Research Division, Indian Institute of Technology-Jodhpur, NH 62, Surpura Bypass Road, Karwar, Rajasthan 342030, India
- Department of Bioscience & Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology-Jodhpur, NH 62, Surpura Bypass Road, Karwar, Rajasthan 342030, India
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39
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Arghavani P, Behjati Hosseini S, Moosavi-Movahedi F, Karami S, Edrisi M, Azadi M, Azadarmaki S, Moosavi-Movahedi AA. In Situ Nanoencapsulation of Curcumin in Soy Protein Isolate Amyloid-like Aggregates for Enhanced Wound Healing. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:30997-31010. [PMID: 38838270 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c06972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
The importance of amyloid nanofibrils made from food proteins is rising in diverse fields, such as biomedicine and food science. These protein nanofibrils (PNFs) serve as versatile and sustainable building blocks for biomaterials, characterized by their high β-sheet content and an ordered hydrogen bond network. These properties offer both stability and flexibility, along with an extreme aspect ratio and reactive functional groups. Plant-derived amyloid nanofibrils, such as soy protein isolate (SPI) PNFs, are increasingly favored due to their affordability and sustainability compared with animal proteins. This study aimed to explore the formation and application of SPI amyloid-like aggregates (SPIA) and their nanoencapsulation of curcumin (Cur) for biomedical purposes, particularly in wound healing. Under specific conditions of low pH and high temperature, SPIA formed, exhibited an amyloid nature, and successfully encapsulated Cur, thereby enhancing its stability and availability. Spectroscopic and microscopic analyses confirmed structural changes in SPIA upon the incorporation of Cur and the fabrication of SPIA@Cur. The obtained results indicate that in the presence of Cur, SPIA forms faster, attributed to accelerated SPI denaturation, an increased nucleation rate, and enhanced self-assembly facilitated by Cur's hydrophobic interactions and π-π stacking with SPI peptides. In vitro studies demonstrated the biocompatibility, biodegradability, and antioxidant properties of SPIA@Cur along with controlled release behavior. In vivo experiments in male Wistar rats revealed that both SPIA and SPIA@Cur significantly accelerate wound closure compared with untreated wounds, with SPIA@Cur showing slightly better efficacy. The histological analysis supported enhanced wound healing, indicating the potential of SPIA@Cur for biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Payam Arghavani
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran 1417466191, Iran
| | | | | | - Shima Karami
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran 1417466191, Iran
| | - Mohammad Edrisi
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran 1417466191, Iran
| | - Mohadeseh Azadi
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran 1417466191, Iran
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40
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Monteiro C, Gomes MC, Bharmoria P, Freire MG, Coutinho JA, Custódio CA, Mano JF. Human Platelet Lysate-Derived Nanofibrils as Building Blocks to Produce Free-Standing Membranes for Cell Self-Aggregation. ACS NANO 2024; 18:15815-15830. [PMID: 38833572 PMCID: PMC11191744 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c02790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Amyloid-like fibrils are garnering keen interest in biotechnology as supramolecular nanofunctional units to be used as biomimetic platforms to control cell behavior. Recent insights into fibril functionality have highlighted their importance in tissue structure, mechanical properties, and improved cell adhesion, emphasizing the need for scalable and high-kinetics fibril synthesis. In this study, we present the instantaneous and bulk formation of amyloid-like nanofibrils from human platelet lysate (PL) using the ionic liquid cholinium tosylate as a fibrillating agent. The instant fibrillation of PL proteins upon supramolecular protein-ionic liquid interactions was confirmed from the protein conformational transition toward cross-β-sheet-rich structures. These nanofibrils were utilized as building blocks for the formation of thin and flexible free-standing membranes via solvent casting to support cell self-aggregation. These PL-derived fibril membranes reveal a nanotopographically rough surface and high stability over 14 days under cell culture conditions. The culture of mesenchymal stem cells or tumor cells on the top of the membrane demonstrated that cells are able to adhere and self-organize in a three-dimensional (3D) spheroid-like microtissue while tightly folding the fibril membrane. Results suggest that nanofibril membrane incorporation in cell aggregates can improve cell viability and metabolic activity, recreating native tissues' organization. Altogether, these PL-derived nanofibril membranes are suitable bioactive platforms to generate 3D cell-guided microtissues, which can be explored as bottom-up strategies to faithfully emulate native tissues in a fully human microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cátia
F. Monteiro
- CICECO − Aveiro Institute
of Materials, Department of Chemistry, University
of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro 3810-193, Portugal
| | - Maria C. Gomes
- CICECO − Aveiro Institute
of Materials, Department of Chemistry, University
of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro 3810-193, Portugal
| | | | - Mara G. Freire
- CICECO − Aveiro Institute
of Materials, Department of Chemistry, University
of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro 3810-193, Portugal
| | - João A.
P. Coutinho
- CICECO − Aveiro Institute
of Materials, Department of Chemistry, University
of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro 3810-193, Portugal
| | - Catarina A. Custódio
- CICECO − Aveiro Institute
of Materials, Department of Chemistry, University
of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro 3810-193, Portugal
| | - João F. Mano
- CICECO − Aveiro Institute
of Materials, Department of Chemistry, University
of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro 3810-193, Portugal
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41
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Ren H, Chen H, Kang Y, Liu W, Liu Y, Tao F, Miao S, Zhang Y, Liu Q, Dong M, Liu Y, Liu B, Yang P. Non-fibril amyloid aggregation at the air/water interface: self-adaptive pathway resulting in a 2D Janus nanofilm. Chem Sci 2024; 15:8946-8958. [PMID: 38873054 PMCID: PMC11168098 DOI: 10.1039/d4sc00560k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
The amyloid states of proteins are implicated in several neurodegenerative diseases and bioadhesion processes. However, the classical amyloid fibrillization mechanism fails to adequately explain the formation of polymorphic aggregates and their adhesion to various surfaces. Herein, we report a non-fibril amyloid aggregation pathway, with disulfide-bond-reduced lysozyme (R-Lyz) as a model protein under quasi-physiological conditions. Very different from classical fibrillization, this pathway begins with the air-water interface (AWI) accelerated oligomerization of unfolded full-length protein, resulting in unique plate-like oligomers with self-adaptive ability, which can adjust their conformations to match various interfaces such as the asymmetric AWI and amyloid-protein film surface. The pathway enables a stepwise packing of the plate-like oligomers into a 2D Janus nanofilm, exhibiting a divergent distribution of hydrophilic/hydrophobic residues on opposite sides of the nanofilm. The resulting Janus nanofilm possesses a top-level Young's modulus (8.3 ± 0.6 GPa) among amyloid-based materials and exhibits adhesive strength two times higher (145 ± 81 kPa) than that of barnacle cement. Furthermore, we found that such an interface-directed pathway exists in several amyloidogenic proteins with a similar self-adaptive 2D-aggregation process, including bovine serum albumin, insulin, fibrinogen, hemoglobin, lactoferrin, and ovalbumin. Thus, our findings on the non-fibril self-adaptive mechanism for amyloid aggregation may shed light on polymorphic amyloid assembly and their adhesions through an alternative pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Ren
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, Xi'an Key Laboratory of Polymeric Soft Matter, International Joint Research Center on Functional Fiber and Soft Smart Textile, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University Xi'an 710119 China
| | - Huan Chen
- First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an 710061 China
| | - Yu Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences Changchun 130022 China
| | - Wei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, Xi'an Key Laboratory of Polymeric Soft Matter, International Joint Research Center on Functional Fiber and Soft Smart Textile, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University Xi'an 710119 China
| | - Yongchun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, Xi'an Key Laboratory of Polymeric Soft Matter, International Joint Research Center on Functional Fiber and Soft Smart Textile, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University Xi'an 710119 China
| | - Fei Tao
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, Xi'an Key Laboratory of Polymeric Soft Matter, International Joint Research Center on Functional Fiber and Soft Smart Textile, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University Xi'an 710119 China
| | - Shuting Miao
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, Xi'an Key Laboratory of Polymeric Soft Matter, International Joint Research Center on Functional Fiber and Soft Smart Textile, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University Xi'an 710119 China
| | - Yingying Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, Xi'an Key Laboratory of Polymeric Soft Matter, International Joint Research Center on Functional Fiber and Soft Smart Textile, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University Xi'an 710119 China
| | - Qian Liu
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark
| | - Mingdong Dong
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark
| | - Yonggang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences Changchun 130022 China
| | - Bing Liu
- First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an 710061 China
| | - Peng Yang
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, Xi'an Key Laboratory of Polymeric Soft Matter, International Joint Research Center on Functional Fiber and Soft Smart Textile, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University Xi'an 710119 China
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42
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Peña-Díaz S, Olsen WP, Wang H, Otzen DE. Functional Amyloids: The Biomaterials of Tomorrow? ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2312823. [PMID: 38308110 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202312823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
Functional amyloid (FAs), particularly the bacterial proteins CsgA and FapC, have many useful properties as biomaterials: high stability, efficient, and controllable formation of a single type of amyloid, easy availability as extracellular material in bacterial biofilm and flexible engineering to introduce new properties. CsgA in particular has already demonstrated its worth in hydrogels for stable gastrointestinal colonization and regenerative tissue engineering, cell-specific drug release, water-purification filters, and different biosensors. It also holds promise as catalytic amyloid; existing weak and unspecific activity can undoubtedly be improved by targeted engineering and benefit from the repetitive display of active sites on a surface. Unfortunately, FapC remains largely unexplored and no application is described so far. Since FapC shares many common features with CsgA, this opens the window to its development as a functional scaffold. The multiple imperfect repeats in CsgA and FapC form a platform to introduce novel properties, e.g., in connecting linkers of variable lengths. While exploitation of this potential is still at an early stage, particularly for FapC, a thorough understanding of their molecular properties will pave the way for multifunctional fibrils which can contribute toward solving many different societal challenges, ranging from CO2 fixation to hydrolysis of plastic nanoparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Peña-Díaz
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus C, DK - 8000, Denmark
| | - William Pallisgaard Olsen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus C, DK - 8000, Denmark
| | - Huabing Wang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Enhanced Recovery after Surgery for Gastrointestinal Cancer, Clinical Laboratory Center, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Shuangyong Road 6, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Daniel E Otzen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus C, DK - 8000, Denmark
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Universitetsbyen 81, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark
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43
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Peydayesh M, Boschi E, Donat F, Mezzenga R. Gold Recovery from E-Waste by Food-Waste Amyloid Aerogels. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2310642. [PMID: 38262611 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202310642] [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: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Demand for gold recovery from e-waste grows steadily due to its pervasive use in the most diverse technical applications. Current methods of gold recovery are resource-intensive, necessitating the development of more efficient extraction materials. This study explores protein amyloid nanofibrils (AF) derived from whey, a dairy industry side-stream, as a novel adsorbent for gold recovery from e-waste. To do so, AF aerogels are prepared and assessed against gold adsorption capacity and selectivity over other metals present in waste electrical and electronic equipment (e-waste). The results demonstrate that AF aerogel has a remarkable gold adsorption capacity (166.7 mg g-1) and selectivity, making it efficient and an adsorbent for gold recovery. Moreover, AF aerogels are efficient templates to convert gold ions into single crystalline flakes due to Au growth along the (111) plane. When used as templates to recover gold from e-waste solutions obtained by dissolving computer motherboards in suitable solvents, the process yields high-purity gold nuggets, constituted by ≈90.8 wt% gold (21-22 carats), with trace amounts of other metals. Life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis of the process finally consolidate the potential of protein nanofibril aerogels from food side-streams as an environmentally friendly and economically viable approach for gold recovery from e-waste.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Peydayesh
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8092, Switzerland
| | - Enrico Boschi
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8092, Switzerland
- Laboratory for Cellulose & Wood Materials, Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Dübendorf, 8600, Switzerland
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, Frederiksberg C, 1871, Denmark
| | - Felix Donat
- Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zürich, Leonhardstrasse 21, Zürich, CH-8092, Switzerland
| | - Raffaele Mezzenga
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8092, Switzerland
- Department of Materials, ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8093, Switzerland
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Vijayakanth T, Dasgupta S, Ganatra P, Rencus-Lazar S, Desai AV, Nandi S, Jain R, Bera S, Nguyen AI, Gazit E, Misra R. Peptide hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks. Chem Soc Rev 2024; 53:3640-3655. [PMID: 38450536 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs00648d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Hydrogen-bonded porous frameworks (HPFs) are versatile porous crystalline frameworks with diverse applications. However, designing chiral assemblies or biocompatible materials poses significant challenges. Peptide-based hydrogen-bonded porous frameworks (P-HPFs) are an exciting alternative to conventional HPFs due to their intrinsic chirality, tunability, biocompatibility, and structural diversity. Flexible, ultra-short peptide-based P-HPFs (composed of 3 or fewer amino acids) exhibit adaptable porous topologies that can accommodate a variety of guest molecules and capture hazardous greenhouse gases. Longer, folded peptides present challenges and opportunities in designing P-HPFs. This review highlights recent developments in P-HPFs using ultra-short peptides, folded peptides, and foldamers, showcasing their utility for gas storage, chiral recognition, chiral separation, and medical applications. It also addresses design challenges and future directions in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thangavel Vijayakanth
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv-6997801, Israel.
| | - Sneha Dasgupta
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, S.A.S. Nagar (Mohali) 160062, India.
| | - Pragati Ganatra
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, USA.
| | - Sigal Rencus-Lazar
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv-6997801, Israel.
| | - Aamod V Desai
- School of Chemistry, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9ST, UK
| | - Shyamapada Nandi
- Chemistry Division, School of Advanced Sciences, Vellore Institute of Technology, 600127, Chennai, India
| | - Rahul Jain
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, S.A.S. Nagar (Mohali) 160062, India.
| | - Santu Bera
- Department of Chemistry, Ashoka University, Sonipat, Haryana 131029, India
| | - Andy I Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, USA.
| | - Ehud Gazit
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv-6997801, Israel.
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, 6997801 Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Rajkumar Misra
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, S.A.S. Nagar (Mohali) 160062, India.
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45
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Park SM, Yoon DK. Evaporation-induced self-assembly of liquid crystal biopolymers. MATERIALS HORIZONS 2024; 11:1843-1866. [PMID: 38375871 DOI: 10.1039/d3mh01585h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) is a process that has gained significant attention in recent years due to its fundamental science and potential applications in materials science and nanotechnology. This technique involves controlled drying of a solution or dispersion of materials, forming structures with specific shapes and sizes. In particular, liquid crystal (LC) biopolymers have emerged as promising candidates for EISA due to their highly ordered structures and biocompatible properties after deposition. This review provides an overview of recent progress in the EISA of LC biopolymers, including DNA, nanocellulose, viruses, and other biopolymers. The underlying self-assembly mechanisms, the effects of different processing conditions, and the potential applications of the resulting structures are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soon Mo Park
- Department of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Dong Ki Yoon
- Department of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
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46
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Gil-Garcia M, Benítez-Mateos AI, Papp M, Stoffel F, Morelli C, Normak K, Makasewicz K, Faltova L, Paradisi F, Arosio P. Local environment in biomolecular condensates modulates enzymatic activity across length scales. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3322. [PMID: 38637545 PMCID: PMC11026464 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47435-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms that underlie the regulation of enzymatic reactions by biomolecular condensates and how they scale with compartment size remain poorly understood. Here we use intrinsically disordered domains as building blocks to generate programmable enzymatic condensates of NADH-oxidase (NOX) with different sizes spanning from nanometers to microns. These disordered domains, derived from three distinct RNA-binding proteins, each possessing different net charge, result in the formation of condensates characterized by a comparable high local concentration of the enzyme yet within distinct environments. We show that only condensates with the highest recruitment of substrate and cofactor exhibit an increase in enzymatic activity. Notably, we observe an enhancement in enzymatic rate across a wide range of condensate sizes, from nanometers to microns, indicating that emergent properties of condensates can arise within assemblies as small as nanometers. Furthermore, we show a larger rate enhancement in smaller condensates. Our findings demonstrate the ability of condensates to modulate enzymatic reactions by creating distinct effective solvent environments compared to the surrounding solution, with implications for the design of protein-based heterogeneous biocatalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Gil-Garcia
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ana I Benítez-Mateos
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marcell Papp
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Florence Stoffel
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Chiara Morelli
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Karl Normak
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Katarzyna Makasewicz
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lenka Faltova
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Francesca Paradisi
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Paolo Arosio
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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47
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Dabirmanesh B, Khajeh K, Uversky VN. The hidden world of protein aggregation. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2024; 206:473-494. [PMID: 38811088 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2024.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Though the book's journey into The Hidden World of Protein Aggregation has come to an end, the search for knowledge, the development of healthier lives, and the discovery of nature's mysteries continue, promising new horizons and discoveries yet to be discovered. The intricacies of protein misfolding and aggregation remain a mystery in cellular biology, despite advances made in unraveling them. In this chapter, we will summarize the specific conclusions from the previous chapters and explore the persistent obstacles and unanswered questions that motivate scientists to pursue exploration of protein misfolding and aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bahareh Dabirmanesh
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Khosro Khajeh
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Vladimir N Uversky
- Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute for Biological Instrumentation, Pushchino, Moscow, Russia; Department of Molecular Medicine and USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
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48
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Mirza Agha M, Tavili E, Dabirmanesh B. Functional amyloids. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2024; 206:389-434. [PMID: 38811086 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2024.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
While amyloid has traditionally been viewed as a harmful formation, emerging evidence suggests that amyloids may also play a functional role in cell biology, contributing to normal physiological processes that have been conserved throughout evolution. Functional amyloids have been discovered in several creatures, spanning from bacteria to mammals. These amyloids serve a multitude of purposes, including but not limited to, forming biofilms, melanin synthesis, storage, information transfer, and memory. The functional role of amyloids has been consistently validated by the discovery of more functional amyloids, indicating a conceptual convergence. The biology of amyloids is well-represented by non-pathogenic amyloids, given the numerous ones already identified and the ongoing rate of new discoveries. In this chapter, functional amyloids in microorganisms, animals, and plants are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mansoureh Mirza Agha
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elaheh Tavili
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Bahareh Dabirmanesh
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
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49
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Isakov NA, Belousov MV, Nizhnikov AA, Noskov BA. Dynamic properties of the layers of cupin-1.1 aggregates at the air/water interface. Biophys Chem 2024; 307:107166. [PMID: 38232602 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2023.107166] [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: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Spread layers of amorphous aggregates of the structural domain of plant protein vicilin, cupin-1.1, at the water - air interface were studied by the surface tensiometry, dilational surface rheology, Brewster angle and atomic force microscopy. The layer properties differed strongly from the results for the layers of previously studied proteins. The dependency of the dynamic elasticity of the layer on surface pressure had two local maxima with the second peak being four times higher than the first one. In the region of the first maximum the obtained results are similar to those for dispersions of polymer microgels with a hairy corona. At the beginning of surface compression separate threads of the corona are stretched along the surface and the surface elasticity increases. The further compression results in the formation of loops and tails leading to a decrease of the elasticity. The second local maximum of the dynamic surface elasticity is presumably caused by the interactions of the rigid cores of the aggregates leading finally to the formation of multilayer structures at high surface pressures. In this case, the surface elasticity starts to decrease as a result of the segment exchange between different layers at the interface.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mikhail V Belousov
- St Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia; All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, 196608 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Anton A Nizhnikov
- St Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia; All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, 196608 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Boris A Noskov
- St Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia.
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50
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Natarajan A, Vadrevu LR, Rangan K. DRGD-linked charged EKKE dimeric dodecapeptide: pH-based amyloid nanostructures and their application in lead and uranium binding. RSC Adv 2024; 14:9200-9217. [PMID: 38505393 PMCID: PMC10949120 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra08261j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Peptides have been reported to undergo self-assembly into diverse nanostructures, influenced by several parameters, including their amino acid sequence, pH, charge, solvent, and temperature. Inspired by natural systems, researchers have developed biomimetic peptides capable of self-assembling into supramolecular functional structures. The present study explored a newly designed peptide sequence, EKKEDRGDEKKE, where E = glutamic acid, K = lysine, D = aspartic acid, G = glycine, and R = arginine, with a metal binding DRGD sequence incorporated between the exclusively charged EKKE peptide. We investigated the formation and the potential of the EKKEDRGDEKKE peptide in retaining the structure and morphology adopted by the individual EKKE peptide. According to a combination of experimental techniques such as thioflavin T fluorescence, field emission-scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and circular dichroism, it was evident that the EKKEDRGDEKKE peptide displayed a pH-dependent propensity to adopt amyloid-like structures. Furthermore, the self-assembled entities formed under acidic, basic, and neutral conditions exhibited morphological variations, which resembled that observed for the exclusively charged EKKE peptide. Furthermore, the incorporation of the functional DRGD motif resulted in promising binding to two toxic metal ions, lead (Pb) and uranium (U), as evidenced by a range of spectroscopic techniques, including UV-visible spectroscopy, atomic absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The use of the amyloid-forming EKKEDRGDEKKE scaffold can also be extended to potential biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aishwarya Natarajan
- Department of Chemistry, Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, Hyderabad Campus Jawahar Nagar Hyderabad 500 078 Telangana India
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, Hyderabad Campus Jawahar Nagar Hyderabad 500 078 Telangana India
| | - Late Ramakrishna Vadrevu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, Hyderabad Campus Jawahar Nagar Hyderabad 500 078 Telangana India
| | - Krishnan Rangan
- Department of Chemistry, Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, Hyderabad Campus Jawahar Nagar Hyderabad 500 078 Telangana India
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