Physical Chemistry of Cellular Liquid-Phase Separation

Compartmentalization of biochemical processes is essential for cell function. Although membrane-bound organelles are well studied in this context, recent work has shown that phase separation is a key contributor to cellular compartmentalization through the formation of liquid-like membraneless organelles (MLOs). In this Minireview, the key mechanistic concepts that underlie MLO dynamics and function are first briefly discussed, including the relevant noncovalent interaction chemistry and polymer physical chemistry. Next, a few examples of MLOs and relevant proteins are given, along with their functions, which highlight the relevance of the above concepts. The developing area of active matter and non-equilibrium systems, which can give rise to unexpected effects in fluctuating cellular conditions, are also discussed. Finally, our thoughts for emerging and future directions in the field are discussed, including in vitro and in vivo studies of MLO physical chemistry and function.     

Transition metal complexes as molecular machine prototypes

The field of molecular machines, i.e. multicomponent systems able to undergo large amplitude motions under the action of an external signal, has experienced a spectacular development since the beginning of the 1990s. Transition metal complexes have played an important role in this context, often as components of catenanes and rotaxanes. The present tutorial review will discuss a few systems of this type, taken from the contributions of our group or from others. The stimulus responsible for the controlled motion of the machine can be chemical, electrochemical, or photochemical. Examples of these three categories will be considered.     

Oxime Ligation: A Chemoselective Click‐Type Reaction for Accessing Multifunctional Biomolecular Constructs

There is a growing need for biocompatible click reactions in order to prepare multifunctional conjugates, which are valuable molecules for innovative biomedical applications. In this context, we review the recent advances in the implementation of oxime ligation for the synthesis of multivalent or multicomponent systems. The value of these products is emphasized by their use in cell targeting, imaging, synthetic vaccines, and surface modifications.     

溶液临界现象研究进展

溶液临界现象是热力学研究中的一个重要领域,其对于认识临界普适性规律以及理解和应用由于超常临界涨落引起的溶液特殊性质具有重要意义.本文简述了临界现象的基本概念和研究历史,介绍了近年来溶液临界现象的研究进展,重点评述了以下几个方面的理论和实验成果:(1)临界指数与指前因子标度关系在溶液体系中的普适性;(2)完全标度理论的建立、发展及其实验检验;(3)临界区域与非临界区域的跨接现象;(4)多元溶液中的三临界现象;(5)临界溶液中的化学反应速率及平衡常数的奇异性.     

Recent Advances in Photoconductive and Photosensitive Polymers

Abstract

The synthesis and evaluation of photoconductive and photosensitive polymers have received considerable attention during recent years because of the increasing demand for such materials in electrophotography and related processes. By now, a wide variety of polymers, unmodified as well as modified chemically or otherwise, has been explored with regard to their potentialities in this field. An authoritative review by Stolka and Pai discussed the basic concepts in photoconductivity, summarizing the experimental techniques commonly employed in this context along with a review of original and patent literature on these systems available through 1976. In a contemporary article, Pen-well, Ganguly, and Smith reviewed the literature on N-vinyl -carbazole polymer systems with specific regard to synthesis, physicochemical property evaluation vis-a-vis their theoretical implications, and related topics. More recently, Biswas and Das reviewed the developments in carbazole-based polymer systems throusrh 1979.     

Rules governing liquid-vapor equilibria in multicomponent two-phase systems of various natures

The main heterogeneous equilibrium laws in multicomponent two-phase liquid-vapor systems and the main rules governing the behavior of such systems and reported in 2002–2009 are considered from the point of view of modern concepts.     

Recent developments in novel blue/green/red/NIR small fluorescent probes for in cellulo tracking of RNA/DNA G-quadruplexes

The detection and stabilization of G-quadruplexes (G4s) in living systems is of enormous applicability in the fields of chemical biology and therapeutic materials. Whereas DNA serves as a genetic material, RNA functions in the regulation and expression of genetic materials. Even there is various report on fluorescent probes invitro G4s recognitions, in this review we highlighted briefly, in-cellulo identification of G4s along with conventional methods principles. Although there are varieties of G4-forming sequences in the genome, targeting a specific type (topology) in living cells is highly challenging because of the high instability of G4s in cellular/subcellular systems. In contrast, several reports describe the in vitro identification of G4s, along with in-cell demonstrations, using efficient fluorescent probes, through either intrinsic or extrinsic approaches. In the intrinsic mode, the sensing results from the use of highly selective synthetic fluorescent oligonucleotides or proteins (a labeling approach). In the extrinsic mode, quencher-free small molecular probes are used to recognize specific G4s under physiological conditions. Because of their robustness, simplicity, and ease of handling, this review describes recent trends in the use of blue/green, green, red, and near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probes for the recognition of G4s in live cells-and, particularly, those approaches employing quencher-free probes. Also highlighted are a few labeled probes, and their in cellulo localizations, which were accomplished upon the formation of non-canonical G4s under specified conditions and supplemented by exogenous G4-forming components, without harnessing cellular physiological conditions.     

Hydrogen exchange mass spectrometry: what is it and what can it tell us?

Proteins are undoubtedly some of the most essential molecules of life. While much is known about many proteins, some aspects still remain mysterious. One particularly important aspect of understanding proteins is determining how structure helps dictate function. Continued development and implementation of biophysical techniques that provide information about protein conformation and dynamics is essential. In this review, we discuss hydrogen exchange mass spectrometry and how this method can be used to learn about protein conformation and dynamics. The basic concepts of the method are described, the workflow illustrated, and a few examples of its application are provided.     

Emerging Trends in Fluorescence Bioimaging of Divalent Metal Cations Using Small-Molecule Indicators

Visualization of cation dynamics inside a living system represent a major breakthrough at the crossroad of chemistry and cellular physiology. Since the inception of BAPTA-based cellular calcium indicators in the 1980s, generations of chemical and genetically encoded ion indicators spanning the visible spectrum have been developed. In this article, we bring up three emerging concepts in this field: 1. red-shifting cation indicators towards far-red and near-infrared (NIR) channels; 2. directing the indicators to various subcellular localizations; 3. lowering the phototoxicity of indicators for long term recording. These initiatives collectively echo the advocate of 4D cellular physiology, where biological processes within living systems can be panoramically unveiled under 3D, long-term, and multi-channel imaging with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution. This outlook poses exciting challenges and opportunities for chemists to upgrade the toolkit of fluorescent indicators as key enablers for a new era of imageomics.     

One-pot multicomponent synthesis of 2,3-dihydropyrans: new access to furanose-pyranose 1,3-C-C-linked-disaccharides

An efficient synthesis of 2,3-dihydropyrans from different terminal alkynes was developed. The 2,3-dihydropyrans were obtained in a few minutes through a microwave-assisted multicomponent enyne cross-metathesis/hetero-Diels-Alder reaction. Starting from C-ethynyl-ribofuranose, a new multicomponent approach to furanose-pyranose 1,3-C-C-linked disaccharides was also developed.     

Triple-color super-resolution imaging of live cells: resolving submicroscopic receptor organization in the plasma membrane

In living color: efficient intracellular covalent labeling of proteins with a photoswitchable dye using the HaloTag for dSTORM super-resolution imaging in live cells is described. The dynamics of cellular nanostructures at the plasma membrane were monitored with a time resolution of a few seconds. In combination with dual-color FPALM imaging, submicroscopic receptor organization within the context of the membrane skeleton was resolved.     

Recent advances in the iron-catalysed multicomponent reactions

Iron-catalysed reactions are widely used in organic synthesis owing to its benefits over other metals. Among the important organic reactions, multicomponent reactions play a significant role due to its greener aspects like high atom economy, minimal amount of by-product, economic feasibility etc. For the past few years, iron-catalysed multicomponent reactions have attracted the attention of several chemists which lead to the invention of some fine chemistry. The majority of iron-catalysed multicomponent reactions results in the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds having biologically active natural products, pharmaceutical etc. These developments in the iron-catalysed multicomponent reactions are the focus of this review. This is the first review in this topic which covers the literature up to 2020, and it encompasses the different methods for the synthesis of acyclic, carbocyclic and heterocyclic compounds.     

Structure and dynamics of liquid water

A review of recent studies on the structure and dynamics of water (in liquid and amorphous states) by physical methods and computer experiment is presented together with a brief summary of historical background. Basic concepts offered for describing the structure and dynamics of water are considered. The structure of water is currently viewed as having a uniform three-dimensional network formed by hydrogen-bonded molecules. The arrangement of this network is dissimilar from that found in any crystal structures; it is dynamically and structurally inhomogeneous. The network is rather labile; water molecules continuously change their neighbors, so that the average lifetime of hydrogen bonds is about a few picoseconds.     

The intertwined physics of active chemical reactions and phase separation

Phase separation is the thermodynamic process that explains how droplets form in multicomponent fluids. These droplets can provide controlled compartments to localize chemical reactions, and reactions can also affect the droplets' dynamics. This review focuses on the tight interplay between phase separation and chemical reactions, which originates from thermodynamic constraints. In particular, simple mass action kinetics cannot describe chemical reactions since phase separation requires non-ideal fluids. Instead, thermodynamics implies that passive chemical reactions reduce the complexity of phase diagrams and provide only limited control over the system's behavior. However, driven chemical reactions, which use external energy input to create spatial fluxes, can circumvent thermodynamic constraints. Such active systems can suppress typical droplet coarsening, control droplet size, and localize droplets. This review provides an extensible framework for describing active chemical reactions in phase separating systems, which forms a basis for improving control in technical applications and understanding self-organized structures in biological cells.     

Comparative analysis of molecular interactions in quaternary fluid system performed by classical and ab initio molecular dynamics

Molecular interactions in the quaternary fluid system acetic acid–n-propanol–n-propyl acetate–water were analyzed by classical and ab initio molecular dynamics methods. It was shown that ab initio molecular dynamics simulation can reproduce the molecular mobility tendency and structural features of a multicomponent system without empirical parameters.     

Supramolecular polymers as dynamic multicomponent cellular uptake carriers

Supramolecular synthesis represents a flexible approach to the generation of dynamic multicomponent materials with tunable properties. Here, cellular uptake systems based on dynamic supramolecular copolymers have been developed using a combination of differently functionalized discotic molecules. Discotics featuring peripheral amine functionalities that endow the supramolecular polymer with cellular uptake capabilities were readily synthesized. This enabled the uptake of otherwise cell-impermeable discotics via cotransport as a function of supramolecular coassembly. Dynamic multicomponent and multifunctional supramolecular polymers represent a novel and unique platform for modular cellular uptake systems.     

Establishing Communication Between Artificial Cells

Communication between artificial cells is essential for the realization of complex dynamical behaviors at the multi-cell level. It is also an important prerequisite for modular systems design, because it determines how spatially separated functional modules can coordinate their actions. Among others, molecular communication is required for artificial cell signaling, synchronization of cellular behaviors, computation, group-level decision-making processes and pattern formation in artificial tissues. In this review, an overview of various recent approaches to create communicating artificial cellular systems is provided. In this context, important physicochemical boundary conditions that have to be considered for the design of the communicating cells are also described, and a survey of the most striking emergent behaviors that may be achieved in such systems is given.     

Calculating all local minima on liquidus surfaces using the FactSage software and databases and the Mesh Adaptive Direct Search algorithm

It is often of interest, for a multicomponent system, to identify the low melting compositions at which local minima of the liquidus surface occur. The experimental determination of these minima can be very time-consuming. An alternative is to employ the CALPHAD approach using evaluated thermodynamic databases containing optimized model parameters giving the thermodynamic properties of all phases as functions of composition and temperature. Liquidus temperatures are then calculated by Gibbs free energy minimization algorithms which access the databases. Several such large databases for many multicomponent systems have been developed over the last 40 years, and calculated liquidus temperatures are generally quite accurate. In principle, one could then search for local liquidus minima by simply calculating liquidus temperatures over a compositional grid. In practice, such an approach is prohibitively time-consuming for all but the simplest systems since the required number of grid points is extremely large. In the present article, the FactSage database computing system is coupled with the powerful Mesh Adaptive Direct Search (MADS) algorithm in order to search for and calculate automatically all liquidus minima in a multicomponent system. Sample calculations for a 4-component oxide system, a 7-component chloride system, and a 9-component ferrous alloy system are presented. It is shown that the algorithm is robust and rapid.     

Micro‐/Nanostructured Multicomponent Molecular Materials: Design,Assembly, and Functionality

Molecule‐based micro‐/nanomaterials have attracted considerable attention because their properties can vary greatly from the corresponding macro‐sized bulk systems. Recently, the construction of multicomponent molecular solids based on crystal engineering principles has emerged as a promising alternative way to develop micro‐/nanomaterials. Unlike single‐component materials, the resulting multicomponent systems offer the advantages of tunable composition, and adjustable molecular arrangement, and intermolecular interactions within their solid states. The study of these materials also supplies insight into how the crystal structure, molecular components, and micro‐/nanoscale effects can influence the performance of molecular materials. In this review, we describe recent advances and current directions in the assembly and applications of crystalline multicomponent micro‐/nanostructures. Firstly, the design strategies for multicomponent systems based on molecular recognition and crystal engineering principles are introduced. Attention is then focused on the methods of fabrication of low‐dimensional multicomponent micro‐/nanostructures. Their new applications are also outlined. Finally, we briefly discuss perspectives for the further development of these molecular crystalline micro‐/nanomaterials.