Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 22, 2025
11:06
Multi-color Localization Microscopy of Single Membrane Proteins in Organelles of Live Mammalian Cells
Published on: June 30, 2018
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In Situ Self-Sorting Peptide Assemblies in Living Cells for Simultaneous Organelle Targeting
Xin Liu1, Mingming Li1, Juanzu Liu2
1Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Institute of Polymer Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|May 19, 2022
Summary
Researchers developed artificial self-sorting peptide assemblies within cancer cells. These assemblies target organelles, causing dysfunction and cell death, offering a new platform for drug delivery.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Cell Biology
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Self-sorting is a natural process in cells for creating functional materials.
- Artificial self-sorting systems within living cells are difficult to engineer.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create glutathione (GSH)-responsive, in situ self-sorting peptide assemblies within cancer cells.
- To achieve simultaneous organelle targeting for combinatorial organelle dysfunction and cell death.
Main Methods:
- Designed two peptides, E3C16E6 and EVMSeO, with distinct amphiphilic properties.
- Utilized GSH-induced self-sorting triggered by disulfide bond cleavage or selenoxide reduction.
- Characterized in situ self-sorting in HeLa cells using super-resolution structured illumination microscopy.
Main Results:
- Successfully created GSH-responsive self-sorting peptide assemblies within living cancer cells.
- Demonstrated simultaneous targeting of endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus by the sorted assemblies.
- Achieved combinatorial organelle dysfunction leading to cancer cell death.
Conclusions:
- Established a novel in situ self-sorting peptide assembly system within living cells.
- Showcased a unique platform for targeted drug delivery.
- Provided an alternative strategy for modulating biological processes.
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