SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Phase Separation”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1986

Fusion and phase separation monitored by lifetime changes of a fluorescent phospholipid probe.

The sensitivity of the fluorescence lifetime of 1-palmitoyl-2-[[2-[4- (6-phenyl-trans-1,3,5-hexatrienyl)phenyl]ethyl]carbonyl]- 3-sn-phosphatidylcholine (DPHpPC) to its local concentration in lipid bilayers was used to monitor both lipid mixing and phase separation occurring during membrane vesicle fusion. Vesicles containing 2 mol % DPHpPC were mixed with a 10-fold excess of vesicles devoid of probe. Upon addition of a fusogen, mixing of bilayer lipids associated with fusion was followed as an increase in the fluorescence lifetime of DPHpPC. Ca2+-induced fusion of phosphatidylserine vesicles served to test the method and was shown to have an exponential half-time of 7 s. Phase separation (between the phosphatidylserine head groups of bulk lipid and the phosphatidylcholine head groups of the probe) was monitored by DPHpPC under the same conditions used to follow lipid mixing due to fusion. Phase separation was not significant until 10 min after Ca2+ addition and was completely reversible by disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate addition. Vesicle aggregation induced by Ca2+ addition to mixed phosphatidylserine/phosphatidylcholine vesicles did not alter the DPHpPC lifetime, indicating that close association of vesicles did not promote intervesicular exchange of the probe. In addition, we have investigated the effects of CA2+ on the fluorescence properties of this probe and of the head-group-labeled fluorescent probes N-(4-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazolyl)phosphatidylethanolamine and N-(lissamine Rhodamine B sulfonyl)dioleoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine, which are used in the fluorescence energy transfer assay of Struck et al.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

PubMed1975

Chemically induced lipid phase separation in model membranes containing charged lipids: a spin label study.

The lipid distribution in binary mixed membranes containing charged and uncharged lipids and the effect of Ca2+ and polylysine on the lipid organization was studied by the spin label technique. Dipalmitoyl phosphatidic acid was the charged, and spin labelled dipalmitoyl lecithin was the uncharged (zwitterionic) component. The ESR spectra were analyzed in terms of the spin exchange frequency, Wex. By measuring Wex as a function of the molar percentage of labelled lecithin a distinction between a random and a heterogeneous lipid distribution could be made. It is established that mixed lecithin-phosphatidic acid membranes exhibit lipid segregation (or a miscibility gap) in the fluid state. Comparative experiments with bilayer and monolayer membranes strongly suggest a lateral lipid segregation. At low lecithin concentration, aggregates containing between 25% and 40% lecithin are formed in the fluid phosphatidic acid membrane. This phase separation in membranes containing charged lipids is understandable on the basis of the Gouy-Chapman theory of electric double layers. In dipalmitoyl lecithin and in dimyristoyl phosphatidylethanolamine membranes the labelled lecithin is randomly distributed above the phase transition and has a coefficient of lateral diffusion of D = 2.8-10(-8) cm2/s at 59 degrees C. Addition of Ca2+ dramatically increases the extent of phase separation in lecithin-phosphatidic acid membranes. This chemically (and isothermally) induced phase separation is caused by the formation of crystalline patches of the Ca2+-bound phosphatidic acid. Lecithin is squeezed out from these patches of rigid lipid. The observed dependence of Wex on the Ca2+ concentration could be interpreted quantitatively on the basis of a two-cluster model. At low lecithin and Ca2+ concentration clusters containing about 30 mol % lecithin are formed. At high lecithin or Ca2+ concentrations a second type of precipitation containing 100% lecithin starts to form in addition. A one-to-one binding of divalent ions and phosphatidic acid at pH 9 was assumed. Such a one-to-one binding at pH 9 was established for the case of Mn2+ using ESR spectroscopy. Polylysine leads to the same strong increase in the lecithin segregation as Ca2+. The transition of the phosphatidic acid bound by the polypeptide is shifted from Tt = 47.5 degrees to Tt = 62 degrees C. This finding suggests the possibility of cooperative conformational changes in the lipid matrix and in the surface proteins in biological membranes.

Calcium↗

PubMed1986

Fractionation of detergent lysates of cells by ammonium sulphate-induced phase separation.

A procedure is described for fractionating detergent lysates of cells based on the ability of (NH4)2SO4 to induce phase separation of detergents such as Triton X-100, sodium deoxycholate, and sodium cholate, into detergent-rich and detergent-depleted phases. An analysis of six murine lymphocyte cell surface molecules revealed that the partitioning in Triton X-100 of each molecule was highly dependent upon the (NH4)2SO4 concentration, each antigen partitioning into the detergent-rich phase at a defined salt concentration. In contrast, none of the six molecules appeared in the detergent-rich phase of a Triton X-114 phase separation, even though two of the molecules, namely Ly-2/3 and L3T4, are well-characterized integral membrane proteins. It was also observed that (NH4)2SO4 resulted in the partitioning of many nonmembrane proteins into the detergent-rich phase, indicating that the procedure can be used to fractionate all cellular proteins. By judicious choice of (NH4)2SO4 concentrations, precipitation of cellular proteins at two different (NH4)2SO4 concentrations, and combining the method with subcellular fractionation prior to detergent solubilization, substantial enrichment and concentration of particular cellular proteins could be achieved.

Ammonium Sulfate↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Reverse-phase separation and electrochemical detection of neuropeptides.

The reverse-phase separation of neuropeptides using isocratic conditions is described. Each component of the mobile phase was examined for its ability to influence the separation of complex mixtures of neuropeptides. Manipulation of buffer strength, pH, organic modifier and column type provided sufficient flexibility to resolve closely related neuropeptides. Amperometric detection of oxidizable amino acids in the peptide sequence of a number of endogenous neuropeptides proved suitable for the identification of peptide standards and quantification of neural lobe arginine vasopressin and striatal methionine enkephalin.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

Phase separation in lens cytoplasm is genetically linked to cataract formation in the Philly mouse.

The variation of the phase-separation temperature, Tc, in lenses was studied during the postnatal development of three genetically different mouse strains: Swiss-Webster, Philly, and the (Swiss-Webster x Philly)F1 hybrid. The general behavior of Tc during early postnatal development has two stages: in stage I, Tc increased to a maximum and then, in stage II, Tc decreased. Philly mice are a strain that develops hereditary cataracts about 36 days following birth. In F1 hybrids of Philly and Swiss-Webster mice, cataracts appeared about 49 days following birth, approximately equal to 13 days later in development than in the Philly mice. In the Philly and hybrid mice, stage I and stage II were followed by stage III in which Tc reached a minimum value and then increased toward body temperature. The values of Tc at birth, the slope of the increase during stage I, and the maximum Tc were characteristic for each mouse strain. These results establish that the behavior of the temperature of the phase separation Tc in mouse lens is linked to the genetic strain of the mice and that the value of Tc at birth is an early indicator of lenses that will develop cataracts and lenses that will develop normally.

Animals↗

PubMed2025

Phase separation of hnRNPA1 and TERRA regulates telomeric stability.

Telomeres are the complexes composed of repetitive DNA sequences and associated proteins located at the end of chromatin. As a result of the DNA replication ending issue, telomeric DNA shortens during each cell cycle. The shelterin protein complex caps telomeric ends and forms a high-order protein-DNA structure to protect telomeric DNA. The stability of telomeres is critical for cellular function and related to the progression of many human diseases. Telomeric repeat-containing RNA (TERRA) is a noncoding RNA transcribed from telomeric DNA regions. TERRA plays an essential role in regulating and maintaining the stability of telomeres. Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) are RNA-binding proteins associated with complex and diverse biological processes. hnRNPA1 can recognize both TERRA and telomeric DNA. Previous research reported that hnRNPA1, TERRA, and POT1, a component of the shelterin complex, work coordinately and displace replication protein A from telomeric single-stranded DNA after DNA replication, promoting telomere capping to preserve genomic integrity. However, the detailed molecular mechanism has remained unclear for >20 years. Here, our study revealed the molecular structure through which the hnRNPA1 UP1 domain interacts with TERRA and identified critical residues on the interacting surface between UP1 and TERRA. Furthermore, we proved that nucleic acids significantly increase the phase-separating ability of hnRNPA1, while disrupting the UP1-TERRA interaction extraordinarily affects hnRNPA1 droplet formation both in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, these data reveal the molecular mechanism of the phase separation of hnRNPA1 and TERRA and the potential contribution of the droplets to maintaining genomic stability.

Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein A1↗

PubMed1978

Membrane lateral phase separations and chlortetracycline transport by Bacillus megaterium.

Chlortetracycline, a fluorescent probe of its own active transport, has been used to study lateral phase separations of membrane lipid in Bacillus megaterium cells. Arrhenius plots of initial accumulation rates are triphasic, with transitions or characteristic temperatures of 20 degrees and 9.5 degrees . At the higher temperature, the mobility of the chloretracycline, as measured by fluorescence polarization, is markedly altered. Chlortetracycline transport exhibits saturation kinetics, and fluorescence energy transfer from protein to bound antibiotic can be observed. N-Phenyl-1-naphthylamine, a lipophilic fluorescent probe, responds to changes in the hydrophobic regions of the membrane that are distinct from membrane protein. The fluorescent properties of N-phenylnaphthylamine in partitioning and polarization experiments are altered most significantly at the lower characteristic temperature. No fluorescence energy transfer between N-phenylnaphthylamine and membrane protein or bound tetracycline can be detected. In correlative electron spin resonance experiments on the partitioning of a lipid-soluble spin label, the same characteristic temperatures detected in the fluorescence studies were measured. These data suggest that different probes may respond to either or both of the characteristic temperatures describing the lateral phase separation. Between these characteristic temperatures the chlortetracycline transport system is most intimately associated with relatively immobile lipids that are surrounded by a more mobile lipid phase.

Bacillus megaterium↗

PubMed1977

Phase separation in phosphatidylcholine bilayers as a predictor of inhibition of blood platelet aggregation by amantadines.

The ability of eleven amantadine derivatives to induce phase separation in dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine bilayers was studied by differential scanning calorimetry. The relative potency varied with the shape and size of the hydrocarbon cage. These agents also markedly inhibited blood platelet aggregation. The relative potencies of these compounds to induce phase separation showed a significant correlation (r = 0.70) with their platelet inhibitory activity suggesting that their pharmacologic action may be at the level of the platelet membrane. The effective concentration of the parent component amantadine is similar to its pharmacologic concentration suggesting its use as an anti-platelet drug.

Amantadine↗

PubMed2025

Proteins driving liquid-liquid phase separation and histone modifications cooperatively associate with chromatin looping and transcriptional regulation.

BACKGROUND: Although liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) proteins are known to participate in genome organization and transcriptional regulation through the formation of biomolecular condensates, their functional interplay with other regulatory proteins and histone modifications in chromatin loop formation remains poorly characterized. By combining Hi-C chromatin interaction data with ChIP-seq profiles of 12, 27, and 24 LLPS proteins in GM12878, K562, and HepG2 cell lines, respectively, we identified chromatin loops associated with LLPS proteins and systematically analysed patterns of cooperative protein binding and histone modification enrichment within these loop-associated peaks. RESULTS: We identified 162, 313, and 431 chromatin loops associated with LLPS proteins in GM12878, K562, and HepG2 cell lines, respectively. These loops were relatively small in size and predominantly anchored at enhancer regions. Examination of cooperative binding of proteins within loop-associated peaks revealed that transcriptional repressor IKZF1, HDAC1, and SAP130 most frequently co-localized with LLPS proteins in GM12878, K562, and HepG2 cells, respectively. Further analysis of histone modification enrichment patterns revealed that active histone modifications, such as H3K4me2, H3K4me3, H3K9ac, and H3K27ac, co-localized at loop-associated peaks, with H3K4me1 exhibiting additional specific co-localization with these four histone modifications at enhancer-localized loop-associated peaks. Notably, bivalent chromatin domains where H3K27me3 co-localized with active histone modifications were identified at promoter-localized loop-associated peaks in HepG2 cells, and elevated H3K27me3 occupancy at these peaks was associated with transcriptional repression of target genes. Moreover, quantitative RNA-seq analysis revealed that the expression of target genes associated with enhancer-promoter loops was correlated with both the binding of LLPS proteins and the enrichment patterns of histone modifications within their ChIP-seq peaks at loop anchors. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that LLPS proteins may cooperate with transcriptional repressors to facilitate chromatin looping. Furthermore, local enrichment of histone modifications at loop-associated peaks provides additional regulatory control over chromatin architecture and gene transcription.

Humans↗

PubMed1979

Effects of lipid-phase separation on the filipin action on membranes of ergosterol-replaced Tetrahymena cells, as studied by freeze-fracture electron microscopy.

The effects of lipid-phase separation on the filipin action on pellicle membranes of ergosterol-replaced Tetrahymena pyriformis cells were studied by freeze-fracture electron microscopy. The pellicle membranes with phase separations induced by chilling from 34 degrees C (growth temperature) to lower temperatures (30, 22 and 15 degrees C) were treated with filipin. This produced filipin-induced lesions ("pits") only in the particulated (liquid) regions along the margin between solid and liquid domains, while they were produced in the particle-free (solid) areas when membranes were chilled to 15 degrees C. The pellicle membranes with lesions induced by filipin at 34 degrees C were chilled to 22 degrees C. This chilling raised larger particle-free areas and more condensed particle-aggregations on the membranes than on the membranes without the filipin treatment. These results suggest that the membrane fluidity affects induction and development of the ergosterol-filipin complex in the membrane.

Animals↗

PubMed1985

Permanent suppression of phase separation cataract in calf lens using amine modification agents.

Low temperature induced opacification (cold cataract) of the nucleus of young mammalian lenses is associated with a phase separation of proteins in the lens cell cytoplasm. Calf lenses were treated with a variety of imido-esters and N-hydroxysuccinimide-esters, which react specifically with amino groups. Many potent inhibitors of phase separation cataract were identified which lower the opacification temperature by 6 degrees C or more. Lenses generally remain clear, colorless and soft. Furthermore, suppression of the cold cataract temperature is permanent upon removal of excess reagent.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Effect of rapidity of phase separation on the efficiency of cell fractionation by partitioning in aqueous two-phase systems.

Partitioning in two-polymer aqueous phase systems is an established method for the separation, purification and characterization of biomaterials. Because of the relatively slow settling rates of these phases, a consequence of the slight difference in density between them, effort has been directed to speeding up phase separation by various means (e.g., the development of a thin-layer countercurrent distribution apparatus). This has resulted in the more rapid processing of materials. Unlike soluble materials, biological particulates (e.g., cells) generally partition between one of the bulk phases and the interface. The mechanism of cell partitioning involves cell-specific adsorption to droplets of one phase suspended in the other, subsequent to phase mixing, and the delivery of adsorbed cells to the bulk interface as the droplets settle. In this communication we show, using erythrocytes as a model, that speeding up phase separation is counterproductive when partitioning cells and results in reduced efficiency of their separation or subfractionation. The most likely reason for this result is that increasing the speed of phase settling removes the droplets of one phase suspended in the other more rapidly than cells can attach to them, thereby interfering with the mechanism whereby cells partition.

Animals↗

PubMed1979

Phase separations in membranes of Anacystis nidulans grown at different temperatures.

Freeze fracture electron microscopy studies were performed on samples of Anacystis nidulans quenched from different temperatures. Membrane lipid phase separations were observed to take place over the ranges 15--30 degrees C, 5--25 degrees C and -5--15 degrees C for cultures grown at 38, 28 and 18 degrees C, respectively. Differential scanning calorimetry heating curves showed endotherms which coincided with these temperature ranges. Variations of phase separation temperatures with growth temperature, and hysteresis effects in the calorimetric measurements, were related to changes in the fatty acid composition of membrane lipids.

Cell Fractionation↗

PubMed1991

Glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol-anchored membrane proteins can be distinguished from transmembrane polypeptide-anchored proteins by differential solubilization and temperature-induced phase separation in Triton X-114.

Treatment of kidney microvillar membranes with the non-ionic detergent Triton X-114 at 0 degrees C, followed by low-speed centrifugation, generated a detergent-insoluble pellet and a detergent-soluble supernatant. The supernatant was further fractionated by phase separation at 30 degrees C into a detergent-rich phase and a detergent-depleted or aqueous phase. Those ectoenzymes with a covalently attached glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (G-PI) membrane anchor were recovered predominantly (greater than 73%) in the detergent-insoluble pellet. In contrast, those ectoenzymes anchored by a single membrane-spanning polypeptide were recovered predominantly (greater than 62%) in the detergent-rich phase. Removal of the hydrophobic membrane-anchoring domain from either class of ectoenzyme resulted in the proteins being recovered predominantly (greater than 70%) in the aqueous phase. This technique was also applied to other membrane types, including pig and human erythrocyte ghosts, where, in both cases, the G-PI-anchored acetylcholinesterase partitioned predominantly (greater than 69%) into the detergent-insoluble pellet. When the microvillar membranes were subjected only to differential solubilization with Triton X-114 at 0 degrees C, the G-PI-anchored ectoenzymes were recovered predominantly (greater than 63%) in the detergent-insoluble pellet, whereas the transmembrane-polypeptide-anchored ectoenzymes were recovered predominantly (greater than 95%) in the detergent-solubilized supernatant. Thus differential solubilization and temperature-induced phase separation in Triton X-114 distinguished between G-PI-anchored membrane proteins, transmembrane-polypeptide-anchored proteins and soluble, hydrophilic proteins. This technique may be more useful and reliable than susceptibility to release by phospholipases as a means of identifying a G-PI anchor on an unpurified membrane protein.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

Concentration of hydrophobic organic compounds and extraction of protein using alkylammoniosulfate zwitterionic surfactant mediated phase separations (cloud point extractions).

The zwitterionic surfactants 3-[nonyl- (or decyl-) dimethyl-ammonio]propyl sulfate, (C9-APSO4 or C10-APSO4) were synthesized using Nilsson's procedure, and their phase separation behavior under different experimental conditions was evaluated. The results indicate that such zwitterionic surfactants can be utilized for the extraction/preconcentration of hydro-phobic species in a manner akin to that previously reported for nonionic surfactants. This was demonstrated for several practical applications including the extraction/preconcentration of some steroidal hormones and vitamin E prior to high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. The zwitterionic surfactant mediated phase separation was also applied to the extraction of the hydrophobic membrane protein, bacterio-rhodopsin, from the hydrophilic cytochrome c protein, both originally present in an aqueous phase. The concentration factors for this aqueous two-phase extraction technique using C10-APSO4 ranged from 26 to 35 with recoveries in the range 88 to greater than 96%. Some comparative studies indicate that the use of zwitterionic surfactants in lieu of nonionic surfactants (e.g. polyoxyethylene(7.5) nonyl phenyl ether PONPE-7.5) in such an extraction method offers some significant advantages such as purer, homogeneous surfactant preparation, minimum background absorbance at UV detection wavelengths, the two-phase region occurring at lower temperatures, and greater extraction efficiencies/concentration factors among others.

Ammonium Sulfate↗

PubMed2024

Rabies Virus Phosphoprotein Exhibits Thermoresponsive Phase Separation with a Lower Critical Solution Temperature.

Rabies virus (RABV) generates membrane-less liquid organelles (Negri bodies) in the cytoplasm of its host cell, where genome transcription and replication and nucleocapsid assembly take place, but the mechanisms of their assembly and maturation remain to be explained. An essential component of the viral RNA synthesizing machine, the phosphoprotein (P), acts as a scaffold protein for the assembly of these condensates. This intrinsically disordered protein forms star-shaped dimers with N-terminal negatively charged flexible arms and C-terminal globular domains exhibiting a large dipole moment. Our study shows that in vitro self-association of RABV P drives a complex thermoresponsive phase separation with a lower critical solution temperature. Protein dimers assemble already below the saturation concentration, and condensation is driven by attractive conformation-specific interactions leading to reentrant liquid phase separation over a narrow range of salt concentration. We propose a minimal molecular model in which P can adopt three limit conformational states and the disordered N-terminal arms control the interactions between giant dipoles that is consistent with our observations.

Rabies virus↗

PubMed1990

Influence of average molecular weights of poly(DL-lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) copolymers 50/50 on phase separation and in vitro drug release from microspheres.

The phase separation of fractionated poly(DL-lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) copolymers 50/50 was determined by silicone oil addition. Polymer fractionation by preparative size exclusion chromatography afforded five different microsphere batches. Average molecular weight determined the existence, width, and displacement of the "stability window" inside the phase diagrams, and also microsphere characteristics such as core loading and amount released over 6 hr. Further, the gyration and hydrodynamic radii were measured by light scattering. It is concluded that the polymer-solvent affinity is largely modified by the variation of average molecular weights owing to different levels of solubility. The lower the average molecular weight is, the better methylene chloride serves as a solvent for the coating material. However, a paradoxical effect due to an increase in free carboxyl and hydroxyl groups is noticed for polymers of 18,130 and 31,030 SEC (size exclusion chromatography) Mw. For microencapsulation, polymers having an intermediate molecular weight (47,250) were the most appropriate in terms of core loading and release purposes.

Drug Compounding↗

PubMed1987

Aluminum-induced lipid phase separation and membrane fusion does not require the presence of negatively charged phospholipids.

The interaction of Aluminum with phosphatidyl serine lipid vesicles containing variable amounts of phosphatidyl ethanolamine, phosphatidyl choline and cholesterol has been studied by lipid phase separation monitored by fluorescence quenching. The interaction of Al3+ with neutral phospholipid membranes has also been investigated. Maximal lipid phase separation can be demonstrated in mixed phosphatidyl ethanolamine-cholesterol vesicles when using concentrations of aluminum between 87.5 and 125 microM. Millimolar concentrations of Ca2+, Mn2+, Cd2+ and Zn2+ were without any effect. Aluminum also induced fusion of phospholipid membranes monitored by resonance energy transfer between N-(7-nitro-2,1,3, benzoxadiazol-4 yl) phosphatidyl ethanolamine and N-(lissamine Rhodamine B-sulfonyl) phosphatidyl ethanolamine, either when containing low amounts of phosphatidyl serine (12.5%) or without any negatively charged phospholipid. Aluminum-induced fusion of liposomes was also monitored by the fluorescence of the terbium-dipicolinic acid complex (Tb-DPA3-) formed during fusion of vesicles containing either Tb-(citrate)6- complex or sodium salt of dipicolinic acid.

Aluminum↗