Ion-activated attractive patches as a mechanism for controlled protein interactions.
The understanding of protein interactions to control phase and nucleation behavior of protein solutions is an important challenge for soft matter, biological and medical research. Here, we present ion bridges of multivalent cations between proteins as an ion-activated mechanism for patchy interaction that is directly supported by experimental findings in protein crystals. A deep understanding of experimentally observed phenomena in protein solutions--including charge reversal, reentrant condensation, metastable liquid-liquid phase separation, cluster formation and different pathways of crystallization--is gained by an analytic model that directly displays parameter dependencies and physical connections. The direct connection between experiment and theory provides a conceptual framework for future experimental, computational and theoretical research on topics such as rational design of phase behavior and crystallization pathways on the basis of the statistical physics of patchy particles.
1] Institut für Angewandte Physik, Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany [2] Institut Laue-Langevin, 71 avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Grenoble, France.
Felix
F
Roosen-Runge
Institut für Angewandte Physik, Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
Fajun
F
Zhang
Institut für Angewandte Physik, Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
Frank
F
Schreiber
Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 14, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
Roland
R
Roth
D002412:Cations; D003460:Crystallization; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D007782:Lactoglobulins / Q000737:chemistry*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D044367:Phase Transition; D011485:Protein Binding; D055503:Protein Multimerization; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000737:chemistry*; D012996:Solutions; D013696:Temperature; D013816:Thermodynamics; D015019:Yttrium / Q000737:chemistry*
D002412:Cations; D007782:Lactoglobulins; D012709:Serum Albumin; D012996:Solutions; D015019:Yttrium