3 Search Results

The development of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria poses a serious worldwide health concern. CRISPR-based antibacterials, however, are a novel and adaptable method for building an arsenal of antibacterials potentially capable of targeting any pathogenic bacteria.

We can generalize the directed, head-to-tail self-assembly of microtubule filaments in the context of Janus colloidal rods. Specifically, their assembly at the tens of micron-length scale involves a careful balance between long-range electrostatic repulsion and short-range attractive forces. We show that the addition of counterion salts increases the rate of directed assembly by screening the electrostatic forces and enhancing the effectiveness of short-range interactions at the microtubule ends.

Polymersomes are being widely explored as synthetic analogs of lipid vesicles based on their enhanced stability and potential uses in a wide variety of applications in (e.g., drug delivery, cell analogs, etc.). Controlled formation of giant polymersomes for use in membrane studies and cell mimetic systems, however, is currently limited by low-yield production methodologies. Here, we describe for the first time, how the size distribution of giant poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(butadiene) (PEO-PBD) polymersomes formed by gel-assisted rehydration may be controlled based on membrane fluidization. We first show that the average diameter and size distribution of PEO-PBD polymersomes may be readily increased bymore » increasing the temperature of the rehydration solution. Further, we describe a correlative relationship between polymersome size and membrane fluidization through the addition of sucrose during rehydration, enabling the formation of PEO-PBD polymersomes with a range of diameters, including giant-sized vesicles (>100 μm). This correlative relationship suggests that sucrose may function as a small molecule fluidizer during rehydration, enhancing polymer diffusivity during formation and increasing polymersome size. Altogether the ability to easily regulate the size of PEO-PBD polymersomes based on membrane fluidity, either through temperature or fluidizers, has broadly applicability in areas including targeted therapeutic delivery and synthetic biology.« less