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Sivasundarampillai J, Youssef L, Priemel T, Mikulin S, Eren ED, Zaslansky P, Jehle F, Harrington MJ. A strong quick-release biointerface in mussels mediated by serotonergic cilia-based adhesion. Science 2023; 382:829-834. [PMID: 37972188 DOI: 10.1126/science.adi7401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
The mussel byssus stem provides a strong and compact mechanically mismatched biointerface between living tissue and a nonliving biopolymer. Yet, in a poorly understood process, mussels can simply jettison their entire byssus, rebuilding a new one in just hours. We characterized the structure and composition of the byssus biointerface using histology, confocal Raman mapping, phase contrast-enhanced microcomputed tomography, and advanced electron microscopy, revealing a sophisticated junction consisting of abiotic biopolymer sheets interdigitated between living extracellular matrix. The sheet surfaces are in intimate adhesive contact with billions of motile epithelial cilia that control biointerface strength and stem release through their collective movement, which is regulated neurochemically. We posit that this may involve a complex sensory pathway by which sessile mussels respond to environmental stresses to release and relocate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenaes Sivasundarampillai
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Lucia Youssef
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Tobias Priemel
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Sydney Mikulin
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - E Deniz Eren
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Paul Zaslansky
- Department for Operative, Preventive and Pediatric Dentistry, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin 14197, Germany
| | - Franziska Jehle
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
- Department of Biomaterials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Matthew J Harrington
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
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Youssef L, Renner-Rao M, Eren ED, Jehle F, Harrington MJ. Fabrication of Tunable Mechanical Gradients by Mussels via Bottom-Up Self-Assembly of Collagenous Precursors. ACS Nano 2023; 17:2294-2305. [PMID: 36657382 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c08801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Functionally graded interfaces are prominent in biological tissues and are used to mitigate stress concentrations at junctions between mechanically dissimilar components. Biological mechanical gradients serve as important role models for bioinspired design in technically and biomedically relevant applications. However, this necessitates elucidating exactly how natural gradients mitigate mechanical mismatch and how such gradients are fabricated. Here, we applied a cross-disciplinary experimental approach to understand structure, function, and formation of mechanical gradients in byssal threads─collagen-based fibers used by marine mussels to anchor on hard surfaces. The proximal end of threads is approximately 50-fold less stiff and twice as extensible as the distal end. However, the hierarchical structure of the distal-proximal junction is still not fully elucidated, and it is unclear how it is formed. Using tensile testing coupled with video extensometry, confocal Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy on native threads, we identified a continuous graded transition in mechanics, composition, and nanofibrillar morphology, which extends several hundreds of microns and which can vary significantly between individual threads. Furthermore, we performed in vitro fiber assembly experiments using purified secretory vesicles from the proximal and distal regions of the secretory glands (which contain different precursor proteins), revealing spontaneous self-assembly of distinctive distal- and proximal-like fiber morphologies. Aside from providing fundamental insights into the byssus structure, function, and fabrication, our findings reveal key design principles for bioinspired design of functionally graded polymeric materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Youssef
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Max Renner-Rao
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Egemen Deniz Eren
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Franziska Jehle
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Matthew J Harrington
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
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Renner-Rao M, Jehle F, Priemel T, Duthoo E, Fratzl P, Bertinetti L, Harrington MJ. Mussels Fabricate Porous Glues via Multiphase Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation of Multiprotein Condensates. ACS Nano 2022; 16:20877-20890. [PMID: 36413745 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c08410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Mussels (Mytilus edulis) adhere to hard surfaces in intertidal marine habitats with a porous underwater glue called the byssus plaque. The plaque is an established role model for bioinspired underwater glues and comprises at least six proteins, most of which are highly cationic and enriched in the post-translationally modified amino acid 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA). While much is known about the chemistry of plaque adhesion, less is understood about the natural plaque formation process. Here, we investigated plaque structure and formation using 3D electron microscopic imaging, revealing that micro- and nanopores form spontaneously during secretion of protein-filled secretory vesicles. To better understand this process, we developed a method to purify intact secretory vesicles for in vitro assembly studies. We discovered that each vesicle contains a sulfate-associated fluid condensate consisting of ∼9 histidine- and/or DOPA-rich proteins, which are presumably the required ingredients for building a plaque. Rupturing vesicles under specific buffering conditions relevant for natural assembly led to controlled multiphase liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of different proteins, resulting in formation of a continuous phase with coexisting droplets. Rapid coarsening of the droplet phase was arrested through pH-dependent cross-linking of the continuous phase, producing native-like solid porous "microplaques" with droplet proteins remaining as fluid condensates within the pores. Results indicate that histidine deprotonation and sulfates figure prominently in condensate cross-linking. Distilled concepts suggest that combining phase separation with tunable cross-linking kinetics could be effective for microfabricating hierarchically porous materials via self-assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Renner-Rao
- Dept. of Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H4A 0B8, Canada
| | - Franziska Jehle
- Dept. of Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H4A 0B8, Canada
- Dept. of Biomaterials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam 14476, Germany
| | - Tobias Priemel
- Dept. of Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H4A 0B8, Canada
| | - Emilie Duthoo
- Dept. of Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H4A 0B8, Canada
- Biology of Marine Organisms and Biomimetics Unit, Research Institute for Biosciences, Mons 7000, Belgium
| | - Peter Fratzl
- Dept. of Biomaterials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam 14476, Germany
| | - Luca Bertinetti
- Dept. of Biomaterials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam 14476, Germany
- B CUBE - Center for Molecular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden 01307, Germany
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Priemel T, Palia G, Förste F, Jehle F, Sviben S, Mantouvalou I, Zaslansky P, Bertinetti L, Harrington MJ. Microfluidic-like fabrication of metal ion-cured bioadhesives by mussels. Science 2021; 374:206-211. [PMID: 34618575 DOI: 10.1126/science.abi9702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
[Figure: see text].
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Priemel
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Gurveer Palia
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Frank Förste
- Institute of Optics and Atomic Physics, Technische Universität Berlin, Hardenbergstrasse 36, 10623 Berlin, Germany
| | - Franziska Jehle
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada.,Department of Biomaterials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Sanja Sviben
- Department of Biomaterials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Ioanna Mantouvalou
- Institute of Optics and Atomic Physics, Technische Universität Berlin, Hardenbergstrasse 36, 10623 Berlin, Germany
| | - Paul Zaslansky
- Department for Restorative and Preventive Dentistry, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 14197 Berlin, Germany
| | - Luca Bertinetti
- Department of Biomaterials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Matthew J Harrington
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
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Jehle F, Priemel T, Strauss M, Fratzl P, Bertinetti L, Harrington MJ. Collagen Pentablock Copolymers Form Smectic Liquid Crystals as Precursors for Mussel Byssus Fabrication. ACS Nano 2021; 15:6829-6838. [PMID: 33793207 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c10457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Protein-based biological materials are important role models for the design and fabrication of next generation advanced polymers. Marine mussels (Mytilus spp.) fabricate hierarchically structured collagenous fibers known as byssal threads via bottom-up supramolecular assembly of fluid protein precursors. The high degree of structural organization in byssal threads is intimately linked to their exceptional toughness and self-healing capacity. Here, we investigated the hypothesis that multidomain collagen precursor proteins, known as preCols, are stored in secretory vesicles as a colloidal liquid crystal (LC) phase prior to thread self-assembly. Using advanced electron microscopy methods, including scanning TEM and FIB-SEM, we visualized the detailed smectic preCol LC nanostructure in 3D, including various LC defects, confirming this hypothesis and providing quantitative insights into the mesophase structure. In light of these findings, we performed an in-depth comparative analysis of preCol protein sequences from multiple Mytilid species revealing that the smectic organization arises from an evolutionarily conserved ABCBA pentablock copolymer-like primary structure based on demarcations in hydropathy and charge distribution as well as terminal pH-responsive domains that trigger fiber formation. These distilled supramolecular assembly principles provide inspiration and strategies for sustainable assembly of nanostructured polymeric materials for potential applications in engineering and biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Jehle
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Department of Biomaterials, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Tobias Priemel
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Mike Strauss
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, 3640 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0C7, Canada
| | - Peter Fratzl
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Department of Biomaterials, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Luca Bertinetti
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Department of Biomaterials, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
- BCUBE Center for Molecular Bioengineering, TU Dresden, Tatzberg 41, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Matthew J Harrington
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Department of Biomaterials, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
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Jehle F, Macías-Sánchez E, Sviben S, Fratzl P, Bertinetti L, Harrington MJ. Hierarchically-structured metalloprotein composite coatings biofabricated from co-existing condensed liquid phases. Nat Commun 2020; 11:862. [PMID: 32054841 PMCID: PMC7018715 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14709-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Complex hierarchical structure governs emergent properties in biopolymeric materials; yet, the material processing involved remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated the multi-scale structure and composition of the mussel byssus cuticle before, during and after formation to gain insight into the processing of this hard, yet extensible metal cross-linked protein composite. Our findings reveal that the granular substructure crucial to the cuticle’s function as a wear-resistant coating of an extensible polymer fiber is pre-organized in condensed liquid phase secretory vesicles. These are phase-separated into DOPA-rich proto-granules enveloped in a sulfur-rich proto-matrix which fuses during secretion, forming the sub-structure of the cuticle. Metal ions are added subsequently in a site-specific way, with iron contained in the sulfur-rich matrix and vanadium coordinated by DOPA-catechol in the granule. We posit that this hierarchical structure self-organizes via phase separation of specific amphiphilic proteins within secretory vesicles, resulting in a meso-scale structuring that governs cuticle function. The mussel byssus cuticle is a wear-resistant and extensible metalloprotein composite. Here, the authors probed the cuticle nanostructure and composition before, during and after fabrication revealing a crucial role of metal-binding proteins that self-organize via liquid-liquid phase separation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Jehle
- Department of Biomaterials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14424, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Elena Macías-Sánchez
- Department of Biomaterials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14424, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Sanja Sviben
- Department of Biomaterials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14424, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Peter Fratzl
- Department of Biomaterials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14424, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Luca Bertinetti
- Department of Biomaterials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14424, Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Matthew J Harrington
- Department of Biomaterials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14424, Potsdam, Germany. .,Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, QC, H3A 0B8, Canada.
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Harrington MJ, Jehle F, Priemel T. Mussel Byssus Structure‐Function and Fabrication as Inspiration for Biotechnological Production of Advanced Materials. Biotechnol J 2018; 13:e1800133. [DOI: 10.1002/biot.201800133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Revised: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Harrington
- Department of BiomaterialsMax Planck Institute of Colloids and InterfacesPotsdam14424Germany
- Department of ChemistryMcGill University801 Sherbrooke Street WestMontreal H3A 0B8QuebecCanada
| | - Franziska Jehle
- Department of BiomaterialsMax Planck Institute of Colloids and InterfacesPotsdam14424Germany
| | - Tobias Priemel
- Department of ChemistryMcGill University801 Sherbrooke Street WestMontreal H3A 0B8QuebecCanada
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Abstract
Bottom-up control over structural hierarchy from the nanoscale through the macroscale is a critical aspect of biological materials fabrication and function, which can inspire production of advanced materials. Mussel byssal threads are a prime example of protein-based biofibers in which hierarchical organization of protein building blocks coupled via metal complexation leads to notable mechanical behaviors, such as high toughness and self-healing. Using a natural amino acid sequence from byssal thread proteins, which functions as a pH-triggered self-assembly point, we created free-standing peptide films with complex hierarchical organization across multiple length scales that can be controlled by inclusion of metal ions (Zn2+ and Cu2+) during the assembly process. Additionally, analysis of film mechanical performance indicates that metal coordination bestows up to an order of magnitude increase in material stiffness, providing a paradigm for creating tunable polymeric materials with multiscale organizational structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Jehle
- Department of Biomaterials , Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces , Potsdam 14476 , Germany
| | - Peter Fratzl
- Department of Biomaterials , Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces , Potsdam 14476 , Germany
| | - Matthew J Harrington
- Department of Biomaterials , Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces , Potsdam 14476 , Germany
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Enke M, Jehle F, Bode S, Vitz J, Harrington MJ, Hager MD, Schubert US. Histidine-Zinc Interactions Investigated by Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC) and their Application in Self-Healing Polymers. MACROMOL CHEM PHYS 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/macp.201600458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Enke
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC); Friedrich Schiller University Jena; Humboldtstr. 10 07743 Jena Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM); Friedrich Schiller University Jena; Philosophenweg 7 07743 Jena Germany
| | - Franziska Jehle
- Department of Biomaterials; Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces; 14424 Potsdam Germany
| | - Stefan Bode
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC); Friedrich Schiller University Jena; Humboldtstr. 10 07743 Jena Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM); Friedrich Schiller University Jena; Philosophenweg 7 07743 Jena Germany
| | - Jürgen Vitz
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC); Friedrich Schiller University Jena; Humboldtstr. 10 07743 Jena Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM); Friedrich Schiller University Jena; Philosophenweg 7 07743 Jena Germany
| | - Matthew J. Harrington
- Department of Biomaterials; Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces; 14424 Potsdam Germany
| | - Martin D. Hager
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC); Friedrich Schiller University Jena; Humboldtstr. 10 07743 Jena Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM); Friedrich Schiller University Jena; Philosophenweg 7 07743 Jena Germany
| | - Ulrich S. Schubert
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC); Friedrich Schiller University Jena; Humboldtstr. 10 07743 Jena Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM); Friedrich Schiller University Jena; Philosophenweg 7 07743 Jena Germany
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Kriegel J, Jehle F, Moser H, Tuttle-Weidinger L. Patient logistics management of patient flows in hospitals: A comparison of Bavarian and Austrian hospitals. International Journal of Healthcare Management 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/20479700.2015.1119370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Kriegel J, Jehle F, Dieck M, Tuttle-Weidinger L. Optimizing patient flow in Austrian hospitals – Improvement of patient-centered care by coordinating hospital-wide patient trails. International Journal of Healthcare Management 2014. [DOI: 10.1179/2047971914y.0000000093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
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Jehle F. A NEED FOR MORE UNIFORM USAGE OF WORDS OF INDEFINITE MEANING. Science 1943; 97:184. [PMID: 17809637 DOI: 10.1126/science.97.2512.184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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