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Shelke Y, Camerin F, Marín-Aguilar S, Verweij RW, Dijkstra M, Kraft DJ. Flexible Colloidal Molecules with Directional Bonds and Controlled Flexibility. ACS NANO 2023. [PMID: 37363931 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c00751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Colloidal molecules are ideal model systems for mimicking real molecules and can serve as versatile building blocks for the bottom-up self-assembly of flexible and smart materials. While most colloidal molecules are rigid objects, the development of colloidal joints has made it possible to endow them with conformational flexibility. However, their unrestricted range of motion does not capture the limited movement and bond directionality that is instead typical of real molecules. In this work, we create flexible colloidal molecules with an in situ controllable motion range and bond directionality by assembling spherical particles onto cubes functionalized with complementary surface-mobile DNA. By varying the sphere-to-cube size ratio, we obtain colloidal molecules with different coordination numbers and find that they feature a constrained range of motion above a critical size ratio. Using theory and simulations, we show that the particle shape together with the multivalent bonds creates an effective free-energy landscape for the motion of the sphere on the surface of the cube. We quantify the confinement of the spheres on the surface of the cube and the probability to change facet. We find that temperature can be used as an extra control parameter to switch in situ between full and constrained flexibility. These flexible colloidal molecules with a temperature switching motion range can be used to investigate the effect of directional yet flexible bonds in determining their self-assembly and phase behavior, and may be employed as constructional units in microrobotics and smart materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yogesh Shelke
- Soft Matter Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, PO Box 9504, Leiden 2300 RA, The Netherlands
| | - Fabrizio Camerin
- Soft Condensed Matter & Biophysics, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Princetonplein 1, Utrecht 3584 CC, The Netherlands
| | - Susana Marín-Aguilar
- Soft Condensed Matter & Biophysics, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Princetonplein 1, Utrecht 3584 CC, The Netherlands
| | - Ruben W Verweij
- Soft Matter Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, PO Box 9504, Leiden 2300 RA, The Netherlands
| | - Marjolein Dijkstra
- Soft Condensed Matter & Biophysics, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Princetonplein 1, Utrecht 3584 CC, The Netherlands
| | - Daniela J Kraft
- Soft Matter Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, PO Box 9504, Leiden 2300 RA, The Netherlands
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2
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Paez-Perez M, Russell IA, Cicuta P, Di Michele L. Modulating membrane fusion through the design of fusogenic DNA circuits and bilayer composition. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:7035-7044. [PMID: 36000473 PMCID: PMC9516350 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00863g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Membrane fusion is a ubiquitous phenomenon linked to many biological processes, and represents a crucial step in liposome-based drug delivery strategies. The ability to control, ever more precisely, membrane fusion pathways would thus be highly valuable for next generation nano-medical solutions and, more generally, the design of advanced biomimetic systems such as synthetic cells. In this article, we present fusogenic nanostructures constructed from synthetic DNA which, different from previous solutions, unlock routes for modulating the rate of fusion and making it conditional to the presence of soluble DNA molecules, thus demonstrating how membrane fusion can be controlled through simple DNA-based molecular circuits. We then systematically explore the relationship between lipid-membrane composition, its biophysical properties, and measured fusion efficiency, linking our observations to the stability of transition states in the fusion pathway. Finally, we observe that specific lipid compositions lead to the emergence of complex bilayer architectures in the fusion products, such as nested morphologies, which are accompanied by alterations in biophysical behaviour. Our findings provide multiple, orthogonal strategies to program lipid-membrane fusion, which leverage the design of either the fusogenic DNA constructs or the physico/chemical properties of the membranes, and could thus be valuable in applications where some design parameters are constrained by other factors such as material cost and biocompatibility, as it is often the case in biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Paez-Perez
- Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Wood Lane, London, W12 0BZ, UK.
- fabriCELL, Imperial College London, Wood Lane, London, W12 0BZ, UK
| | - I Alasdair Russell
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Pietro Cicuta
- Biological and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK.
| | - Lorenzo Di Michele
- Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Wood Lane, London, W12 0BZ, UK.
- fabriCELL, Imperial College London, Wood Lane, London, W12 0BZ, UK
- Biological and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK.
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3
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Rovigatti L, Sciortino F. Designing Enhanced Entropy Binding in Single-Chain Nanoparticles. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2022; 129:047801. [PMID: 35939033 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.129.047801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Single-chain nanoparticles (SCNPs) are a new class of bio- and soft-matter polymeric objects in which a fraction of the monomers are able to form equivalently intra- or interpolymer bonds. Here we numerically show that a fully entropic gas-liquid phase separation can take place in SCNP systems. Control over the discontinuous (first-order) change-from a phase of independent diluted (fully-bonded) polymers to a phase in which polymers entropically bind to each other to form a (fully-bonded) polymer network-can be achieved by a judicious design of the patterns of reactive monomers along the polymer chain. Such a sensitivity arises from a delicate balance between the distinct entropic contributions controlling the binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Rovigatti
- Department of Physics, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale A. Moro 2, IT-00185 Roma, Italy and CNR-ISC Uos Sapienza, Piazzale A. Moro 2, IT-00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Francesco Sciortino
- Department of Physics, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale A. Moro 2, IT-00185 Roma, Italy
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4
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Rubio-Sánchez R, Fabrini G, Cicuta P, Di Michele L. Amphiphilic DNA nanostructures for bottom-up synthetic biology. Chem Commun (Camb) 2021; 57:12725-12740. [PMID: 34750602 PMCID: PMC8631003 DOI: 10.1039/d1cc04311k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
DNA nanotechnology enables the construction of sophisticated biomimetic nanomachines that are increasingly central to the growing efforts of creating complex cell-like entities from the bottom-up. DNA nanostructures have been proposed as both structural and functional elements of these artificial cells, and in many instances are decorated with hydrophobic moieties to enable interfacing with synthetic lipid bilayers or regulating bulk self-organisation. In this feature article we review recent efforts to design biomimetic membrane-anchored DNA nanostructures capable of imparting complex functionalities to cell-like objects, such as regulated adhesion, tissue formation, communication and transport. We then discuss the ability of hydrophobic modifications to enable the self-assembly of DNA-based nanostructured frameworks with prescribed morphology and functionality, and explore the relevance of these novel materials for artificial cell science and beyond. Finally, we comment on the yet mostly unexpressed potential of amphiphilic DNA-nanotechnology as a complete toolbox for bottom-up synthetic biology - a figurative and literal scaffold upon which the next generation of synthetic cells could be built.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Rubio-Sánchez
- Biological and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK.
- fabriCELL, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Giacomo Fabrini
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, UK
- fabriCELL, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Pietro Cicuta
- Biological and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK.
| | - Lorenzo Di Michele
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, UK
- Biological and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK.
- fabriCELL, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, UK
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5
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Li L, Kamal MA, Stumpf BH, Thibaudau F, Sengupta K, Smith AS. Biomechanics as driver of aggregation of tethers in adherent membranes. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:10101-10107. [PMID: 34723306 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm00921d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Cell adhesion is an important cellular process and is mediated by adhesion proteins residing on the cell membrane. Sometimes, two types of linker proteins are involved in adhesion, and they can segregate to form domains through a poorly understood size-exclusion process. We present an experimental and theoretical study of adhesion via linkers of two different sizes, realised in a mimetic model-system, based on giant unilamellar vesicles interacting with supported lipid bilayers. Here, adhesion is mediated by DNA linkers with two different lengths, but with the same binding enthalpy. We study the organisation of these linkers into domains as a function of relative fraction of long and short DNA constructs. Experimentally, we find that, irrespective of the composition, the adhesion domains are uniform with coexisting DNA bridge types, despite their relative difference in length of 9 nm. However, simulations suggest formation of nanodomains of the minority fraction at short length scales, which is below the optical resolution of the microscope. The nano-aggregation is more significant for long bridges, which are also more stable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Li
- PULS Group, Institut for Theoretical Physics and Interdisciplinary Center for Nanostructured Films, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Cauerstrasse 3, Erlangen, 91058, Germany.
- Key Laboratory of Mechanics on Disaster and Environment in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Mohammad Arif Kamal
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Nanoscience de Marseille (CINaM), 13009 Marseille, France.
| | - Bernd Henning Stumpf
- PULS Group, Institut for Theoretical Physics and Interdisciplinary Center for Nanostructured Films, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Cauerstrasse 3, Erlangen, 91058, Germany.
| | - Franck Thibaudau
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Nanoscience de Marseille (CINaM), 13009 Marseille, France.
| | - Kheya Sengupta
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Nanoscience de Marseille (CINaM), 13009 Marseille, France.
| | - Ana-Sunčana Smith
- PULS Group, Institut for Theoretical Physics and Interdisciplinary Center for Nanostructured Films, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Cauerstrasse 3, Erlangen, 91058, Germany.
- Group for Computational Life Sciences, Division of Physical Chemistry, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička cesta 54, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
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6
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DNA self-organization controls valence in programmable colloid design. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2112604118. [PMID: 34750268 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2112604118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Just like atoms combine into molecules, colloids can self-organize into predetermined structures according to a set of design principles. Controlling valence-the number of interparticle bonds-is a prerequisite for the assembly of complex architectures. The assembly can be directed via solid "patchy" particles with prescribed geometries to make, for example, a colloidal diamond. We demonstrate here that the nanoscale ordering of individual molecular linkers can combine to program the structure of microscale assemblies. Specifically, we experimentally show that covering initially isotropic microdroplets with N mobile DNA linkers results in spontaneous and reversible self-organization of the DNA into Z(N) binding patches, selecting a predictable valence. We understand this valence thermodynamically, deriving a free energy functional for droplet-droplet adhesion that accurately predicts the equilibrium size of and molecular organization within patches, as well as the observed valence transitions with N Thus, microscopic self-organization can be programmed by choosing the molecular properties and concentration of binders. These results are widely applicable to the assembly of any particle with mobile linkers, such as functionalized liposomes or protein interactions in cell-cell adhesion.
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7
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Merminod S, Edison JR, Fang H, Hagan MF, Rogers WB. Avidity and surface mobility in multivalent ligand-receptor binding. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:12602-12612. [PMID: 34259699 PMCID: PMC8386892 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr02083h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Targeted drug delivery relies on two physical processes: the selective binding of a therapeutic particle to receptors on a specific cell membrane, followed by transport of the particle across the membrane. In this article, we address some of the challenges in controlling the thermodynamics and dynamics of these two processes by combining a simple experimental system with a statistical mechanical model. Specifically, we characterize and model multivalent ligand-receptor binding between colloidal particles and fluid lipid bilayers, as well as the surface mobility of membrane-bound particles. We show that the mobility of the receptors within the fluid membrane is key to both the thermodynamics and dynamics of binding. First, we find that the particle-membrane binding free energy-or avidity-is a strongly nonlinear function of the ligand-receptor affinity. We attribute the nonlinearity to a combination of multivalency and recruitment of fluid receptors to the binding site. Our results also suggest that partial wrapping of the bound particles by the membrane enhances avidity further. Second, we demonstrate that the lateral mobility of membrane-bound particles is also strongly influenced by the recruitment of receptors. Specifically, we find that the lateral diffusion coefficient of a membrane-bound particle is dominated by the hydrodynamic drag against the aggregate of receptors within the membrane. These results provide one of the first direct validations of the working theoretical framework for multivalent interactions. They also highlight that the fluidity and elasticity of the membrane are as important as the ligand-receptor affinity in determining the binding and transport of small particles attached to membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Merminod
- Martin A. Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA.
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8
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Responsive core-shell DNA particles trigger lipid-membrane disruption and bacteria entrapment. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4743. [PMID: 34362911 PMCID: PMC8346484 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24989-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Biology has evolved a variety of agents capable of permeabilizing and disrupting lipid membranes, from amyloid aggregates, to antimicrobial peptides, to venom compounds. While often associated with disease or toxicity, these agents are also central to many biosensing and therapeutic technologies. Here, we introduce a class of synthetic, DNA-based particles capable of disrupting lipid membranes. The particles have finely programmable size, and self-assemble from all-DNA and cholesterol-DNA nanostructures, the latter forming a membrane-adhesive core and the former a protective hydrophilic corona. We show that the corona can be selectively displaced with a molecular cue, exposing the 'sticky' core. Unprotected particles adhere to synthetic lipid vesicles, which in turn enhances membrane permeability and leads to vesicle collapse. Furthermore, particle-particle coalescence leads to the formation of gel-like DNA aggregates that envelop surviving vesicles. This response is reminiscent of pathogen immobilisation through immune cells secretion of DNA networks, as we demonstrate by trapping E. coli bacteria.
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9
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Rubio-Sánchez R, Barker SE, Walczak M, Cicuta P, Michele LD. A Modular, Dynamic, DNA-Based Platform for Regulating Cargo Distribution and Transport between Lipid Domains. NANO LETTERS 2021; 21:2800-2808. [PMID: 33733783 PMCID: PMC8050828 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c04867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Cell membranes regulate the distribution of biological machinery between phase-separated lipid domains to facilitate key processes including signaling and transport, which are among the life-like functionalities that bottom-up synthetic biology aims to replicate in artificial-cellular systems. Here, we introduce a modular approach to program partitioning of amphiphilic DNA nanostructures in coexisting lipid domains. Exploiting the tendency of different hydrophobic "anchors" to enrich different phases, we modulate the lateral distribution of our devices by rationally combining hydrophobes and by changing nanostructure size and topology. We demonstrate the functionality of our strategy with a bioinspired DNA architecture, which dynamically undergoes ligand-induced reconfiguration to mediate cargo transport between domains via lateral redistribution. Our findings pave the way to next-generation biomimetic platforms for sensing, transduction, and communication in synthetic cellular systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Rubio-Sánchez
- Biological
and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
| | - Simone Eizagirre Barker
- Biological
and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
| | - Michal Walczak
- Biological
and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
| | - Pietro Cicuta
- Biological
and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
| | - Lorenzo Di Michele
- Biological
and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
- Molecular
Sciences Research Hub, Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, United Kingdom
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10
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A quantitative view on multivalent nanomedicine targeting. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2021; 169:1-21. [PMID: 33264593 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2020.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Although the concept of selective delivery has been postulated over 100 years ago, no targeted nanomedicine has been clinically approved so far. Nanoparticles modified with targeting ligands to promote the selective delivery of therapeutics towards a specific cell population have been extensively reported. However, the rational design of selective particles is still challenging. One of the main reasons for this is the lack of quantitative theoretical and experimental understanding of the interactions involved in cell targeting. In this review, we discuss new theoretical models and experimental methods that provide a quantitative view of targeting. We show the new advancements in multivalency theory enabling the rational design of super-selective nanoparticles. Furthermore, we present the innovative approaches to obtain key targeting parameters at the single-cell and single molecule level and their role in the design of targeting nanoparticles. We believe that the combination of new theoretical multivalent design and experimental methods to quantify receptors and ligands aids in the rational design and clinical translation of targeted nanomedicines.
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11
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Lanfranco R, Jana PK, Bruylants G, Cicuta P, Mognetti BM, Di Michele L. Adaptable DNA interactions regulate surface triggered self assembly. NANOSCALE 2020; 12:18616-18620. [PMID: 32970063 DOI: 10.1039/d0nr04461j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
DNA-mediated multivalent interactions between colloidal particles have been extensively applied for their ability to program bulk phase behaviour and dynamic processes. Exploiting the competition between different types of DNA-DNA bonds, here we experimentally demonstrate the selective triggering of colloidal self-assembly in the presence of a functionalised surface, which induces changes in particle-particle interactions. Besides its relevance to the manufacturing of layered materials with controlled thickness, the intrinsic signal-amplification features of the proposed interaction scheme make it valuable for biosensing applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Lanfranco
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK
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12
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Jana PK, Mognetti BM. Self-assembly of finite-sized colloidal aggregates. SOFT MATTER 2020; 16:5915-5924. [PMID: 32538404 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm00234h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
One of the challenges of self-assembling finite-sized colloidal aggregates with a sought morphology is the necessity of precisely sorting the position of the colloids at the microscopic scale to avoid the formation of off-target structures. Microfluidic platforms address this problem by loading into single droplets the exact amount of colloids entering the targeted aggregate. Using theory and simulations, in this paper, we validate a more versatile design allowing us to fabricate different types of finite-sized aggregates, including colloidal molecules or core-shell clusters, starting from finite density suspensions of isotropic colloids in bulk. In our model, interactions between particles are mediated by DNA linkers with mobile tethering points, as found in experiments using DNA oligomers tagged with hydrophobic complexes immersed into supported bilayers. By fine-tuning the strength and number of the different types of linkers, we prove the possibility of controlling the morphology of the aggregates, in particular, the valency of the molecules and the size of the core-shell clusters. In general, our design shows how multivalent interactions can lead to microphase separation under equilibrium conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pritam Kumar Jana
- Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Interdisciplinary Center for Nonlinear Phenomena and Complex Systems, Campus Plaine, CP 231, Blvd. du Triomphe, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium.
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13
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Sciortino F, Zhang Y, Gang O, Kumar SK. Combinatorial-Entropy-Driven Aggregation in DNA-Grafted Nanoparticles. ACS NANO 2020; 14:5628-5635. [PMID: 32374987 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.9b10123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
We use computer simulations and experiments to study the interactions between nanoparticles (NPs) grafted with self-complementary DNA strands. Each strand ends with a sticky palindromic single-stranded sequence, allowing it to associate equally favorably with strands grafted on the same particle or on different NPs. Surprisingly we find an attractive interaction between a pair of NPs, and we demonstrate that at low temperature it arises purely from a combinatorial-entropy contribution. We evaluate theoretically and verify numerically this entropic contribution originating from the number of distinct bonding patterns associated with intra- and interparticle binding. This entropic attraction becomes more favorable with decreasing inter-NP distance because more sticky ends can participate in making this choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Sciortino
- Department of Physics, Sapienza Universita' di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 2, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Yugang Zhang
- Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratories, Upton, New York 11973, United States
| | - Oleg Gang
- Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratories, Upton, New York 11973, United States
- Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, New York New York 10027, United States
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Sanat K Kumar
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, United States
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14
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Curk T, Tito NB. First-order 'hyper-selective' binding transition of multivalent particles under force. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2020; 32:214002. [PMID: 31952055 DOI: 10.1088/1361-648x/ab6d12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Multivalent particles bind to targets via many independent ligand-receptor bonding interactions. This microscopic design spans length scales in both synthetic and biological systems. Classic examples include interactions between cells, virus binding, synthetic ligand-coated micrometer-scale vesicles or smaller nano-particles, functionalised polymers, and toxins. Equilibrium multivalent binding is a continuous yet super-selective transition with respect to the number of ligands and receptors involved in the interaction. Increasing the ligand or receptor density on the two particles leads to sharp growth in the number of bound particles at equilibrium. Here we present a theory and Monte Carlo simulations to show that applying mechanical force to multivalent particles causes their adsorption/desorption isotherm on a surface to become sharper and more selective, with respect to variation in the number of ligands and receptors on the two objects. When the force is only applied to particles bound to the surface by one or more ligands, then the transition can become infinitely sharp and first-order-a new binding regime which we term 'hyper-selective'. Force may be imposed by, e.g. flow of solvent around the particles, a magnetic field, chemical gradients, or triggered uncoiling of inert oligomers/polymers tethered to the particles to provide a steric repulsion to the surface. This physical principle is a step towards 'all or nothing' binding selectivity in the design of multivalent constructs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tine Curk
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, United States of America
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15
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Xia X, Hu H, Ciamarra MP, Ni R. Linker-mediated self-assembly of mobile DNA-coated colloids. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaaz6921. [PMID: 32637586 PMCID: PMC7314559 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaz6921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Developing construction methods of materials tailored for given applications with absolute control over building block placement poses an immense challenge. DNA-coated colloids offer the possibility of realising programmable self-assembly, which, in principle, can assemble almost any structure in equilibrium, but remains challenging experimentally. Here, we propose an innovative system of linker-mediated mobile DNA-coated colloids (mDNACCs), in which mDNACCs are bridged by the free DNA linkers in solution, whose two single-stranded DNA tails can bind with specific single-stranded DNA receptors of complementary sequence coated on colloids. We formulate a mean-field theory efficiently calculating the effective interaction between mDNACCs, where the entropy of DNA linkers plays a nontrivial role. Particularly, when the binding between free DNA linkers in solution and the corresponding receptors on mDNACCs is strong, the linker-mediated colloidal interaction is determined by the linker entropy depending on the linker concentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuyang Xia
- Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 62 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637459
- Division of Physics and Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371
| | - Hao Hu
- Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 62 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637459
- School of Physics and Materials Science, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, People’s Republic of China
| | - Massimo Pica Ciamarra
- Division of Physics and Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371
| | - Ran Ni
- Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 62 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637459
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16
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Mognetti BM, Cicuta P, Di Michele L. Programmable interactions with biomimetic DNA linkers at fluid membranes and interfaces. REPORTS ON PROGRESS IN PHYSICS. PHYSICAL SOCIETY (GREAT BRITAIN) 2019; 82:116601. [PMID: 31370052 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6633/ab37ca] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
At the heart of the structured architecture and complex dynamics of biological systems are specific and timely interactions operated by biomolecules. In many instances, biomolecular agents are spatially confined to flexible lipid membranes where, among other functions, they control cell adhesion, motility and tissue formation. Besides being central to several biological processes, multivalent interactions mediated by reactive linkers confined to deformable substrates underpin the design of synthetic-biological platforms and advanced biomimetic materials. Here we review recent advances on the experimental study and theoretical modelling of a heterogeneous class of biomimetic systems in which synthetic linkers mediate multivalent interactions between fluid and deformable colloidal units, including lipid vesicles and emulsion droplets. Linkers are often prepared from synthetic DNA nanostructures, enabling full programmability of the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of their mutual interactions. The coupling of the statistical effects of multivalent interactions with substrate fluidity and deformability gives rise to a rich emerging phenomenology that, in the context of self-assembled soft materials, has been shown to produce exotic phase behaviour, stimuli-responsiveness, and kinetic programmability of the self-assembly process. Applications to (synthetic) biology will also be reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bortolo Matteo Mognetti
- Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Interdisciplinary Center for Nonlinear Phenomena and Complex Systems, Campus Plaine, CP 231, Blvd. du Triomphe, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
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Tito NB. Multivalent “attacker and guard” strategy for targeting surfaces with low receptor density. J Chem Phys 2019; 150:184907. [DOI: 10.1063/1.5086277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas B. Tito
- Department of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
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Jana PK, Mognetti BM. Surface-triggered cascade reactions between DNA linkers direct the self-assembly of colloidal crystals of controllable thickness. NANOSCALE 2019; 11:5450-5459. [PMID: 30855619 DOI: 10.1039/c8nr10217a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Functionalizing colloids with reactive DNA linkers is a versatile way of programming self-assembly. DNA selectivity provides direct control over colloid-colloid interactions allowing the engineering of structures such as complex crystals or gels. However, the self-assembly of localized and finite structures remains an open problem with many potential applications. In this work, we present a system in which functionalized surfaces initiate a cascade reaction between linkers leading to the self-assembly of crystals with a controllable number of layers. Specifically, we consider colloidal particles functionalized by two families of complementary DNA linkers with mobile anchoring points, as found in experiments using emulsions or lipid bilayers. In bulk, intra-particle linkages formed by pairs of complementary linkers prevent the formation of inter-particle bridges and therefore colloid-colloid aggregation. However, colloids interact strongly with the surface given that the latter can destabilize intra-particle linkages. When in direct contact with the surface, colloids are activated, meaning that they feature more unpaired DNA linkers ready to react. Activated colloids can then capture and activate other colloids from the bulk through the formation of inter-particle linkages. Using simulations and theory, validated by existing experiments, we clarify the thermodynamics of the activation and binding process and explain how particle-particle interactions, within the adsorbed phase, weaken as a function of the distance from the surface. The latter observation underlies the possibility of self-assembling finite aggregates with controllable thickness and flat solid-gas interfaces. Our design suggests a new avenue to fabricate heterogeneous and finite structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pritam Kumar Jana
- Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Interdisciplinary Center for Nonlinear Phenomena and Complex Systems, Campus Plaine, CP 231, Blvd. du Triomphe, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium.
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Kaufhold WT, Brady RA, Tuffnell JM, Cicuta P, Di Michele L. Membrane Scaffolds Enhance the Responsiveness and Stability of DNA-Based Sensing Circuits. Bioconjug Chem 2019; 30:1850-1859. [PMID: 30865433 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.9b00080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Will T. Kaufhold
- Biological and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
| | - Ryan A. Brady
- Biological and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
| | - Joshua M. Tuffnell
- Biological and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
| | - Pietro Cicuta
- Biological and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
| | - Lorenzo Di Michele
- Biological and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
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Lanfranco R, Jana PK, Tunesi L, Cicuta P, Mognetti BM, Di Michele L, Bruylants G. Kinetics of Nanoparticle-Membrane Adhesion Mediated by Multivalent Interactions. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2019; 35:2002-2012. [PMID: 30636419 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b02707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Multivalent adhesive interactions mediated by a large number of ligands and receptors underpin many biological processes, including cell adhesion and the uptake of particles, viruses, parasites, and nanomedical vectors. In materials science, multivalent interactions between colloidal particles have enabled unprecedented control over the phase behavior of self-assembled materials. Theoretical and experimental studies have pinpointed the relationship between equilibrium states and microscopic system parameters such as the ligand-receptor binding strength and their density. In regimes of strong interactions, however, kinetic factors are expected to slow down equilibration and lead to the emergence of long-lived out-of-equilibrium states that may significantly influence the outcome of self-assembly experiments and the adhesion of particles to biological membranes. Here we experimentally investigate the kinetics of adhesion of nanoparticles to biomimetic lipid membranes. Multivalent interactions are reproduced by strongly interacting DNA constructs, playing the role of both ligands and receptors. The rate of nanoparticle adhesion is investigated as a function of the surface density of membrane-anchored receptors and the bulk concentration of nanoparticles and is observed to decrease substantially in regimes where the number of available receptors is limited compared to the overall number of ligands. We attribute such peculiar behavior to the rapid sequestration of available receptors after initial nanoparticle adsorption. The experimental trends and the proposed interpretation are supported by numerical simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Lanfranco
- Biological and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory , University of Cambridge , JJ Thomson Avenue , Cambridge CB3 0HE , United Kingdom
- Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) , Engineering of Molecular NanoSystems , 50 av. F.D. Roosevelt , 1050 Brussels , Belgium
| | - Pritam Kumar Jana
- Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) , Interdisciplinary Center for Nonlinear Phenomena and Complex Systems, Campus Plaine , CP 231, Blvd. du Triomphe , B-1050 Brussels , Belgium
| | - Lucia Tunesi
- Biological and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory , University of Cambridge , JJ Thomson Avenue , Cambridge CB3 0HE , United Kingdom
| | - Pietro Cicuta
- Biological and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory , University of Cambridge , JJ Thomson Avenue , Cambridge CB3 0HE , United Kingdom
| | - Bortolo Matteo Mognetti
- Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) , Interdisciplinary Center for Nonlinear Phenomena and Complex Systems, Campus Plaine , CP 231, Blvd. du Triomphe , B-1050 Brussels , Belgium
| | - Lorenzo Di Michele
- Biological and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory , University of Cambridge , JJ Thomson Avenue , Cambridge CB3 0HE , United Kingdom
| | - Gilles Bruylants
- Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) , Engineering of Molecular NanoSystems , 50 av. F.D. Roosevelt , 1050 Brussels , Belgium
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Hu H, Ruiz PS, Ni R. Entropy Stabilizes Floppy Crystals of Mobile DNA-Coated Colloids. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2018; 120:048003. [PMID: 29437422 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.120.048003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Grafting linkers with open ends of complementary single-stranded DNA makes a flexible tool to tune interactions between colloids, which facilitates the design of complex self-assembly structures. Recently, it has been proposed to coat colloids with mobile DNA linkers, which alleviates kinetic barriers without high-density grafting, and also allows the design of valency without patches. However, the self-assembly mechanism of this novel system is poorly understood. Using a combination of theory and simulation, we obtain phase diagrams for the system in both two and three dimensional spaces, and find stable floppy square and CsCl crystals when the binding strength is strong, even in the infinite binding strength limit. We demonstrate that these floppy phases are stabilized by vibrational entropy, and "floppy" modes play an important role in stabilizing the floppy phases for the infinite binding strength limit. This special entropic effect in the self-assembly of mobile DNA-coated colloids is very different from conventional molecular self-assembly, and it offers a new axis to help design novel functional materials using mobile DNA-coated colloids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Hu
- Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 62 Nanyang Drive, 637459, Singapore
| | - Pablo Sampedro Ruiz
- Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 62 Nanyang Drive, 637459, Singapore
| | - Ran Ni
- Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 62 Nanyang Drive, 637459, Singapore
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