Truly tiny acoustic biomolecules for ultrasound imaging and therapy

Ling, Bill; Gungoren, Bilge; Yao, Yuxing; Dutka, Przemysław; Smith, Cameron; Lee, Justin; Swift, Michael; Shapiro, Mikhail G.

doi:10.1101/2023.06.27.546773

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…A hypothetical, elementary biconical nucleus might involve a single GvpA rib in each cone segment ( Figure 3B ). While cryo-EM has captured images of small bicones [ 35 , 37 ], the existence, formation process, and structural details of such an elementary nucleus remain speculative. Furthermore, it is yet unclear whether the bicone represents the initial nucleating structure of the gas vesicle or results from the combination of two smaller nuclei which form independently before merging into a bicone by assembling in opposing orientations.…”

Section: Structural Unknowns: Molecular Mechanism Of Nucleation and G...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Arrows highlight noteworthy features. Annotation sources: GvpA [ 10 , 33 , 35 ], GvpG [ 41 ], GvpLFW [ 42 , 43 ], GvpOR [ 41 ], GvpK [ 41–43 ], GvpN [ 37 , 44 ], GvpJMS [ 37 ], GvpC [ 24 ], GvpTU [ 45 ].…”

Section: Structure and Role Of Other Gas Vesicle Gene Productsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Across all gene clusters, homologs of the major structural protein GvpA, such as GvpJ, GvpM, or GvpS are present, but their gene products are absent from the cylindrical part of the gas vesicle wall [ 35 ]. Recently they were identified in purified bicones [ 37 ], indicating their contribution to conical segment formation. Considering our earlier discussion on distinct growth mechanisms for cylindrical and bicone segments, these GvpA homologs likely play a crucial role in the unique growth processes hypothesised for bicones.…”

Section: Structure and Role Of Other Gas Vesicle Gene Productsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…GvpN, an AAA + ATPase found in all gas vesicle gene clusters is essential for gas vesicle formation. While bicones can initially form without GvpN, they fail to transition from cone to cylinder or to elongate as cylinders [ 37 , 44 ]. Considering our earlier discussion on distinct growth mechanisms for cylindrical and bicone structures, GvpN may provide the energy required for seam ratcheting in the cylindrical growth phase.…”

Section: Structure and Role Of Other Gas Vesicle Gene Productsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Structural biology of microbial gas vesicles: historical milestones and current knowledge

Huber,

Jakobi

2024

Biochemical Society Transactions

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Gas vesicles mediate buoyancy-based motility in aquatic bacteria and archaea and are the only protein-based structures known to enclose a gas-filled volume. Their unique physicochemical properties and ingenious architecture rank them among the most intriguing macromolecular assemblies characterised to date. This review covers the 60-year journey in quest for a high-resolution structural model of gas vesicles, first highlighting significant strides made in establishing the detailed ultrastructure of gas vesicles through transmission electron microscopy, X-ray fibre diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and NMR spectroscopy. We then survey the recent progress in cryogenic electron microscopy studies of gas vesicles, which eventually led to a comprehensive atomic model of the mature assembly. Synthesising insight from these structures, we examine possible mechanisms of gas vesicle biogenesis and growth, presenting a testable model to guide future experimental work. We conclude by discussing future directions in the structural biology of gas vesicles, particularly considering advancements in AI-driven structure prediction.

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Section: Structural Unknowns: Molecular Mechanism Of Nucleation and G...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Structure and Role Of Other Gas Vesicle Gene Productsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Structure and Role Of Other Gas Vesicle Gene Productsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Structure and Role Of Other Gas Vesicle Gene Productsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Structural biology of microbial gas vesicles: historical milestones and current knowledge

Huber,

Jakobi

2024

Biochemical Society Transactions

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Nanobubble Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging: A Review

Wegierak,

Nittayacharn,

Cooley

et al. 2024

WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol

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Contrast‐enhanced ultrasound is currently used worldwide with clinical indications in cardiology and radiology, and it continues to evolve and develop through innovative technological advancements. Clinically utilized contrast agents for ultrasound consist of hydrophobic gas microbubbles stabilized with a biocompatible shell. These agents are used commonly in echocardiography, with emerging applications in cancer diagnosis and therapy. Microbubbles are a blood pool agent with diameters between 1 and 10 μm, which precludes their use in other extravascular applications. To expand the potential use of contrast‐enhanced ultrasound beyond intravascular applications, sub‐micron agents, often called nanobubbles or ultra‐fine bubbles, have recently emerged as a promising tool. Combining the principles of ultrasound imaging with the unique properties of nanobubbles (high concentration and small size), recent work has established their imaging potential. Contrast‐enhanced ultrasound imaging using these agents continues to gain traction, with new studies establishing novel imaging applications. We highlight the recent achievements in nonlinear nanobubble contrast imaging, including a discussion on nanobubble formulations and their acoustic characteristics. Ultrasound imaging with nanobubbles is still in its early stages, but it has shown great potential in preclinical research and animal studies. We highlight unexplored areas of research where the capabilities of nanobubbles may offer new advantages. As technology advances, this technique may find applications in various areas of medicine, including cancer detection and treatment, cardiovascular imaging, and drug delivery.

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Elucidating the Assembly of Gas Vesicles by Systematic Protein-Protein Interaction Analysis

Iburg

Anderson

Wong

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Gas vesicles (GVs) are gas-filled microbial organelles formed by unique 3-nm thick, amphipathic, force-bearing protein shells, which can withstand multiple atmospheric pressures and maintain a physically stable air bubble with megapascal surface tension. However, the molecular process to assemble this shell remains elusive: while 6-8 assembly factor proteins were identified as essential, none of them have a defined function. As one of the first steps to elucidate the assembly mechanism, we devise a high-throughputin vivoassay to determine the interactions of all 11 proteins in a GV operon. Complete or partial deletions of the operon establish the interdependence relationship of the interaction on the background GV proteins with additional information on assembly tolerance and cellular burden. Clusters of GV protein interactions are revealed, which establishes the plausible protein complexes important for the assembly process of these protein organelles. We anticipate our findings will set the stage for solving the molecular mechanism of GV assembly and designing GVs that efficiently assemble in heterologous hosts during biomedical applications.

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Truly tiny acoustic biomolecules for ultrasound imaging and therapy

Cited by 4 publications

References 64 publications

Structural biology of microbial gas vesicles: historical milestones and current knowledge

Structural biology of microbial gas vesicles: historical milestones and current knowledge

Nanobubble Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging: A Review

Elucidating the Assembly of Gas Vesicles by Systematic Protein-Protein Interaction Analysis

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