Biosurfaces articles from across Nature Portfolio

Biomolecular condensates help organize cell components under normal conditions but can also be involved in pathological protein aggregation when condensate proteins carry mutations or under stress conditions. This Review discusses the possible mechanisms behind such aggregation processes that potentially lead to neurodegenerative diseases.

The surface charge and ζ-potential of biomolecular condensates is key to their interactions with membranes and proteins. Here, the authors developed a method to determine the ζ-potential of condensates using microelectrophoresis and single-droplet tracking.

Catheter-related infection and thrombosis are serious complications, and preventative coatings are not always suitable. Here, the authors report a heparin mediated coating for to address both infections and thrombosis from catheters simultaneously.

The collective intermolecular dynamics of protein and water molecules, which overlap in subterahertz frequencies, are relevant for protein function expressions. Here the authors develop highly sensitive dielectric measurements, revealing that protein hydration is nonthermally accelerated by sub-terahertz irradiation.

We investigated the effect of the hydrophobicity of the side chains of mixed-charge polymers on their interaction with cancer cell membranes. Six pH-responsive mixed-charge polymeric micelles consisting of cationic, anionic, and neutral moieties were created, with differences in hydrophobicity generated by altering the type of anionic monomer and the ratio of the hydrophobic spacer moiety. Evaluation of their affinity for cell membranes revealed that increases in the hydrophobicity and pH-responsive nature led to pH-selective toxicity, which was assumed to be caused by the disruption of cell membrane integrity.

Transplantation of helpful bacteria has been used to treat disease through modulating host microbiota. Here, the authors report a strategy to control bacteria localization in the jejunum, via an in vivo in-situ thiol-disulfide exchange reaction between surface-reactive bacteria and mucous.

A model based on the well-known β-cyclodextrin–adamantane receptor–ligand pair has been used to obtain important insight into the kinetics of gradient-driven motion across a surface.