Biomolecular condensates, protein-rich and dynamic membrane-less organelles, play critical roles in a range of subcellular processes, including membrane trafficking and transcriptional regulation. However, aberrant phase transitions of intrinsically disordered proteins in biomolecular condensates can lead to the formation of irreversible fibrils and aggregates that are linked to neurodegenerative diseases. Despite the implications, the interactions underlying such transitions remain obscure. Here we investigate the role of hydrophobic interactions by studying the low-complexity domain of the disordered ‘fused in sarcoma’ (FUS) protein at the air/water interface. Using surface-specific microscopic and spectroscopic techniques, we find that a hydrophobic interface drives fibril formation and molecular ordering of FUS, resulting in solid-like film formation. This phase transition occurs at 600-fold lower FUS concentration than required for the canonical FUS low-complexity liquid droplet formation in bulk. These observations highlight the importance of hydrophobic effects for protein phase separation and suggest that interfacial properties drive distinct protein phase-separated structures.
Hysteresis in the thermally induced phase transition of cellulose ethers
Functionalized cellulosics have shown promise as naturally derived thermoresponsive gelling agents. However, the dynamics of thermally induced phase transitions of these polymers at the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) are not fully understood. Here, with experiments and theoretical considerations, we address how molecular architecture dictates the mechanisms and dynamics of phase transitions for cellulose ethers. Above the LCST, we show that hydroxypropyl substituents favor the spontaneous formation of liquid droplets, whereas methyl substituents induce fibril formation through diffusive growth. In celluloses which contain both methyl and hydroxypropyl substituents, fibrillation initiates after liquid droplet formation, suppressing the fibril growth to a sub-diffusive rate. Unlike for liquid droplets, the dissolution of fibrils back into the solvated state occurs with significant thermal hysteresis. We tune this hysteresis by altering the content of substituted hydroxypropyl moieties. This work provides a systematic study to decouple competing mechanisms during the phase transition of multi-functionalized macromolecules.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2011750
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10413559
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Soft Matter
- Volume:
- 18
- Issue:
- 33
- ISSN:
- 1744-683X
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 6254 to 6263
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Abstract -
null (Ed.)Spin crossover (SCO) is a phenomenon observed for certain transition metal complexes with electronic configuration 3d4-3d7. The conversion between the low-spin (LS) and high-spin (HS) states is usually driven by a variety of external perturbations, such as temperature, pressure, or light. The switching between the enthalpically preferred LS state and entropically favorable HS state is accompanied by dramatic changes in the metal-ligand bond lengths, unit cell volume, optical absorption spectrum, and magnetic susceptibility.1 These changes make SCO materials suitable for applications in sensors, memory, and display devices. One of the central challenges in the SCO research is to initiate strongly cooperative interactions known to lead to abrupt spin transitions and thermal hysteresis that can be harvested as a memory effect. One of the strategies to enhance the cooperativity is to design SCO complexes with supramolecular interactions such as π-stacking of aromatic fragments or hydrogen bonding.2 In this work, we report syntheses and characterization of heteroleptic complexes of [Fe(tpma)(L)](ClO4)2 (tpma = tris(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amine) with novel π-extended biimidazole-type ligands (L) bearing 2,3-dimethyl-naphthalene-, 6,7-dimethyl-2,3-diphenyl-quinoxaline, and 2,3-dimethyl-anthracene pendant fragments. Solvent-free naphthalene-functionalized complex [Fe(tpma)(xnap-bim)](ClO4)2 exhibits abrupt spin transition at T1/2 = 127K with a narrow 1 K hysteresis loop. In contrast, polymorph of this complex that contains one interstitial molecules of pyridine exhibits gradual SCO. Anthracene-functionalized complex [Fe(tpma)(anthra-bim)](ClO4)2 also crystallizes as two polymorphs. Structural studies at 100, 230, and 300 K revealed dramatic changes in the N-Fe-N biting angles and Fe-N distances, indicating the occurrence of temperature-induced SCO. Complex [Fe(tpma)(quin-bim)](ClO4)2 (quin-bim = 6,7-dimethyl-2,3-diphenyl-quinoxaline-2,2’-biimidazole) showed only HS state at 100 and 230 K. In the crystal packing the mononuclear cations form stacks along b axis. We discuss how the observed magnetic behavior correlates with changes in the crystal packing and interactions between the pendant aromatic substituents on the aforementioned complexes.more » « less
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We employ force-field molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the kinetics of nucleation to new liquid or solid phases in a dense gas of particles, seeded with ions. We use precise atomic pair interactions, with physically correct long-range behaviour, between argon atoms and protons. Time dependence of molecular cluster formation is analysed at different proton concentration, temperature and argon gas density. The modified phase transitions with proton seeding of the argon gas are identified and analysed. The seeding of the gas enhances the formation of nano-size atomic clusters and their aggregation. The strong attraction between protons and bath gas atoms stabilises large nano-clusters and the critical temperature for evaporation. An analytical model is proposed to describe the stability of argon-proton droplets and is compared with the molecular dynamics simulations.more » « less
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Abstract Herein, phase transitions of a class of thermally-responsive polymers, namely a homopolymer, diblock, and triblock copolymer, were studied to gain mechanistic insight into nanoscale assembly dynamics via variable temperature liquid-cell transmission electron microscopy (VT-LCTEM) correlated with variable temperature small angle X-ray scattering (VT-SAXS). We study thermoresponsive poly(diethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate) (PDEGMA)-based block copolymers and mitigate sample damage by screening electron flux and solvent conditions during LCTEM and by evaluating polymer survival via
post-mortem matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI-IMS). Our multimodal approach, utilizing VT-LCTEM with MS validation and VT-SAXS, is generalizable across polymeric systems and can be used to directly image solvated nanoscale structures and thermally-induced transitions. Our strategy of correlating VT-SAXS with VT-LCTEM provided direct insight into transient nanoscale intermediates formed during the thermally-triggered morphological transformation of a PDEGMA-based triblock. Notably, we observed the temperature-triggered formation and slow relaxation of core-shell particles with complex microphase separation in the core by both VT-SAXS and VT-LCTEM. -
Polymer/ionic liquid systems are being increasingly explored, yet those exhibiting lower critical solution temperature (LCST) phase behavior remain poorly understood. Poly(benzyl methacrylate) in certain ionic liquids constitute unusual LCST systems, in that the second virial coefficient (A2) in dilute solutions has recently been shown to be positive, indicative of good solvent behavior, even above phase separation temperatures, where A2 < 0 is expected. In this work, we describe the LCST phase behavior of poly(benzyl methacrylate) in 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide for three different molecular weights (32, 63, and 76 kg/mol) in concentrated solutions (5–40% by weight). Turbidimetry measurements reveal a strong concentration dependence to the phase boundaries, yet the molecular weight is shown to have no influence. The critical compositions of these systems are not accessed, and must therefore lie above 40 wt% polymer, far from the values (ca. 10%) anticipated by Flory-Huggins theory. The proximity of the experimental cloud point to the coexistence curve (binodal) and the thermo-reversibility of the phase transitions, are also confirmed at various heating and cooling rates.more » « less
- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1039/d2sm00564f
