Hydrodynamic and Polyelectrolyte Properties of Actin Filaments: Theory and Experiments

Actin filament′s polyelectrolyte and hydrodynamic properties, their interactions with the biological environment, and external force fields play an essential role in their biological activities in eukaryotic cellular processes. In this article, we introduce a unique approach that combines dynamics and electrophoresis light scattering experiments, an extended semiflexible worm-like chain model, and an asymmetric polymer length distribution theory to characterize the polyelectrolyte and hydrodynamic properties of actin filaments in aqueous electrolyte solutions. We used the same sample and experimental conditions and considered several g-actin and polymerization buffers to elucidate the impact of their chemical composition, reducing agents, pH values, and ionic strengths on the filament translational diffusion coefficient, electrophoretic mobility, structure factor, asymmetric length distribution, effective filament diameter, electric charge, zeta potential, and semiflexibility. Compared to those values obtained from molecular structure models, our results revealed a lower value of the effective G-actin charge and a more significant value of the effective filament diameter due to the formation of the double layer of the electrolyte surrounding the filaments. Additionally, compared to the values usually reported from electron micrographs, the lower values of our results for the persistence length and average contour filament length agrees with the significant difference in the association rates at the filament ends that shift to submicro lengths, the maximum of the length distribution.

Multi-Wavelength Analytical Ultracentrifugation of Biopolymer Mixtures and Interactions

Multi-wavelength analytical ultracentrifugation (MW-AUC) is a recent development made possible by new analytical ultracentrifuge optical systems. MW-AUC is suitable for a wide range of applications and biopolymer systems and is poised to become an essential tool to characterize macromolecular interactions. It adds an orthogonal spectral dimension to the traditional hydrodynamic characterization by exploiting unique chromophores in analyte mixtures that may or may not interact. Here we illustrate the utility of MW-AUC for representative classes of challenging biopolymer systems, including interactions between mixtures of different sized proteins with small molecules, mixtures of loaded and empty viral AAV capsids contaminated with free DNA, and mixtures of different proteins, where some have identical hydrodynamic properties, all of which are difficult to resolve with traditional AUC methods. We explain the improvement in resolution and information content obtained by this technique compared to traditional single- or dual-wavelength approaches. We discuss experimental design considerations and limitations of the method, and address the advantages and disadvantages of the two MW optical systems available today, and the differences in data analysis strategies between the two systems.

Multi-Wavelength Analytical Ultracentrifugation of Biopolymer Mixtures and Interactions

Multi-wavelength analytical ultracentrifugation (MW-AUC) is a recent development made possible by new analytical ultracentrifuge optical systems. MW-AUC is suitable for a wide range of applications and biopolymer systems and is poised to become an essential tool to characterize macromolecular interactions. It adds an orthogonal spectral dimension to the traditional hydrodynamic characterization by exploiting unique chromophores in analyte mixtures that may or may not interact. Here we illustrate the utility of MW-AUC for representative classes of challenging biopolymer systems, including interactions between mixtures of different sized proteins with small molecules, mixtures of loaded and empty viral AAV capsids contaminated with free DNA, and mixtures of different proteins, where some have identical hydrodynamic properties, all of which are difficult to resolve with traditional AUC methods. We explain the improvement in resolution and information content obtained by this technique compared to traditional single- or dual-wavelength approaches. We discuss experimental design considerations and limitations of the method, and address the advantages and disadvantages of the two MW optical systems available today, and the differences in data analysis strategies between the two systems.

A simplified fluid structure interaction model for the assessment of ship hard grounding

The structural damage of ships in navigational accidents is influenced by the hydrodynamic properties of surrounding water. Fluid structure interactions (FSI) in way of grounding contact can be idealized by combining commercial FEA tools and specialized hydrodynamic solvers. Despite the efficacy of these simulations, the source codes idealizing FSI are not openly available, computationally expensive and subject to limitations in terms of physical assumptions. This paper presents a unified FSI model for the assessment of ship crashworthiness following ship hard grounding. The method uses spring elements for the idealization of hydrostatic restoring forces in 3 DoF (heave, pitch, roll) and distributes the added masses in 6 DoF on the nodal points in way of contact. Comparison of results against the method of Kim et al. (2021) for the case of a barge and a Ro–Ro passenger ship demonstrate excellent idealization of ship dynamics. It is concluded that the method could be useful for rapid assessment of ship grounding scenarios and associated regulatory developments.

Modification Hydrodynamic Properties of Narrowing Down Devices of Flow Sensors from Action of an Abrasive Wear

In operation the outcomes of study influencing an abrasive wear of working surfaces of a cylindrical nozzle on operation of a flow sensor of variable pressure differential are introduced. The outcomes are obtained by a numerical modelling of current of fluid through a nozzle. For a nozzle the internal cylindrical surface is resized up to a taper and circularization on radius a crimp on an input. Simulation executed by a finite element method with usage of the program Ansys 5.5ED. Budgeting of numerical experiment and treating of outcomes have fulfilled with applying of the program Stastistica 6.1.The quantitative estimation of influencing an abrasive wear on variation coefficient of the outflow of flow sensors is obtained.

Effect of Solvent on the Hydrodynamic Properties of Collagen

In this study, the effect of solvent on the hydrodynamic properties of collagen extracted from tail tendons of young rats was researched. Collagen was dissolved in various aqueous carboxylic acid solutions, including acetic acid (AA), acetic acid with the addition of sodium chloride (AA/NaCl), formic acid (FA), lactic acid (LA), citric acid (CA), and also citrate buffer at pH = 3.7 (CB). The properties of collagen solutions at a concentration of 0.45 mg/mL were characterized based on the viscometric method. The reduced viscosity, intrinsic viscosity, and Huggins coefficient of collagen solutions and effect of solvent, temperature, and UV irradiation on these properties were investigated. Collagen solutions in acetic acid, acetic acid/NaCl, and citrate buffer were irradiated with UV light up to 1 h, and the viscosity of collagen solutions was measured. It was found that the organic acids used as solvent affected viscosity behavior, denaturation temperature, and stability of collagen solutions. The lowest values of studied parameters were obtained for the collagen solutions in acetic acid with the addition of sodium chloride. Thus, the effect of various aqueous carboxylic acid solutions on collagen solutions properties and denaturation temperature can also be affected by the sodium chloride addition. The results of this research can be crucial for the preparation of collagen solutions for both cosmetic and biomedical applications.

ELECTROLYTIC EFFECT ON GROWTH OF GRAPHENE QUANTUM DOTS VIA ELECTROCHEMICAL PROCESS

Quantum dots (QDs) are materials grown in confined dimension also known as 0D materials. QDs can be synthesized in many shapes and forms through various methods making the materials extremely versatile and can be fine-tuned for appropriate applications. Among the potentially scalable methods, Electrochemical process is considered as one of the top-down approaches with the highest potential for scalability and easy-to-process methodology while electrolyte and pH level can play various important roles on the final product. In this work, we grew and studied the effect of electrolytic solution in the growth of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) in colloidal forms using cheap graphite as precursor in KCl and NaOH as electrolytes in various concentrations. It can be inferred from our results that when KCl and NaOH were used in combination with citric acid, the optoelectrical properties and hydrodynamic properties of the resulting growth can be fine-tuned to match the required applications. [Formula: see text] electronics excitation was identified with small tunability of 487–500[Formula: see text]nm wavelength while the hydrodynamic size varied from 80–140[Formula: see text]nm with resulting pH range from 3.0–9.5 adjustable to appropriate applications, while the TEM results showed physical particle size of 1.7–3.7[Formula: see text]nm.