48 research outputs found
Quantitative Tracking of Protein Trafficking to the Nucleus Using Cytosolic Protein Delivery by Nanoparticle-Stabilized Nanocapsules
We describe a method for quantitative
monitoring of subcellular
protein trafficking using nanoparticle-stabilized nanocapsules for
protein delivery. This method provides rapid delivery of the protein
into the cytosol, eliminating complications from protein homeostasis
processes found with cellularly expressed proteins. After delivery,
nuclear protein trafficking was followed by real time microscopic
imaging. Quantitative analyses of the accumulation percentage and
the import dynamics of the nuclear protein trafficking, demonstrate
the utility of this method for studying intracellular trafficking
systems
Influence of Hierarchical Interfacial Assembly on Lipase Stability and Performance in Deep Eutectic Solvent
Hierarchical
systems that integrate nano- and macroscale structural
elements can offer enhanced enzyme stability over traditional immobilization
methods. Microparticles were synthesized using interfacial assembly
of lipase B from <i>Candida antarctica</i> with (CLMP-N)
and without (CLMP) nanoparticles around a cross-linked polymeric core,
to characterize the influence of the hierarchical assembly on lipase
stability in extreme environments. Kinetic analysis revealed that
the turnover rate (<i>k</i><sub>cat</sub>) significantly
increased after immobilization. The macrostructure stabilized lipase
at neutral and basic pH values, while the nanoparticles influenced
stability under acidic pH conditions. Performance of CLMPs was demonstrated
by production of sugar ester surfactants in a greener, deep eutectic
solvent system (choline chloride and urea). Turnover rate (<i>k</i><sub>cat</sub>) and catalytic efficiency (<i>k</i><sub>cat</sub>/<i>K</i><sub>m</sub>) of the CLMPs decreased
following solvent exposure but retained over 60% and 20% activity
after 48 h storage at 50 and 60 °C, respectively. CLMP and CLMP-N
outperformed the commercially available lipase per unit protein in
the production of sugar esters. Improving enzyme performance in greener
solvent systems via hierarchical assembly can improve processing efficiency
and sustainability for the production of value-added agricultural
products
Charge-Switchable Nanozymes for Bioorthogonal Imaging of Biofilm-Associated Infections
Early detection of
biofilms is crucial for limiting infection-based
damage. Imaging these biofilms is challenging: conventional imaging
agents are unable to penetrate the dense matrix of the biofilm, and
many imaging agents are susceptible to false positive/negative responses
due to phenotypical mutations of the constituent microbes. We report
the creation of pH-responsive nanoparticles with embedded transition
metal catalysts (nanozymes) that effectively target the acidic microenvironment
of biofilms. These pH-switchable nanozymes generate imaging agents
through bioorthogonal activation of profluorophores inside biofilms.
The specificity of these nanozymes for imaging biofilms in complex
biosystems was demonstrated using coculture experiments
Tuning DNA Condensation with Zwitterionic Polyamidoamine (zPAMAM) Dendrimers
Cationic
dendrimers are promising vectors for nonviral gene therapies
due to their well-defined size and chemistry. We have synthesized
a series of succinylated fourth generation (G4) PAMAM dendrimers to
control the DNA packaging in dendriplexes, allowing us to probe the
role of charge on DNA packaging. The self-assembly of DNA induced
by these zwitterionic PAMAM (zPAMAM) was investigated using small-angle
X-ray scattering (SAXS). We demonstrate that changing the degree of
modification in zPAMAM–DNA significantly alters the packing
density of the resulting dendriplexes. Salt sensitivities and pH dependence
on the inter-DNA spacing were also examined. The swelling and stability
to salt are reduced with increasing degree of PAMAM modification.
Lowering the pH leads to significantly tighter hexagonal DNA packaging.
In combination, these results show zPAMAM is an effective means to
modulate nucleic acid packaging in a deterministic manner
Development of Engineered Bacteriophages for Escherichia coli Detection and High-Throughput Antibiotic Resistance Determination
T7
bacteriophages (phages) have been genetically engineered to
carry the <i>lacZ</i> operon, enabling the overexpression
of beta-galactosidase (β-gal) during phage infection and allowing
for the enhanced colorimetric detection of Escherichia
coli (E. coli). Following
the phage infection of E. coli, the
enzymatic activity of the released β-gal was monitored using
a colorimetric substrate. Compared with a control T7 phage, our T7<sub><i>lacZ</i></sub> phage generated significantly higher
levels of β-gal expression following phage infection, enabling
a lower limit of detection for E. coli cells. Using this engineered T7<sub><i>lacZ</i></sub> phage,
we were able to detect E. coli cells
at 10 CFU·mL<sup>–1</sup> within 7 h. Furthermore, we
demonstrated the potential for phage-based sensing of bacteria antibiotic
resistance profiling using our T7<sub><i>lacZ</i></sub> phage,
and subsequent β-gal expression to detect antibiotic resistant
profile of E. coli strains
Zwitterionic Ligands Bound to Cdse/Zns Quantum Dots Prevent Adhesion to Mammalian Cells
<div><p></p><p>Zwitterionic materials are useful tools in material science and biology as they provide high water solubility while preventing nonspecific interactions. Quantum dots (QDs) functionalized with zwitterionic and quaternary ammonium ligands were synthesized to investigate their interactions with the outer membrane of HeLa cells. Quaternary ammonium functionalized quantum dots adhered strongly to the cell surface while zwitterionic QDs had no cell adhesion. These results demonstrate that future noninteracting nanoparticles based on this design are possible.</p></div
General Strategy for Direct Cytosolic Protein Delivery <i>via</i> Protein–Nanoparticle Co‑engineering
Endosomal entrapment is a key hurdle
for most intracellular protein-based
therapeutic strategies. We report a general strategy for efficient
delivery of proteins to the cytosol through co-engineering of proteins
and nanoparticle vehicles. The proteins feature an oligoÂ(glutamate)
sequence (E-tag) that binds arginine-functionalized gold nanoparticles,
generating hierarchical spherical nanoassemblies. These assemblies
fuse with cell membranes, releasing the E-tagged protein directly
into the cytosol. Five different proteins with diverse charges, sizes,
and functions were effectively delivered into cells, demonstrating
the generality of our method. Significantly, the engineered proteins
retained activity after cytosolic delivery, as demonstrated through
the delivery of active Cre recombinase, and granzyme A to kill cancer
cells
Toward Virus-Like Surface Plasmon Strain Sensors
The strong configuration
dependence of collective surface plasmon
resonances in an array of metal nanoparticles provides an opportunity
to develop a bioinspired tool for sensing mechanical deformations
in soft matter at the nanoscale. We study the feasibility of a strain
sensor based on an icosahedral array of nanoparticles encapsulated
by a virus capsid. When the system undergoes deformation, the optical
scattering cross-section spectra as well as the induced electric field
profile change. By numerical simulations, we examine how these changes
depend on the symmetry and extent of the deformation and on both the
propagation direction and polarization of the incident radiation.
Such a sensor could prove useful in studies of the mechanisms of nanoparticle
or virus translocation in the confines of a host cell
Probing the protein–nanoparticle interface: the role of aromatic substitution pattern on affinity
<div><p>A new class of cationic gold nanoparticles (NPs) has been synthesised bearing benzyl moieties featuring –NO<sub>2</sub> and –OMe groups to investigate the regioisomeric control of aromatic NP–protein recognition. In general, NPs bearing electron-withdrawing groups demonstrated higher binding affinities towards green fluorescent protein (GFP) than NPs bearing electron-donating groups. Significantly, a ∼7.5- and ∼4.3-fold increase in binding with GFP was observed for –NO<sub>2</sub> groups in <i>meta-</i>position and <i>para-</i>position, respectively, while <i>ortho</i>-substitution showed binding similar to the unsubstituted ring. These findings demonstrated that the NP–protein interaction can be controlled by tuning the spatial orientation and the relative electronic properties of the aromatic substituents. This improved biomolecular recognition provides opportunities for enhanced biosensing and functional protein delivery to the cells.</p></div
Programmed Self-Assembly of Hierarchical Nanostructures through Protein–Nanoparticle Coengineering
Hierarchical organization
of macromolecules through self-assembly
is a prominent feature in biological systems. Synthetic fabrication
of such structures provides materials with emergent functions. Here,
we report the fabrication of self-assembled superstructures through
coengineering of recombinant proteins and nanoparticles. These structures
feature a highly sophisticated level of multilayered hierarchical
organization of the components: individual proteins and nanoparticles
coassemble to form discrete assemblies that collapse to form granules,
which then further self-organize to generate superstructures with
sizes of hundreds of nanometers. The components within these superstructures
are dynamic and spatially reorganize in response to environmental
influences. The precise control over the molecular organization of
building blocks imparted by this protein–nanoparticle coengineering
strategy provides a method for creating hierarchical hybrid materials