1
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Mohammadi M, Ahmed Qadir S, Mahmood Faraj A, Hamid Shareef O, Mahmoodi H, Mahmoudi F, Moradi S. Navigating the future: Microfluidics charting new routes in drug delivery. Int J Pharm 2024:124142. [PMID: 38648941 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2024.124142] [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: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Microfluidics has emerged as a transformative force in the field of drug delivery, offering innovative avenues to produce a diverse range of nano drug delivery systems. Thanks to its precise manipulation of small fluid volumes and its exceptional command over the physicochemical characteristics of nanoparticles, this technology is notably able to enhance the pharmacokinetics of drugs. It has initiated a revolutionary phase in the domain of drug delivery, presenting a multitude of compelling advantages when it comes to developing nanocarriers tailored for the delivery of poorly soluble medications. These advantages represent a substantial departure from conventional drug delivery methodologies, marking a paradigm shift in pharmaceutical research and development. Furthermore, microfluidic platformsmay be strategically devised to facilitate targeted drug delivery with the objective of enhancing the localized bioavailability of pharmaceutical substances. In this paper, we have comprehensively investigated a range of significant microfluidic techniques used in the production of nanoscale drug delivery systems. This comprehensive review can serve as a valuable reference and offer insightful guidance for the development and optimization of numerous microfluidics-fabricated nanocarriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Mohammadi
- Department of Medical Nanotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Syamand Ahmed Qadir
- Department of Medical Laboratory Techniques, Halabja Technical Institute, Research Center, Sulaimani Polytechnic University, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
| | - Aryan Mahmood Faraj
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Halabja Technical College of Applied Sciences, Sulaimani Polytechnic University, Halabja, Iraq
| | - Osama Hamid Shareef
- Department of Medical Laboratory Techniques, Halabja Technical Institute, Research Center, Sulaimani Polytechnic University, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
| | - Hassan Mahmoodi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Paramedical Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Mahmoudi
- Department of Medical Nanotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Sajad Moradi
- Nano Drug Delivery Research Center, Health Technology Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
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2
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Rothschild LJ, Averesch NJH, Strychalski EA, Moser F, Glass JI, Cruz Perez R, Yekinni IO, Rothschild-Mancinelli B, Roberts Kingman GA, Wu F, Waeterschoot J, Ioannou IA, Jewett MC, Liu AP, Noireaux V, Sorenson C, Adamala KP. Building Synthetic Cells─From the Technology Infrastructure to Cellular Entities. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:974-997. [PMID: 38530077 PMCID: PMC11037263 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00724] [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: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
The de novo construction of a living organism is a compelling vision. Despite the astonishing technologies developed to modify living cells, building a functioning cell "from scratch" has yet to be accomplished. The pursuit of this goal alone has─and will─yield scientific insights affecting fields as diverse as cell biology, biotechnology, medicine, and astrobiology. Multiple approaches have aimed to create biochemical systems manifesting common characteristics of life, such as compartmentalization, metabolism, and replication and the derived features, evolution, responsiveness to stimuli, and directed movement. Significant achievements in synthesizing each of these criteria have been made, individually and in limited combinations. Here, we review these efforts, distinguish different approaches, and highlight bottlenecks in the current research. We look ahead at what work remains to be accomplished and propose a "roadmap" with key milestones to achieve the vision of building cells from molecular parts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn J. Rothschild
- Space Science
& Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research
Center, Moffett
Field, California 94035-1000, United States
- Department
of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States
| | - Nils J. H. Averesch
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | | | - Felix Moser
- Synlife, One Kendall Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139-1661, United States
| | - John I. Glass
- J.
Craig
Venter Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Rolando Cruz Perez
- Department
of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- Blue
Marble
Space Institute of Science at NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California 94035-1000, United
States
| | - Ibrahim O. Yekinni
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, University of
Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Brooke Rothschild-Mancinelli
- School
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute
of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0150, United States
| | | | - Feilun Wu
- J. Craig
Venter Institute, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Jorik Waeterschoot
- Mechatronics,
Biostatistics and Sensors (MeBioS), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven Belgium
| | - Ion A. Ioannou
- Department
of Chemistry, MSRH, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
| | - Michael C. Jewett
- Department
of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Allen P. Liu
- Mechanical
Engineering & Biomedical Engineering, Cellular and Molecular Biology,
Biophysics, Applied Physics, University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Vincent Noireaux
- Physics
and Nanotechnology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Carlise Sorenson
- Department
of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Katarzyna P. Adamala
- Department
of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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3
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Tsai FC, Guérin G, Pernier J, Bassereau P. Actin-membrane linkers: Insights from synthetic reconstituted systems. Eur J Cell Biol 2024; 103:151402. [PMID: 38461706 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2024.151402] [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: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
At the cell surface, the actin cytoskeleton and the plasma membrane interact reciprocally in a variety of processes related to the remodeling of the cell surface. The actin cytoskeleton has been known to modulate membrane organization and reshape the membrane. To this end, actin-membrane linking molecules play a major role in regulating actin assembly and spatially direct the interaction between the actin cytoskeleton and the membrane. While studies in cells have provided a wealth of knowledge on the molecular composition and interactions of the actin-membrane interface, the complex molecular interactions make it challenging to elucidate the precise actions of the actin-membrane linkers at the interface. Synthetic reconstituted systems, consisting of model membranes and purified proteins, have been a powerful approach to elucidate how actin-membrane linkers direct actin assembly to drive membrane shape changes. In this review, we will focus only on several actin-membrane linkers that have been studied by using reconstitution systems. We will discuss the design principles of these reconstitution systems and how they have contributed to the understanding of the cellular functions of actin-membrane linkers. Finally, we will provide a perspective on future research directions in understanding the intricate actin-membrane interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng-Ching Tsai
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR168, Physics of Cells and Cancer, Paris 75005, France.
| | - Gwendal Guérin
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR168, Physics of Cells and Cancer, Paris 75005, France
| | - Julien Pernier
- Tumor Cell Dynamics Unit, Inserm U1279, Gustave Roussy Institute, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif 94800, France
| | - Patricia Bassereau
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR168, Physics of Cells and Cancer, Paris 75005, France.
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4
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De Franceschi N, Barth R, Meindlhumer S, Fragasso A, Dekker C. Dynamin A as a one-component division machinery for synthetic cells. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 19:70-76. [PMID: 37798563 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-023-01510-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Membrane abscission, the final cut of the last connection between emerging daughter cells, is an indispensable event in the last stage of cell division and in other cellular processes such as endocytosis, virus release or bacterial sporulation. However, its mechanism remains poorly understood, impeding its application as a cell-division machinery for synthetic cells. Here we use fluorescence microscopy and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching measurements to study the in vitro reconstitution of the bacterial protein dynamin A inside liposomes. Upon external reshaping of the liposomes into dumbbells, dynamin A self-assembles at the membrane neck, resulting in membrane hemi-scission and even full scission. Dynamin A proteins constitute a simple one-component division machinery capable of splitting dumbbell-shaped liposomes, marking an important step towards building a synthetic cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola De Franceschi
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
- IMol Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Roman Barth
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Sabrina Meindlhumer
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Alessio Fragasso
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Cees Dekker
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands.
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5
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Tror S, Jeon S, Nguyen HT, Huh E, Shin K. A Self-Regenerating Artificial Cell, that is One Step Closer to Living Cells: Challenges and Perspectives. SMALL METHODS 2023; 7:e2300182. [PMID: 37246263 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202300182] [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: 02/12/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Controllable, self-regenerating artificial cells (SRACs) can be a vital advancement in the field of synthetic biology, which seeks to create living cells by recombining various biological molecules in the lab. This represents, more importantly, the first step on a long journey toward creating reproductive cells from rather fragmentary biochemical mimics. However, it is still a difficult task to replicate the complex processes involved in cell regeneration, such as genetic material replication and cell membrane division, in artificially created spaces. This review highlights recent advances in the field of controllable, SRACs and the strategies to achieve the goal of creating such cells. Self-regenerating cells start by replicating DNA and transferring it to a location where proteins can be synthesized. Functional but essential proteins must be synthesized for sustained energy generation and survival needs and function in the same liposomal space. Finally, self-division and repeated cycling lead to autonomous, self-regenerating cells. The pursuit of controllable, SRACs will enable authors to make bold advances in understanding life at the cellular level, ultimately providing an opportunity to use this knowledge to understand the nature of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seangly Tror
- Department of Chemistry and Institute of Biological Interfaces, Sogang University, Seoul, 04107, Republic of Korea
| | - SeonMin Jeon
- Department of Chemistry and Institute of Biological Interfaces, Sogang University, Seoul, 04107, Republic of Korea
| | - Huong Thanh Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry and Institute of Biological Interfaces, Sogang University, Seoul, 04107, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunjin Huh
- Department of Chemistry and Institute of Biological Interfaces, Sogang University, Seoul, 04107, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwanwoo Shin
- Department of Chemistry and Institute of Biological Interfaces, Sogang University, Seoul, 04107, Republic of Korea
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6
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Kandiyoth FB, Michelot A. Reconstitution of actin-based cellular processes: Why encapsulation changes the rules. Eur J Cell Biol 2023; 102:151368. [PMID: 37922812 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2023.151368] [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: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
While in vitro reconstitution of cellular processes is progressing rapidly, the encapsulation of biomimetic systems to reproduce the cellular environment is a major challenge. Here we review the difficulties, using reconstitution of processes dependent on actin polymerization as an example. Some of the problems are purely technical, due to the need for engineering strategies to encapsulate concentrated solutions in micrometer-sized compartments. However, other significant issues arise from the reduction of experimental volumes, which alters the chemical evolution of these non-equilibrium systems. Important parameters to consider for successful reconstitutions are the amount of each component, their consumption and renewal rates to guarantee their continuous availability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alphée Michelot
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, IBDM, Turing Centre for Living Systems, Marseille, France.
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7
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Van de Cauter L, van Buren L, Koenderink GH, Ganzinger KA. Exploring Giant Unilamellar Vesicle Production for Artificial Cells - Current Challenges and Future Directions. SMALL METHODS 2023; 7:e2300416. [PMID: 37464561 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202300416] [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: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
Creating an artificial cell from the bottom up is a long-standing challenge and, while significant progress has been made, the full realization of this goal remains elusive. Arguably, one of the biggest hurdles that researchers are facing now is the assembly of different modules of cell function inside a single container. Giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) have emerged as a suitable container with many methods available for their production. Well-studied swelling-based methods offer a wide range of lipid compositions but at the expense of limited encapsulation efficiency. Emulsion-based methods, on the other hand, excel at encapsulation but are only effective with a limited set of membrane compositions and may entrap residual additives in the lipid bilayer. Since the ultimate artificial cell will need to comply with both specific membrane and encapsulation requirements, there is still no one-method-fits-all solution for GUV formation available today. This review discusses the state of the art in different GUV production methods and their compatibility with GUV requirements and operational requirements such as reproducibility and ease of use. It concludes by identifying the most pressing issues and proposes potential avenues for future research to bring us one step closer to turning artificial cells into a reality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori Van de Cauter
- Autonomous Matter Department, AMOLF, Amsterdam, 1098 XG, The Netherlands
| | - Lennard van Buren
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2629 HZ, The Netherlands
| | - Gijsje H Koenderink
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2629 HZ, The Netherlands
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8
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Hwang SW, Lim CM, Huynh CT, Moghimianavval H, Kotov NA, Alsberg E, Liu AP. Hybrid Vesicles Enable Mechano-Responsive Hydrogel Degradation. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202308509. [PMID: 37607024 PMCID: PMC10600738 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202308509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Stimuli-responsive hydrogels are intriguing biomimetic materials. Previous efforts to develop mechano-responsive hydrogels have mostly relied on chemical modifications of the hydrogel structures. Here, we present a simple, generalizable strategy that confers mechano-responsive behavior on hydrogels. Our approach involves embedding hybrid vesicles, composed of phospholipids and amphiphilic block copolymers, within the hydrogel matrix to act as signal transducers. Under mechanical stress, these vesicles undergo deformation and rupture, releasing encapsulated compounds that can control the hydrogel network. To demonstrate this concept, we embedded vesicles containing ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (EGTA), a calcium chelator, into a calcium-crosslinked alginate hydrogel. When compressed, the released EGTA sequesters calcium ions and degrades the hydrogel. This study provides a novel method for engineering mechano-responsive hydrogels that may be useful in various biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung-Won Hwang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Chung-Man Lim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Cong Truc Huynh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | | | - Nicholas A. Kotov
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Eben Alsberg
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
- Departments of Orthopedic Surgery, Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine, and Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Allen P. Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Biophysics, Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, Applied Physics Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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9
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Jahnke K, Göpfrich K. Engineering DNA-based cytoskeletons for synthetic cells. Interface Focus 2023; 13:20230028. [PMID: 37577007 PMCID: PMC10415745 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2023.0028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The development and bottom-up assembly of synthetic cells with a functional cytoskeleton sets a major milestone to understand cell mechanics and to develop man-made machines on the nano- and microscale. However, natural cytoskeletal components can be difficult to purify, deliberately engineer and reconstitute within synthetic cells which therefore limits the realization of multifaceted functions of modern cytoskeletons in synthetic cells. Here, we review recent progress in the development of synthetic cytoskeletons made from deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) as a complementary strategy. In particular, we explore the capabilities and limitations of DNA cytoskeletons to mimic functions of natural cystoskeletons like reversible assembly, cargo transport, force generation, mechanical support and guided polymerization. With recent examples, we showcase the power of rationally designed DNA cytoskeletons for bottom-up assembled synthetic cells as fully engineerable entities. Nevertheless, the realization of dynamic instability, self-replication and genetic encoding as well as contractile force generating motors remains a fruitful challenge for the complete integration of multifunctional DNA-based cytoskeletons into synthetic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Jahnke
- Biophysical Engineering Group, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kerstin Göpfrich
- Biophysical Engineering Group, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 329, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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10
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Abucayon EG, Rao M, Matyas GR, Alving CR. QS21-Initiated Fusion of Liposomal Small Unilamellar Vesicles to Form ALFQ Results in Concentration of Most of the Monophosphoryl Lipid A, QS21, and Cholesterol in Giant Unilamellar Vesicles. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2212. [PMID: 37765181 PMCID: PMC10537867 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15092212] [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: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Army Liposome Formulation with QS21 (ALFQ), a vaccine adjuvant preparation, comprises liposomes containing saturated phospholipids, with 55 mol% cholesterol relative to the phospholipids, and two adjuvants, monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA) and QS21 saponin. A unique feature of ALFQ is the formation of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) having diameters >1.0 µm, due to a remarkable fusion event initiated during the addition of QS21 to nanoliposomes containing MPLA and 55 mol% cholesterol relative to the total phospholipids. This results in a polydisperse size distribution of ALFQ particles, with diameters ranging from ~50 nm to ~30,000 nm. The purpose of this work was to gain insights into the unique fusion reaction of nanovesicles leading to GUVs induced by QS21. This fusion reaction was probed by comparing the lipid compositions and structures of vesicles purified from ALFQ, which were >1 µm (i.e., GUVs) and the smaller vesicles with diameter <1 µm. Here, we demonstrate that after differential centrifugation, cholesterol, MPLA, and QS21 in the liposomal phospholipid bilayers were present mainly in GUVs (in the pellet). Presumably, this occurred by rapid lateral diffusion during the transition from nanosize to microsize particles. While liposomal phospholipid recoveries by weight in the pellet and supernatant were 44% and 36%, respectively, higher percentages by weight of the cholesterol (~88%), MPLA (94%), and QS21 (96%) were recovered in the pellet containing GUVs, and ≤10% of these individual liposomal constituents were recovered in the supernatant. Despite the polydispersity of ALFQ, most of the cholesterol, and almost all of the adjuvant molecules, were present in the GUVs. We hypothesize that the binding of QS21 to cholesterol caused new structural nanodomains, and subsequent interleaflet coupling in the lipid bilayer might have initiated the fusion process, leading to creation of GUVs. However, the polar regions of MPLA and QS21 together have a "sugar lawn" of ten sugars, the hydrophilicity of which might have provided a driving force for rapid lateral diffusion and concentration of the MPLA and QS21 in the GUVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erwin G. Abucayon
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA; (M.R.); (G.R.M.)
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, 6720A Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA
| | - Mangala Rao
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA; (M.R.); (G.R.M.)
| | - Gary R. Matyas
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA; (M.R.); (G.R.M.)
| | - Carl R. Alving
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA; (M.R.); (G.R.M.)
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11
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Nair KS, Bajaj H. Advances in giant unilamellar vesicle preparation techniques and applications. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 318:102935. [PMID: 37320960 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2023.102935] [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: 01/02/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) are versatile and promising cell-sized bio-membrane mimetic platforms. Their applications range from understanding and quantifying membrane biophysical processes to acting as elementary blocks in the bottom-up assembly of synthetic cells. Definite properties and requisite goals in GUVs are dictated by the preparation techniques critical to the success of their applications. Here, we review key advances in giant unilamellar vesicle preparation techniques and discuss their formation mechanisms. Developments in lipid hydration and emulsion techniques for GUV preparation are described. Novel microfluidic-based techniques involving lipid or surfactant-stabilized emulsions are outlined. GUV immobilization strategies are summarized, including gravity-based settling, covalent linking, and immobilization by microfluidic, electric, and magnetic barriers. Moreover, some of the key applications of GUVs as biomimetic and synthetic cell platforms during the last decade have been identified. Membrane interface processes like phase separation, membrane protein reconstitution, and membrane bending have been deciphered using GUVs. In addition, vesicles are also employed as building blocks to construct synthetic cells with defined cell-like functions comprising compartments, metabolic reactors, and abilities to grow and divide. We critically discuss the pros and cons of preparation technologies and the properties they confer to the GUVs and identify potential techniques for dedicated applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karthika S Nair
- Microbial Processes and Technology Division, CSIR- National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), Trivandrum 695019, Kerala, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-Human Resource Development Centre, Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Harsha Bajaj
- Microbial Processes and Technology Division, CSIR- National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), Trivandrum 695019, Kerala, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-Human Resource Development Centre, Ghaziabad 201002, India.
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12
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Zhang H, Yang J, Sun R, Han S, Yang Z, Teng L. Microfluidics for nano-drug delivery systems: From fundamentals to industrialization. Acta Pharm Sin B 2023; 13:3277-3299. [PMID: 37655333 PMCID: PMC10466004 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.01.018] [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: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, owing to the miniaturization of the fluidic environment, microfluidic technology offers unique opportunities for the implementation of nano drug delivery systems (NDDSs) production processes. Compared with traditional methods, microfluidics improves the controllability and uniformity of NDDSs. The fast mixing and laminar flow properties achieved in the microchannels can tune the physicochemical properties of NDDSs, including particle size, distribution and morphology, resulting in narrow particle size distribution and high drug-loading capacity. The success of lipid nanoparticles encapsulated mRNA vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 by microfluidics also confirmed its feasibility for scaling up the preparation of NDDSs via parallelization or numbering-up. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of microfluidics-based NDDSs, including the fundamentals of microfluidics, microfluidic synthesis of NDDSs, and their industrialization. The challenges of microfluidics-based NDDSs in the current status and the prospects for future development are also discussed. We believe that this review will provide good guidance for microfluidics-based NDDSs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Jie Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Rongze Sun
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Songren Han
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Zhaogang Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Lesheng Teng
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
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13
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Noba K, Yoshimoto S, Tanaka Y, Yokoyama T, Matsuura T, Hori K. Simple Method for the Creation of a Bacteria-Sized Unilamellar Liposome with Different Proteins Localized to the Respective Sides of the Membrane. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:1437-1446. [PMID: 37155350 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Artificial cells are membrane vesicles mimicking cellular functions. To date, giant unilamellar vesicles made from a single lipid membrane with a diameter of 10 μm or more have been used to create artificial cells. However, the creation of artificial cells that mimic the membrane structure and size of bacteria has been limited due to technical restrictions of conventional liposome preparation methods. Here, we created bacteria-sized large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) with proteins localized asymmetrically to the lipid bilayer. Liposomes containing benzylguanine-modified phospholipids were prepared by combining the conventional water-in-oil emulsion method and the extruder method, and green fluorescent protein fused with SNAP-tag was localized to the inner leaflet of the lipid bilayer. Biotinylated lipid molecules were then inserted externally, and the outer leaflet was modified with streptavidin. The resulting liposomes had a size distribution in the range of 500-2000 nm with a peak at 841 nm (the coefficient of variation was 10.3%), which was similar to that of spherical bacterial cells. Fluorescence microscopy, quantitative evaluation using flow cytometry, and western blotting proved the intended localization of different proteins on the lipid membrane. Cryogenic electron microscopy and quantitative evaluation by α-hemolysin insertion revealed that most of the created liposomes were unilamellar. Our simple method for the preparation of bacteria-sized LUVs with asymmetrically localized proteins will contribute to the creation of artificial bacterial cells for investigating functions and the significance of their surface structure and size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kosaku Noba
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8603, Japan
| | - Shogo Yoshimoto
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8603, Japan
| | - Yoshikazu Tanaka
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-Ku, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Takeshi Yokoyama
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-Ku, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - Tomoaki Matsuura
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ookayama 2-12-1-i7E-307, Meguro-Ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Katsutoshi Hori
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8603, Japan
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14
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Godino E, Restrepo Sierra AM, Danelon C. Imaging Flow Cytometry for High-Throughput Phenotyping of Synthetic Cells. ACS Synth Biol 2023. [PMID: 37155828 PMCID: PMC10367129 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The reconstitution of basic cellular functions in micrometer-sized liposomes has led to a surge of interest in the construction of synthetic cells. Microscopy and flow cytometry are powerful tools for characterizing biological processes in liposomes with fluorescence readouts. However, applying each method separately leads to a compromise between information-rich imaging by microscopy and statistical population analysis by flow cytometry. To address this shortcoming, we here introduce imaging flow cytometry (IFC) for high-throughput, microscopy-based screening of gene-expressing liposomes in laminar flow. We developed a comprehensive pipeline and analysis toolset based on a commercial IFC instrument and software. About 60 thousands of liposome events were collected per run starting from one microliter of the stock liposome solution. Robust population statistics from individual liposome images was performed based on fluorescence and morphological parameters. This allowed us to quantify complex phenotypes covering a wide range of liposomal states that are relevant for building a synthetic cell. The general applicability, current workflow limitations, and future prospects of IFC in synthetic cell research are finally discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Godino
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, 2629HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Ana Maria Restrepo Sierra
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, 2629HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Christophe Danelon
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, 2629HZ Delft, The Netherlands
- Toulouse Biotechnology Institute (TBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INRAE, INSA, 31077 Toulouse, France
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15
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Partipilo M, Claassens NJ, Slotboom DJ. A Hitchhiker's Guide to Supplying Enzymatic Reducing Power into Synthetic Cells. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:947-962. [PMID: 37052416 PMCID: PMC10127272 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00070] [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: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
The construction from scratch of synthetic cells by assembling molecular building blocks is unquestionably an ambitious goal from a scientific and technological point of view. To realize functional life-like systems, minimal enzymatic modules are required to sustain the processes underlying the out-of-equilibrium thermodynamic status hallmarking life, including the essential supply of energy in the form of electrons. The nicotinamide cofactors NAD(H) and NADP(H) are the main electron carriers fueling reductive redox reactions of the metabolic network of living cells. One way to ensure the continuous availability of reduced nicotinamide cofactors in a synthetic cell is to build a minimal enzymatic module that can oxidize an external electron donor and reduce NAD(P)+. In the diverse world of metabolism there is a plethora of potential electron donors and enzymes known from living organisms to provide reducing power to NAD(P)+ coenzymes. This perspective proposes guidelines to enable the reduction of nicotinamide cofactors enclosed in phospholipid vesicles, while avoiding high burdens of or cross-talk with other encapsulated metabolic modules. By determining key requirements, such as the feasibility of the reaction and transport of the electron donor into the cell-like compartment, we select a shortlist of potentially suitable electron donors. We review the most convenient proteins for the use of these reducing agents, highlighting their main biochemical and structural features. Noting that specificity toward either NAD(H) or NADP(H) imposes a limitation common to most of the analyzed enzymes, we discuss the need for specific enzymes─transhydrogenases─to overcome this potential bottleneck.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Partipilo
- Department
of Biochemistry, Groningen Institute of Biomolecular Sciences &
Biotechnology, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Nico J. Claassens
- Laboratory
of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Dirk Jan Slotboom
- Department
of Biochemistry, Groningen Institute of Biomolecular Sciences &
Biotechnology, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
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16
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Tapie P, Prevost AM, Montel L, Pontani LL, Wandersman E. A simple method to make, trap and deform a vesicle in a gel. Sci Rep 2023; 13:5375. [PMID: 37009808 PMCID: PMC10068607 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31996-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023] Open
Abstract
We present a simple method to produce giant lipid pseudo-vesicles (vesicles with an oily cap on the top), trapped in an agarose gel. The method can be implemented using only a regular micropipette and relies on the formation of a water/oil/water double droplet in liquid agarose. We characterize the produced vesicle with fluorescence imaging and establish the presence and integrity of the lipid bilayer by the successful insertion of [Formula: see text]-Hemolysin transmembrane proteins. Finally, we show that the vesicle can be easily mechanically deformed, non-intrusively, by indenting the surface of the gel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Tapie
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Laboratoire Jean Perrin (LJP), 4 place Jussieu, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Alexis M Prevost
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Laboratoire Jean Perrin (LJP), 4 place Jussieu, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Lorraine Montel
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Laboratoire Jean Perrin (LJP), 4 place Jussieu, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Léa-Laetitia Pontani
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Laboratoire Jean Perrin (LJP), 4 place Jussieu, 75005, Paris, France.
| | - Elie Wandersman
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Laboratoire Jean Perrin (LJP), 4 place Jussieu, 75005, Paris, France.
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17
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Supramaniam P, Wang Z, Chatzimichail S, Parperis C, Kumar A, Ho V, Ces O, Salehi-Reyhani A. Measuring Encapsulation Efficiency in Cell-Mimicking Giant Unilamellar Vesicles. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:1227-1238. [PMID: 36977193 PMCID: PMC10127275 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
One of the main drivers within the field of bottom-up synthetic biology is to develop artificial chemical machines, perhaps even living systems, that have programmable functionality. Numerous toolkits exist to generate giant unilamellar vesicle-based artificial cells. However, methods able to quantitatively measure their molecular constituents upon formation is an underdeveloped area. We report an artificial cell quality control (AC/QC) protocol using a microfluidic-based single-molecule approach, enabling the absolute quantification of encapsulated biomolecules. While the measured average encapsulation efficiency was 11.4 ± 6.8%, the AC/QC method allowed us to determine encapsulation efficiencies per vesicle, which varied significantly from 2.4 to 41%. We show that it is possible to achieve a desired concentration of biomolecule within each vesicle by commensurate compensation of its concentration in the seed emulsion. However, the variability in encapsulation efficiency suggests caution is necessary when using such vesicles as simplified biological models or standards.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zibo Wang
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, London W12 0HS, U.K
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, London SE1 1DB, U.K
| | | | - Christopher Parperis
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, London SE1 1DB, U.K
| | - Aditi Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K
| | - Vanessa Ho
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K
| | - Oscar Ces
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K
- fabriCELL, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K
| | - Ali Salehi-Reyhani
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, London W12 0HS, U.K
- fabriCELL, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K
- Institute for Molecular Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K
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18
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Baldauf L, Frey F, Arribas Perez M, Idema T, Koenderink GH. Branched actin cortices reconstituted in vesicles sense membrane curvature. Biophys J 2023:S0006-3495(23)00124-8. [PMID: 36806830 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The actin cortex is a complex cytoskeletal machinery that drives and responds to changes in cell shape. It must generate or adapt to plasma membrane curvature to facilitate diverse functions such as cell division, migration, and phagocytosis. Due to the complex molecular makeup of the actin cortex, it remains unclear whether actin networks are inherently able to sense and generate membrane curvature, or whether they rely on their diverse binding partners to accomplish this. Here, we show that curvature sensing is an inherent capability of branched actin networks nucleated by Arp2/3 and VCA. We develop a robust method to encapsulate actin inside giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) and assemble an actin cortex at the inner surface of the GUV membrane. We show that actin forms a uniform and thin cortical layer when present at high concentration and distinct patches associated with negative membrane curvature at low concentration. Serendipitously, we find that the GUV production method also produces dumbbell-shaped GUVs, which we explain using mathematical modeling in terms of membrane hemifusion of nested GUVs. We find that branched actin networks preferentially assemble at the neck of the dumbbells, which possess a micrometer-range convex curvature comparable with the curvature of the actin patches found in spherical GUVs. Minimal branched actin networks can thus sense membrane curvature, which may help mammalian cells to robustly recruit actin to curved membranes to facilitate diverse cellular functions such as cytokinesis and migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Baldauf
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Felix Frey
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Marcos Arribas Perez
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Timon Idema
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands.
| | - Gijsje H Koenderink
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands.
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19
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Gonzales DT, Suraritdechachai S, Tang TYD. Compartmentalized Cell-Free Expression Systems for Building Synthetic Cells. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2023; 186:77-101. [PMID: 37306700 DOI: 10.1007/10_2023_221] [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: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
One of the grand challenges in bottom-up synthetic biology is the design and construction of synthetic cellular systems. One strategy toward this goal is the systematic reconstitution of biological processes using purified or non-living molecular components to recreate specific cellular functions such as metabolism, intercellular communication, signal transduction, and growth and division. Cell-free expression systems (CFES) are in vitro reconstitutions of the transcription and translation machinery found in cells and are a key technology for bottom-up synthetic biology. The open and simplified reaction environment of CFES has helped researchers discover fundamental concepts in the molecular biology of the cell. In recent decades, there has been a drive to encapsulate CFES reactions into cell-like compartments with the aim of building synthetic cells and multicellular systems. In this chapter, we discuss recent progress in compartmentalizing CFES to build simple and minimal models of biological processes that can help provide a better understanding of the process of self-assembly in molecularly complex systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- David T Gonzales
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - T -Y Dora Tang
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany.
- Center for Systems Biology Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
- Physics of Life, Cluster of Excellence, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
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20
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van Buren L, Koenderink GH, Martinez-Torres C. DisGUVery: A Versatile Open-Source Software for High-Throughput Image Analysis of Giant Unilamellar Vesicles. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 12:120-135. [PMID: 36508359 PMCID: PMC9872171 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) are cell-sized aqueous compartments enclosed by a phospholipid bilayer. Due to their cell-mimicking properties, GUVs have become a widespread experimental tool in synthetic biology to study membrane properties and cellular processes. In stark contrast to the experimental progress, quantitative analysis of GUV microscopy images has received much less attention. Currently, most analysis is performed either manually or with custom-made scripts, which makes analysis time-consuming and results difficult to compare across studies. To make quantitative GUV analysis accessible and fast, we present DisGUVery, an open-source, versatile software that encapsulates multiple algorithms for automated detection and analysis of GUVs in microscopy images. With a performance analysis, we demonstrate that DisGUVery's three vesicle detection modules successfully identify GUVs in images obtained with a wide range of imaging sources, in various typical GUV experiments. Multiple predefined analysis modules allow the user to extract properties such as membrane fluorescence, vesicle shape, and internal fluorescence from large populations. A new membrane segmentation algorithm facilitates spatial fluorescence analysis of nonspherical vesicles. Altogether, DisGUVery provides an accessible tool to enable high-throughput automated analysis of GUVs, and thereby to promote quantitative data analysis in synthetic cell research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lennard van Buren
- Department
of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZDelft, The Netherlands
| | - Gijsje Hendrika Koenderink
- Department
of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZDelft, The Netherlands,
| | - Cristina Martinez-Torres
- Department
of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZDelft, The Netherlands,
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21
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De Franceschi N, Pezeshkian W, Fragasso A, Bruininks BMH, Tsai S, Marrink SJ, Dekker C. Synthetic Membrane Shaper for Controlled Liposome Deformation. ACS NANO 2022; 17:966-978. [PMID: 36441529 PMCID: PMC9878720 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c06125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Shape defines the structure and function of cellular membranes. In cell division, the cell membrane deforms into a "dumbbell" shape, while organelles such as the autophagosome exhibit "stomatocyte" shapes. Bottom-up in vitro reconstitution of protein machineries that stabilize or resolve the membrane necks in such deformed liposome structures is of considerable interest to characterize their function. Here we develop a DNA-nanotechnology-based approach that we call the synthetic membrane shaper (SMS), where cholesterol-linked DNA structures attach to the liposome membrane to reproducibly generate high yields of stomatocytes and dumbbells. In silico simulations confirm the shape-stabilizing role of the SMS. We show that the SMS is fully compatible with protein reconstitution by assembling bacterial divisome proteins (DynaminA, FtsZ:ZipA) at the catenoidal neck of these membrane structures. The SMS approach provides a general tool for studying protein binding to complex membrane geometries that will greatly benefit synthetic cell research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola De Franceschi
- Department
of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZDelft, The Netherlands
| | - Weria Pezeshkian
- Groningen
Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute and Zernike Institute
for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AGGroningen, The Netherlands
- The
Niels Bohr International Academy, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, 17DK-2100Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Alessio Fragasso
- Department
of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZDelft, The Netherlands
| | - Bart M. H. Bruininks
- Groningen
Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute and Zernike Institute
for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AGGroningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sean Tsai
- Department
of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZDelft, The Netherlands
| | - Siewert J. Marrink
- Groningen
Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute and Zernike Institute
for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AGGroningen, The Netherlands
| | - Cees Dekker
- Department
of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZDelft, The Netherlands
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22
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Poddar A, Hsu YY, Zhang F, Shamma A, Kreais Z, Muller C, Malla M, Ray A, Liu AP, Chen Q. Membrane stretching activates calcium permeability of a putative channel Pkd2 during fission yeast cytokinesis. Mol Biol Cell 2022; 33:ar134. [PMID: 36200871 PMCID: PMC9727806 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e22-07-0248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Pkd2 is the fission yeast homologue of polycystins. This putative ion channel localizes to the plasma membrane. It is required for the expansion of cell volume during interphase growth and cytokinesis, the last step of cell division. However, the channel activity of Pkd2 remains untested. Here, we examined the calcium permeability and mechanosensitivity of Pkd2 through in vitro reconstitution and calcium imaging of pkd2 mutant cells. Pkd2 was translated and inserted into the lipid bilayers of giant unilamellar vesicles using a cell-free expression system. The reconstituted Pkd2 permeated calcium when the membrane was stretched via hypoosmotic shock. In vivo, inactivation of Pkd2 through a temperature-sensitive mutation pkd2-B42 reduced the average intracellular calcium level by 34%. Compared with the wild type, the hypomorphic mutation pkd2-81KD reduced the amplitude of hypoosmotic shock-triggered calcium spikes by 59%. During cytokinesis, mutations of pkd2 reduced the calcium spikes, accompanying cell separation and the ensuing membrane stretching, by 60%. We concluded that fission yeast polycystin Pkd2 allows calcium influx when activated by membrane stretching, representing a likely mechanosensitive channel that contributes to the cytokinetic calcium spikes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Poddar
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606
| | - Yen-Yu Hsu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Faith Zhang
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606
| | - Abeda Shamma
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606
| | - Zachary Kreais
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606
| | - Clare Muller
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606
| | - Mamata Malla
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606
| | - Aniruddha Ray
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606
| | - Allen P. Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109,Department of Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109,Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109,*Address correspondence to: Qian Chen (); Allen Liu ()
| | - Qian Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606,*Address correspondence to: Qian Chen (); Allen Liu ()
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23
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Herianto S, Chien PJ, Ho JAA, Tu HL. Liposome-based artificial cells: From gene expression to reconstitution of cellular functions and phenotypes. BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES 2022; 142:213156. [PMID: 36302330 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2022.213156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Bottom-up approaches in creating artificial cells that can mimic natural cells have significant implications for both basic research and translational application. Among various artificial cell models, liposome is one of the most sophisticated systems. By encapsulating proteins and associated biomolecules, they can functionally reconstitute foundational features of biological cells, such as the ability to divide, communicate, and undergo shape deformation. Yet constructing liposome artificial cells from the genetic level, which is central to generate self-sustained systems remains highly challenging. Indeed, many studies have successfully established the expression of gene-coded proteins inside liposomes. Further, recent endeavors to build a direct integration of gene-expressed proteins for reconstituting molecular functions and phenotypes in liposomes have also significantly increased. Thus, this review presents the development of liposome-based artificial cells to demonstrate the process of gene-expressed proteins and their reconstitution to perform desired molecular and cell-like functions. The molecular and cellular phenotypes discussed here include the self-production of membrane phospholipids, division, shape deformation, self-DNA/RNA replication, fusion, and intercellular communication. Together, this review gives a comprehensive overview of gene-expressing liposomes that can stimulate further research of this technology and achieve artificial cells with superior properties in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Herianto
- Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan; Chemical Biology and Molecular Biophysics, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan; Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Po-Jen Chien
- Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Ja-An Annie Ho
- Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan; BioAnalytical Chemistry and Nanobiomedicine Laboratory, Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Hsiung-Lin Tu
- Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan; Chemical Biology and Molecular Biophysics, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
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24
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Abstract
One of the major challenges of bottom-up synthetic biology is rebuilding a minimal cell division machinery. From a reconstitution perspective, the animal cell division apparatus is mechanically the simplest and therefore attractive to rebuild. An actin-based ring produces contractile force to constrict the membrane. By contrast, microbes and plant cells have a cell wall, so division requires concerted membrane constriction and cell wall synthesis. Furthermore, reconstitution of the actin division machinery helps in understanding the physical and molecular mechanisms of cytokinesis in animal cells and thus our own cells. In this review, we describe the state-of-the-art research on reconstitution of minimal actin-mediated cytokinetic machineries. Based on the conceptual requirements that we obtained from the physics of the shape changes involved in cell division, we propose two major routes for building a minimal actin apparatus capable of division. Importantly, we acknowledge both the passive and active roles that the confining lipid membrane can play in synthetic cytokinesis. We conclude this review by identifying the most pressing challenges for future reconstitution work, thereby laying out a roadmap for building a synthetic cell equipped with a minimal actin division machinery.
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25
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Pramanik S, Steinkühler J, Dimova R, Spatz J, Lipowsky R. Binding of His-tagged fluorophores to lipid bilayers of giant vesicles. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:6372-6383. [PMID: 35975692 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00915c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
His-tagged molecules can be attached to lipid bilayers via certain anchor lipids, a method that has been widely used for the biofunctionalization of membranes and vesicles. To observe the membrane-bound molecules, it is useful to consider His-tagged molecules that are fluorescent as well. Here, we study two such molecules, green fluorescence protein (GFP) and green-fluorescent fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), both of which are tagged with a chain of six histidines (6H) that bind to the anchor lipids within the bilayers. The His-tag 6H is much smaller than the GFP molecule but somewhat larger than the FITC dye. The lipid bilayers form giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs), the behavior of which can be directly observed in the optical microscope. We apply and compare three well-established preparation methods for GUVs: electroformation on platinum wire, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel swelling, and electroformation on indium tin oxide (ITO) glass. Microfluidics is used to expose the GUVs to a constant fluorophore concentration in the exterior solution. The brightness of membrane-bound 6H-GFP exceeds the brightness of membrane-bound 6H-FITC, in contrast to the quantum yields of the two fluorophores in solution. In fact, 6H-FITC is observed to be strongly quenched by the anchor lipids which bind the fluorophores via Ni2+ ions. For both 6H-GFP and 6H-FITC, the membrane fluorescence is measured as a function of the fluorophores' molar concentration. The theoretical analysis of these data leads to the equilibrium dissociation constants Kd = 37.5 nM for 6H-GFP and Kd = 18.5 nM for 6H-FITC. We also observe a strong pH-dependence of the membrane fluorescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreya Pramanik
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14424 Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Jan Steinkühler
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14424 Potsdam, Germany.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Rumiana Dimova
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14424 Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Joachim Spatz
- Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Reinhard Lipowsky
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14424 Potsdam, Germany.
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26
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Bogatyr V, Biebricher AS, Bergamaschi G, Peterman EJG, Wuite GJL. Quantitative Acoustophoresis. ACS NANOSCIENCE AU 2022; 2:341-354. [PMID: 35996438 PMCID: PMC9389611 DOI: 10.1021/acsnanoscienceau.2c00002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
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Studying cellular
mechanics allows important insights into its
cytoskeletal composition, developmental stage, and health. While many
force spectroscopy assays exist that allow probing of mechanics of
bioparticles, most of them require immobilization of and direct contact
with the particle and can only measure a single particle at a time.
Here, we introduce quantitative acoustophoresis (QAP) as a simple
alternative that uses an acoustic standing wave field to directly
determine cellular compressibility and density of many cells simultaneously
in a contact-free manner. First, using polymeric spheres of different
sizes and materials, we verify that our assay data follow the standard
acoustic theory with great accuracy. We furthermore verify that our
technique not only is able to measure compressibilities of living
cells but can also sense an artificial cytoskeleton inside a biomimetic
vesicle. We finally provide a thorough discussion about the expected
accuracy our approach provides. To conclude, we show that compared
to existing methods, our QAP assay provides a simple yet powerful
alternative to study the mechanics of biological and biomimetic particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vadim Bogatyr
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Physics of Living Systems, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, Amsterdam 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - Andreas S. Biebricher
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Physics of Living Systems, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, Amsterdam 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - Giulia Bergamaschi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Physics of Living Systems, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, Amsterdam 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - Erwin J. G. Peterman
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Physics of Living Systems, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, Amsterdam 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - Gijs J. L. Wuite
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Physics of Living Systems, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, Amsterdam 1081HV, The Netherlands
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27
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Activity-induced polar patterns of filaments gliding on a sphere. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2579. [PMID: 35546549 PMCID: PMC9095588 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30128-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Active matter systems feature the ability to form collective patterns as observed in a plethora of living systems, from schools of fish to swimming bacteria. While many of these systems move in a wide, three-dimensional environment, several biological systems are confined by a curved topology. The role played by a non-Euclidean geometry on the self-organization of active systems is not yet fully understood, and few experimental systems are available to study it. Here, we introduce an experimental setup in which actin filaments glide on the inner surface of a spherical lipid vesicle, thus embedding them in a curved geometry. We show that filaments self-assemble into polar, elongated structures and that, when these match the size of the spherical geometry, both confinement and topological constraints become relevant for the emergent patterns, leading to the formation of polar vortices and jammed states. These results experimentally demonstrate that activity-induced complex patterns can be shaped by spherical confinement and topology. Active matter exhibits a range of collective behaviors offering insights into how complex patterns can emerge at different length scales. Here, Hsu et al. confine active filaments on the spherical surface of a lipid vesicle and observe the formation of off-equator polar vortices and jammed patterns.
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28
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Shimane Y, Kuruma Y. Rapid and Facile Preparation of Giant Vesicles by the Droplet Transfer Method for Artificial Cell Construction. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:873854. [PMID: 35464723 PMCID: PMC9021372 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.873854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Giant vesicles have been widely used for the bottom-up construction of artificial (or synthetic) cells and the physicochemical analysis of lipid membranes. Although methods for the formation of giant vesicles and the encapsulation of molecules within them have been established, a standardized protocol has not been shared among researchers including non-experts. Here we proposed a rapid and facile protocol that allows the formation of giant vesicles within 30 min. The quality of the giant vesicles encapsulating a cell-free protein expression system was comparable to that of the ones formed using a conventional method, in terms of the synthesis of both soluble and membrane proteins. We also performed protein synthesis in artificial cells using a lyophilized cell-free mixture and showed an equivalent level of protein synthesis. Our method could become a standard method for giant vesicle formation suited for artificial cell research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuhiro Shimane
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
- Research Institute of Industrial Technology, Toyo University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Yutetsu Kuruma
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
- PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Saitama, Japan
- Graduate School of Nanobioscience, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
- *Correspondence: Yutetsu Kuruma,
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29
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Abele T, Messer T, Jahnke K, Hippler M, Bastmeyer M, Wegener M, Göpfrich K. Two-Photon 3D Laser Printing Inside Synthetic Cells. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2022; 34:e2106709. [PMID: 34800321 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202106709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Toward the ambitious goal of manufacturing synthetic cells from the bottom up, various cellular components have already been reconstituted inside lipid vesicles. However, the deterministic positioning of these components inside the compartment has remained elusive. Here, by using two-photon 3D laser printing, 2D and 3D hydrogel architectures are manufactured with high precision and nearly arbitrary shape inside preformed giant unilamellar lipid vesicles (GUVs). The required water-soluble photoresist is brought into the GUVs by diffusion in a single mixing step. Crucially, femtosecond two-photon printing inside the compartment does not destroy the GUVs. Beyond this proof-of-principle demonstration, early functional architectures are realized. In particular, a transmembrane structure acting as a pore is 3D printed, thereby allowing for the transport of biological cargo, including DNA, into the synthetic compartment. These experiments show that two-photon 3D laser microprinting can be an important addition to the existing toolbox of synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Abele
- Biophysical Engineering Group, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tobias Messer
- Institute of Applied Physics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Wolfgang-Gaede-Str. 1, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Kevin Jahnke
- Biophysical Engineering Group, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marc Hippler
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
- Zoological Institute, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Fritz-Haber-Weg 4, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Martin Bastmeyer
- Zoological Institute, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Fritz-Haber-Weg 4, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
- Institute for Biological and Chemical Systems - Biological Information Processing (IBCS-BIP), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Martin Wegener
- Institute of Applied Physics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Wolfgang-Gaede-Str. 1, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
- Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Kerstin Göpfrich
- Biophysical Engineering Group, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
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30
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Lussier F, Schröter M, Diercks NJ, Jahnke K, Weber C, Frey C, Platzman I, Spatz JP. pH-Triggered Assembly of Endomembrane Multicompartments in Synthetic Cells. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:366-382. [PMID: 34889607 PMCID: PMC8787813 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
By using electrostatic interactions as driving force to assemble vesicles, the droplet-stabilized method was recently applied to reconstitute and encapsulate proteins, or compartments, inside giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) to act as minimal synthetic cells. However, the droplet-stabilized approach exhibits low production efficiency associated with the troublesome release of the GUVs from the stabilized droplets, corresponding to a major hurdle for the droplet-stabilized approach. Herein, we report the use of pH as a potential trigger to self-assemble droplet-stabilized GUVs (dsGUVs) by either bulk or droplet-based microfluidics. Moreover, pH enables the generation of compartmentalized GUVs with flexibility and robustness. By co-encapsulating pH-sensitive small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs), negatively charged SUVs, and/or proteins, we show that acidification of the droplets efficiently produces dsGUVs while sequestrating the co-encapsulated material. Most importantly, the pH-mediated assembly of dsGUVs significantly improves the production efficiency of free-standing GUVs (i.e., released from the stabilizing-droplets) compared to its previous implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Félix Lussier
- Department
of Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute
for Molecular Systems Engineering (IMSE), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Schröter
- Department
of Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute
for Molecular Systems Engineering (IMSE), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nicolas J. Diercks
- Department
of Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute
for Molecular Systems Engineering (IMSE), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kevin Jahnke
- Biophysical
Engineering Group, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department
of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Cornelia Weber
- Department
of Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute
for Molecular Systems Engineering (IMSE), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christoph Frey
- Department
of Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute
for Molecular Systems Engineering (IMSE), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ilia Platzman
- Department
of Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute
for Molecular Systems Engineering (IMSE), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Joachim P. Spatz
- Department
of Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute
for Molecular Systems Engineering (IMSE), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Max
Planck School Matter to Life, Jahnstraße 29, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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31
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Sharma B, Moghimianavval H, Hwang SW, Liu AP. Synthetic Cell as a Platform for Understanding Membrane-Membrane Interactions. MEMBRANES 2021; 11:912. [PMID: 34940413 PMCID: PMC8706075 DOI: 10.3390/membranes11120912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
In the pursuit of understanding life, model membranes made of phospholipids were envisaged decades ago as a platform for the bottom-up study of biological processes. Micron-sized lipid vesicles have gained great acceptance as their bilayer membrane resembles the natural cell membrane. Important biological events involving membranes, such as membrane protein insertion, membrane fusion, and intercellular communication, will be highlighted in this review with recent research updates. We will first review different lipid bilayer platforms used for incorporation of integral membrane proteins and challenges associated with their functional reconstitution. We next discuss different methods for reconstitution of membrane fusion and compare their fusion efficiency. Lastly, we will highlight the importance and challenges of intercellular communication between synthetic cells and synthetic cells-to-natural cells. We will summarize the review by highlighting the challenges and opportunities associated with studying membrane-membrane interactions and possible future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bineet Sharma
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (B.S.); (H.M.)
| | - Hossein Moghimianavval
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (B.S.); (H.M.)
| | - Sung-Won Hwang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA;
| | - Allen P. Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (B.S.); (H.M.)
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA
- Department of Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA
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