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Netzer A, Baruch Leshem A, Veretnik S, Edelstein I, Lampel A. Regulation of Peptide Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation by Aromatic Amino Acid Composition. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024:e2401665. [PMID: 38804888 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202401665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Membraneless organelles are cellular biomolecular condensates that are formed by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of proteins and nucleic acids. LLPS is driven by multiple weak attractive forces, including intermolecular interactions mediated by aromatic amino acids. Considering the contribution of π-electron bearing side chains to protein-RNA LLPS, systematically study sought to how the composition of aromatic amino acids affects the formation of heterotypic condensates and their physical properties. For this, a library of minimalistic peptide building blocks is designed containing varying number and compositions of aromatic amino acids. It is shown that the number of aromatics in the peptide sequence affect LLPS propensity, material properties and (bio)chemical stability of peptide/RNA heterotypic condensates. The findings shed light on the contribution of aromatics' composition to the formation of heterotypic condensates. These insights can be applied for regulation of condensate material properties and improvement of their (bio)chemical stability, for various biomedical and biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Netzer
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Avigail Baruch Leshem
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Shirel Veretnik
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Ilan Edelstein
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Ayala Lampel
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
- Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
- Sagol Center for Regenerative Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
- Center for the Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
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Harris R, Veretnik S, Dewan S, Baruch Leshem A, Lampel A. Regulation of enzymatic reactions by chemical composition of peptide biomolecular condensates. Commun Chem 2024; 7:90. [PMID: 38643237 PMCID: PMC11032315 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-024-01174-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates are condensed intracellular phases that are formed by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of proteins, either in the absence or presence of nucleic acids. These condensed phases regulate various biochemical reactions by recruitment of enzymes and substrates. Developments in the field of LLPS facilitated new insights on the regulation of compartmentalized enzymatic reactions. Yet, the influence of condensate chemical composition on enzymatic reactions is still poorly understood. Here, by using peptides as minimalistic condensate building blocks and β-galactosidase as a simple enzymatic model we show that the reaction is restricted in homotypic peptide condensates, while product formation is enhanced in peptide-RNA condensates. Our findings also show that condensate composition affects the recruitment of substrate, the spatial distribution, and the kinetics of the reaction. Thus, these findings can be further employed for the development of microreactors for biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rif Harris
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Shirel Veretnik
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Simran Dewan
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Avigail Baruch Leshem
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ayala Lampel
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
- Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel.
- Sagol Center for Regenerative Biotechnology Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel.
- Center for the Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel.
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Mu W, Jia L, Zhou M, Wu J, Lin Y, Mann S, Qiao Y. Superstructural ordering in self-sorting coacervate-based protocell networks. Nat Chem 2024; 16:158-167. [PMID: 37932411 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-023-01356-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Bottom-up assembly of higher-order cytomimetic systems capable of coordinated physical behaviours, collective chemical signalling and spatially integrated processing is a key challenge in the study of artificial multicellularity. Here we develop an interactive binary population of coacervate microdroplets that spontaneously self-sort into chain-like protocell networks with an alternating sequence of structurally and compositionally dissimilar microdomains with hemispherical contact points. The protocell superstructures exhibit macromolecular self-sorting, spatially localized enzyme/ribozyme biocatalysis and interdroplet molecular translocation. They are capable of topographical reconfiguration using chemical or light-mediated stimuli and can be used as a micro-extraction system for macroscale biomolecular sorting. Our methodology opens a pathway towards the self-assembly of multicomponent protocell networks based on selective processes of coacervate droplet-droplet adhesion and fusion, and provides a step towards the spontaneous orchestration of protocell models into artificial tissues and colonies with ordered architectures and collective functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Mu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Liyan Jia
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Musen Zhou
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Jianzhong Wu
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Yiyang Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China.
| | - Stephen Mann
- Centre for Protolife Research and Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
- Max Planck-Bristol Centre for Minimal Biology, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P. R. China.
| | - Yan Qiao
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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Zhao Z, Liu X, Zong Y, Shi X, Sun Y. Cellular Processes Induced by HSV-1 Infections in Vestibular Neuritis. Viruses 2023; 16:12. [PMID: 38275947 PMCID: PMC10819745 DOI: 10.3390/v16010012] [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: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Herpesvirus is a prevalent pathogen that primarily infects human epithelial cells and has the ability to reside in neurons. In the field of otolaryngology, herpesvirus infection primarily leads to hearing loss and vestibular neuritis and is considered the primary hypothesis regarding the pathogenesis of vestibular neuritis. In this review, we provide a summary of the effects of the herpes virus on cellular processes in both host cells and immune cells, with a focus on HSV-1 as illustrative examples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengdong Zhao
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; (Z.Z.); (X.L.); (Y.Z.); (X.S.)
| | - Xiaozhou Liu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; (Z.Z.); (X.L.); (Y.Z.); (X.S.)
| | - Yanjun Zong
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; (Z.Z.); (X.L.); (Y.Z.); (X.S.)
| | - Xinyu Shi
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; (Z.Z.); (X.L.); (Y.Z.); (X.S.)
| | - Yu Sun
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; (Z.Z.); (X.L.); (Y.Z.); (X.S.)
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Development and Regeneration, Wuhan 430022, China
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Netzer A, Katzir I, Baruch Leshem A, Weitman M, Lampel A. Emergent properties of melanin-inspired peptide/RNA condensates. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2310569120. [PMID: 37871222 PMCID: PMC10622964 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2310569120] [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: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Most biocatalytic processes in eukaryotic cells are regulated by subcellular microenvironments such as membrane-bound or membraneless organelles. These natural compartmentalization systems have inspired the design of synthetic compartments composed of a variety of building blocks. Recently, the emerging field of liquid-liquid phase separation has facilitated the design of biomolecular condensates composed of proteins and nucleic acids, with controllable properties including polarity, diffusivity, surface tension, and encapsulation efficiency. However, utilizing phase-separated condensates as optical sensors has not yet been attempted. Here, we were inspired by the biosynthesis of melanin pigments, a key biocatalytic process that is regulated by compartmentalization in organelles, to design minimalistic biomolecular condensates with emergent optical properties. Melanins are ubiquitous pigment materials with a range of functionalities including photoprotection, coloration, and free radical scavenging activity. Their biosynthesis in the confined melanosomes involves oxidation-polymerization of tyrosine (Tyr), catalyzed by the enzyme tyrosinase. We have now developed condensates that are formed by an interaction between a Tyr-containing peptide and RNA and can serve as both microreactors and substrates for tyrosinase. Importantly, partitioning of Tyr into the condensates and subsequent oxidation-polymerization gives rise to unique optical properties including far-red fluorescence. We now demonstrate that individual condensates can serve as sensors to detect tyrosinase activity, with a limit of detection similar to that of synthetic fluorescent probes. This approach opens opportunities to utilize designer biomolecular condensates as diagnostic tools for various disorders involving abnormal enzymatic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Netzer
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
| | - Itai Katzir
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
| | - Avigail Baruch Leshem
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
| | - Michal Weitman
- Department of Chemistry Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan5290002, Israel
| | - Ayala Lampel
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
- Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
- Sagol Center for Regenerative Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
- Center for the Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
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Gaash D, Dewan S, Leshem AB, Jaiswal KS, Jelinek R, Lampel A. Modulating the optical properties of carbon dots by peptide condensates. Chem Commun (Camb) 2023; 59:12298-12301. [PMID: 37752864 DOI: 10.1039/d3cc03945e] [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: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Here, we utilized designed condensates formed by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of cationic and aromatic peptide to sequester tyrosine-based carbon dots (C-dots). The C-dots fluorescence is quenched and retrieved upon partitioning and release from condensates, allowing a spatial regulation of C-dots fluorescence which can be utilized for biosensing applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dor Gaash
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
| | - Simran Dewan
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
| | - Avigail Baruch Leshem
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
| | - Kumar Sagar Jaiswal
- Department of Chemistry, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, 84105 Beer Sheva, Israel
- Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology (IKI), Ben Gurion University of the Negen, Israel
| | - Raz Jelinek
- Department of Chemistry, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, 84105 Beer Sheva, Israel
- Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology (IKI), Ben Gurion University of the Negen, Israel
| | - Ayala Lampel
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
- Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Sagol Center for Regenerative Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Center for the Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
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