scholarly journals Polymer Stiffness Regulates Multivalent Binding and Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation

2020 ◽  
Vol 119 (9) ◽  
pp. 1849-1864
Author(s):  
Emiko Zumbro ◽  
Alfredo Alexander-Katz
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Liquid Phase Separation ◽  
Multivalent Binding ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

scholarly journals Polymer Stiffness Regulates Multivalent Binding and Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Zumbro ◽  
A. Alexander-Katz
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Rational Design ◽  
Rna Binding ◽  
Liquid Phase Separation ◽  
Random Coil ◽  
Small Target ◽  
Toxic Protein ◽  
Multivalent Binding ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

AbstractMultivalent binding is essential to many biological processes because it builds high affinity bonds by using several weak binding interactions simultaneously. Multivalent polymers have shown promise as inhibitors of toxins and other pathogens, and they are important components in the formation of biocondensates. Explaining how structural features of these polymers change their binding and subsequent control of phase separation is critical to designing better pathogen inhibitors and also to understanding diseases associated with membraneless organelles. In this work, we will examine the binding of a multivalent polymer to a small target. This scenario could represent a polymeric inhibitor binding to a toxic protein or RNA binding to an RNA-binding protein in the case of liquid-liquid phase separation. We use simulation and theory to show that flexible random-coil polymers bind more strongly than stiff rod-like polymers and that flexible polymers nucleate condensed phases at lower energies than their rigid analogues. We hope these results will provide insight into the rational design of polymeric inhibitors and improve understanding of membraneless organelles.Statement of SignificanceMultivalent polymers are essential for many biological systems, including targeting pathogens and controlling the formation of liquid-liquid phase separated biocondensates. Here, we explain how increasing polymer stiffness can reduce multivalent binding affinity to a small target such as a toxic protein and how modulating polymer stiffness can change the phase boundary for liquid-liquid phase separation. These results have implications for designing stronger pathogen inhibitors and provide insights on neurodegenerative diseases associated with abnormal biocondensate formation.

scholarly journals Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation of Tau Driven by Hydrophobic Interaction Facilitates Fibrillization of Tau

2021 ◽  
Vol 433 (2) ◽  
pp. 166731
Author(s):  
Yanxian Lin ◽  
Yann Fichou ◽  
Andrew P. Longhini ◽  
Luana C. Llanes ◽  
Pengyi Yin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Hydrophobic Interaction ◽  
Liquid Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

scholarly journals Amyloid Aggregation under the Lens of Liquid–Liquid Phase Separation

2020 ◽  
pp. 368-378
Author(s):  
Yanting Xing ◽  
Aparna Nandakumar ◽  
Aleksandr Kakinen ◽  
Yunxiang Sun ◽  
Thomas P. Davis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Liquid Phase Separation ◽  
Amyloid Aggregation ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

scholarly journals Observation of liquid-liquid phase separation of ataxin-3 and quantitative evaluation of its concentration in a single droplet using Raman microscopy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuki Murakami ◽  
Shinji Kajimoto ◽  
Daiki Shibata ◽  
Kunisato Kuroi ◽  
Fumihiko Fujii ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Protein Aggregation ◽  
Quantitative Evaluation ◽  
Raman Microscopy ◽  
Liquid Phase Separation ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Single Droplet ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

Liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) plays an important role in a variety of biological processes and is also associated with protein aggregation in neurodegenerative diseases. Quantification of LLPS is necessary to...

scholarly journals Targeting NSD2-mediated SRC-3 liquid–liquid phase separation sensitizes bortezomib treatment in multiple myeloma

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Liu ◽  
Ying Xie ◽  
Jing Guo ◽  
Xin Li ◽  
Jingjing Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Myeloma ◽  
Drug Resistance ◽  
Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Liquid Phase Separation ◽  
Acquired Drug Resistance ◽  
Bortezomib Treatment ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

AbstractDevelopment of chemoresistance is the main reason for failure of clinical management of multiple myeloma (MM), but the genetic and epigenetic aberrations that interact to confer such chemoresistance remains unknown. In the present study, we find that high steroid receptor coactivator-3 (SRC-3) expression is correlated with relapse/refractory and poor outcomes in MM patients treated with bortezomib (BTZ)-based regimens. Furthermore, in immortalized cell lines, high SRC-3 enhances resistance to proteasome inhibitor (PI)-induced apoptosis. Overexpressed histone methyltransferase NSD2 in patients bearing a t(4;14) translocation or in BTZ-resistant MM cells coordinates elevated SRC-3 by enhancing its liquid–liquid phase separation to supranormally modify histone H3 lysine 36 dimethylation (H3K36me2) modifications on promoters of anti-apoptotic genes. Targeting SRC-3 or interference of its interactions with NSD2 using a newly developed inhibitor, SI-2, sensitizes BTZ treatment and overcomes drug resistance both in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, our findings elucidate a previously unrecognized orchestration of SRC-3 and NSD2 in acquired drug resistance of MM and suggest that SI-2 may be efficacious for overcoming drug resistance in MM patients.

scholarly journals Deciphering the Role of π-Interactions in Polyelectrolyte Complexes Using Rationally Designed Peptides

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 2074
Author(s):  
Sara Tabandeh ◽  
Cristina Elisabeth Lemus ◽  
Lorraine Leon
Keyword(s):  
Hydrogen Bonding ◽  
Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Charge Density ◽  
Secondary Structures ◽  
Liquid Phase Separation ◽  
Polyelectrolyte Complexes ◽  
Π Interactions ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

Electrostatic interactions, and specifically π-interactions play a significant role in the liquid-liquid phase separation of proteins and formation of membraneless organelles/or biological condensates. Sequence patterning of peptides allows creating protein-like structures and controlling the chemistry and interactions of the mimetic molecules. A library of oppositely charged polypeptides was designed and synthesized to investigate the role of π-interactions on phase separation and secondary structures of polyelectrolyte complexes. Phenylalanine was chosen as the π-containing residue and was used together with lysine or glutamic acid in the design of positively or negatively charged sequences. The effect of charge density and also the substitution of fluorine on the phenylalanine ring, known to disrupt π-interactions, were investigated. Characterization analysis using MALDI-TOF mass spectroscopy, H NMR, and circular dichroism (CD) confirmed the molecular structure and chiral pattern of peptide sequences. Despite an alternating sequence of chirality previously shown to promote liquid-liquid phase separation, complexes appeared as solid precipitates, suggesting strong interactions between the sequence pairs. The secondary structures of sequence pairs showed the formation of hydrogen-bonded structures with a β-sheet signal in FTIR spectroscopy. The presence of fluorine decreased hydrogen bonding due to its inhibitory effect on π-interactions. π-interactions resulted in enhanced stability of complexes against salt, and higher critical salt concentrations for complexes with more π-containing amino acids. Furthermore, UV-vis spectroscopy showed that sequences containing π-interactions and increased charge density encapsulated a small charged molecule with π-bonds with high efficiency. These findings highlight the interplay between ionic, hydrophobic, hydrogen bonding, and π-interactions in polyelectrolyte complex formation and enhance our understanding of phase separation phenomena in protein-like structures.

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