Dataset Information

Prebiotically-relevant low polyion multivalency can improve functionality of membraneless compartments.

ABSTRACT: Multivalent polyions can undergo complex coacervation, producing membraneless compartments that accumulate ribozymes and enhance catalysis, and offering a mechanism for functional prebiotic compartmentalization in the origins of life. Here, we evaluate the impact of lower, more prebiotically-relevant, polyion multivalency on the functional performance of coacervates as compartments. Positively and negatively charged homopeptides with 1-100 residues and adenosine mono-, di-, and triphosphate nucleotides are used as model polyions. Polycation/polyanion pairs are tested for coacervation, and resulting membraneless compartments are analyzed for salt resistance, ability to provide a distinct internal microenvironment (apparent local pH, RNA partitioning), and effect on RNA structure formation. We find that coacervates formed by phase separation of the shorter polyions more effectively generated distinct pH microenvironments, accumulated RNA, and preserved duplexes than those formed by longer polyions. Hence, coacervates formed by reduced multivalency polyions are not only viable as functional compartments for prebiotic chemistries, they can outperform higher molecular weight analogues.

SUBMITTER: Cakmak FP

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7683531 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Prebiotically-relevant low polyion multivalency can improve functionality of membraneless compartments.

Cakmak Fatma Pir FP Choi Saehyun S Meyer McCauley O MO Bevilacqua Philip C PC Keating Christine D CD

Nature communications 20201123 1

Multivalent polyions can undergo complex coacervation, producing membraneless compartments that accumulate ribozymes and enhance catalysis, and offering a mechanism for functional prebiotic compartmentalization in the origins of life. Here, we evaluate the impact of lower, more prebiotically-relevant, polyion multivalency on the functional performance of coacervates as compartments. Positively and negatively charged homopeptides with 1-100 residues and adenosine mono-, di-, and triphosphate nucl ...[more]

PMID: 33230101

Similar Datasets

Project description:Embryonic stem cells (ES cells) are pluripotent stem cells that can contribute to all lineages of the embryo proper and were first isolated in 1981 in this laboratory (Evans and Kaufmann, 1981). They have contributed immeasurably to biology, both in terms of studying pluripotent stem cell maintenance in culture and in vitro differentiation, and because they can be easily genetically manipulated in culture, allowing for the production of mice with designed specific mutations (targeted mice), via homologous recombination. The recent isolation of human ES cell lines is promising in terms of stem cell therapy development. Mouse ES cell lines are isolated from the inner cell masses of mouse blastocysts between days 3.5 and 5.0 post coitum, or from the inner cell masses of delayed blastocysts. However, it has been suggested that some aspects of their biology may be more similar to embryonic ectoderm from early post implantation embryos, than to pre-implantation blastocysts. It has also been suggested that human embryonic stem cells are more similar to mouse stem cells derived from early embryonic ectoderm, than to mouse ES cells. Until recently, however, it has been difficult to answer these questions definitively, as the quantity of tissue available from early embryos is extremely limiting. However, we have used two rounds of RNA amplification on early embryonic samples and individual colonies picked from ES cell culture to compare the transcriptomic profiles of mouse ES cells with the embryonic tissues from with these cells are commonly derived, and with slightly later embryonic stages. We have found that ES cells are notably most similar in profile to embryonic ectoderm at day 5.5 (EE5.5) . ES cells cannot be derived from this post implantation embryonic tissue, so this result is in some ways surprising. However, ES cells show key differences from EE5.5, including the expression of markers of pluripotency such as Oct4 and Nanog (see gene lists acompanying this record), which explain how their ability to contribute to all tissues of the embryo proper is retained. Keywords: cell type comparison

Dataset Information

Prebiotically-relevant low polyion multivalency can improve functionality of membraneless compartments.

Publications

Prebiotically-relevant low polyion multivalency can improve functionality of membraneless compartments.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets