2021
1.
Beatrice Ramm; Andriy Goychuk; Alena Khmelinskaia; Philipp Blumhardt; Hiromune Eto; Kristina A. Ganzinger; Erwin Frey; Petra Schwille
A diffusiophoretic mechanism for ATP-driven transport without motor proteins Journal Article
In: Nature Physics, vol. 17, no. 7, pp. 850–858, 2021, ISSN: 1745-2473, 1745-2481.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Analytical Theory, Diffusiophoresis, Nonequilibrium Dynamics, Pattern Formation, Transport
@article{ramm_diffusiophoretic_2021,
title = {A diffusiophoretic mechanism for ATP-driven transport without motor proteins},
author = {Beatrice Ramm and Andriy Goychuk and Alena Khmelinskaia and Philipp Blumhardt and Hiromune Eto and Kristina A. Ganzinger and Erwin Frey and Petra Schwille},
url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41567-021-01213-3},
doi = {10.1038/s41567-021-01213-3},
issn = {1745-2473, 1745-2481},
year = {2021},
date = {2021-07-01},
urldate = {2026-05-29},
journal = {Nature Physics},
volume = {17},
number = {7},
pages = {850–858},
abstract = {The healthy growth and maintenance of a biological system depends on the precise spatial organization of molecules within the cell through the dissipation of energy. Reaction–diffusion mechanisms can facilitate this organization, as can directional cargo transport orchestrated by motor proteins, by relying on specific protein interactions. However, transport of material through the cell can also be achieved by active processes based on non-specific, purely physical mechanisms, a phenomenon that remains poorly explored. Here, using a combined experimental and theoretical approach, we discover and describe a hidden function of the Escherichia coli MinDE protein system: in addition to forming dynamic patterns, this system accomplishes the directional active transport of functionally unrelated cargo on membranes. Remarkably, this mechanism enables the sorting of diffusive objects according to their effective size, as evidenced using modular DNA origami–streptavidin nanostructures. We show that the diffusive fluxes of MinDE and non-specific cargo couple via density-dependent friction. This non-specific process constitutes a diffusiophoretic mechanism, as yet unknown in a cell biology setting. This nonlinear coupling between diffusive fluxes could represent a generic physical mechanism for establishing intracellular organization.},
keywords = {Analytical Theory, Diffusiophoresis, Nonequilibrium Dynamics, Pattern Formation, Transport},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The healthy growth and maintenance of a biological system depends on the precise spatial organization of molecules within the cell through the dissipation of energy. Reaction–diffusion mechanisms can facilitate this organization, as can directional cargo transport orchestrated by motor proteins, by relying on specific protein interactions. However, transport of material through the cell can also be achieved by active processes based on non-specific, purely physical mechanisms, a phenomenon that remains poorly explored. Here, using a combined experimental and theoretical approach, we discover and describe a hidden function of the Escherichia coli MinDE protein system: in addition to forming dynamic patterns, this system accomplishes the directional active transport of functionally unrelated cargo on membranes. Remarkably, this mechanism enables the sorting of diffusive objects according to their effective size, as evidenced using modular DNA origami–streptavidin nanostructures. We show that the diffusive fluxes of MinDE and non-specific cargo couple via density-dependent friction. This non-specific process constitutes a diffusiophoretic mechanism, as yet unknown in a cell biology setting. This nonlinear coupling between diffusive fluxes could represent a generic physical mechanism for establishing intracellular organization.