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Multivalent ions and biomolecules : Attempting a comprehensive perspective

Matsarskaia, Olga ; Roosen-Runge, Felix LU and Schreiber, Frank (2020) In ChemPhysChem 21(16). p.1742-1767
Abstract

Ions are ubiquitous in nature. They play a key role for many biological processes on the molecular scale, from molecular interactions, to mechanical properties, to folding, to self-organisation and assembly, to reaction equilibria, to signalling, to energy and material transport, to recognition etc. Going beyond monovalent ions to multivalent ions, the effects of the ions are frequently not only stronger (due to the obviously higher charge), but qualitatively different. A typical example is the process of binding of multivalent ions, such as Ca2+, to a macromolecule and the consequences of this ion binding such as compaction, collapse, potential charge inversion and precipitation of the macromolecule. Here we review these... (More)

Ions are ubiquitous in nature. They play a key role for many biological processes on the molecular scale, from molecular interactions, to mechanical properties, to folding, to self-organisation and assembly, to reaction equilibria, to signalling, to energy and material transport, to recognition etc. Going beyond monovalent ions to multivalent ions, the effects of the ions are frequently not only stronger (due to the obviously higher charge), but qualitatively different. A typical example is the process of binding of multivalent ions, such as Ca2+, to a macromolecule and the consequences of this ion binding such as compaction, collapse, potential charge inversion and precipitation of the macromolecule. Here we review these effects and phenomena induced by multivalent ions for biological (macro)molecules, from the “atomistic/molecular” local picture of (potentially specific) interactions to the more global picture of phase behaviour including, e. g., crystallisation, phase separation, oligomerisation etc. Rather than attempting an encyclopedic list of systems, we rather aim for an embracing discussion using typical case studies. We try to cover predominantly three main classes: proteins, nucleic acids, and amphiphilic molecules including interface effects. We do not cover in detail, but make some comparisons to, ion channels, colloidal systems, and synthetic polymers. While there are obvious differences in the behaviour of, and the relevance of multivalent ions for, the three main classes of systems, we also point out analogies. Our attempt of a comprehensive discussion is guided by the idea that there are not only important differences and specific phenomena with regard to the effects of multivalent ions on the main systems, but also important similarities. We hope to bridge physico-chemical mechanisms, concepts of soft matter, and biological observations and connect the different communities further.

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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
biomolecules, biophysical chemistry, charge-mediated interactions, multivalent ions, phase behaviour
in
ChemPhysChem
volume
21
issue
16
pages
1742 - 1767
publisher
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
external identifiers
  • pmid:32406605
  • scopus:85086868343
ISSN
1439-4235
DOI
10.1002/cphc.202000162
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
77ad1ce2-e223-4b42-87d4-25cd0a016f2e
date added to LUP
2020-09-16 08:57:12
date last changed
2024-04-17 15:57:27
@article{77ad1ce2-e223-4b42-87d4-25cd0a016f2e,
  abstract     = {{<p>Ions are ubiquitous in nature. They play a key role for many biological processes on the molecular scale, from molecular interactions, to mechanical properties, to folding, to self-organisation and assembly, to reaction equilibria, to signalling, to energy and material transport, to recognition etc. Going beyond monovalent ions to multivalent ions, the effects of the ions are frequently not only stronger (due to the obviously higher charge), but qualitatively different. A typical example is the process of binding of multivalent ions, such as Ca<sup>2+</sup>, to a macromolecule and the consequences of this ion binding such as compaction, collapse, potential charge inversion and precipitation of the macromolecule. Here we review these effects and phenomena induced by multivalent ions for biological (macro)molecules, from the “atomistic/molecular” local picture of (potentially specific) interactions to the more global picture of phase behaviour including, e. g., crystallisation, phase separation, oligomerisation etc. Rather than attempting an encyclopedic list of systems, we rather aim for an embracing discussion using typical case studies. We try to cover predominantly three main classes: proteins, nucleic acids, and amphiphilic molecules including interface effects. We do not cover in detail, but make some comparisons to, ion channels, colloidal systems, and synthetic polymers. While there are obvious differences in the behaviour of, and the relevance of multivalent ions for, the three main classes of systems, we also point out analogies. Our attempt of a comprehensive discussion is guided by the idea that there are not only important differences and specific phenomena with regard to the effects of multivalent ions on the main systems, but also important similarities. We hope to bridge physico-chemical mechanisms, concepts of soft matter, and biological observations and connect the different communities further.</p>}},
  author       = {{Matsarskaia, Olga and Roosen-Runge, Felix and Schreiber, Frank}},
  issn         = {{1439-4235}},
  keywords     = {{biomolecules; biophysical chemistry; charge-mediated interactions; multivalent ions; phase behaviour}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{05}},
  number       = {{16}},
  pages        = {{1742--1767}},
  publisher    = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
  series       = {{ChemPhysChem}},
  title        = {{Multivalent ions and biomolecules : Attempting a comprehensive perspective}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cphc.202000162}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/cphc.202000162}},
  volume       = {{21}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}