AIEgen-Conjugated Phase-Separating Peptides Illuminate Intracellular RNA through Coacervation-Induced Emission

Research output: Journal Publications and ReviewsRGC 21 - Publication in refereed journalpeer-review

11 Scopus Citations
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Author(s)

  • Shi Yang
  • Han Yu
  • Xiuli Xu
  • Ting Yang
  • Yue Wei
  • Rui Zan
  • Xiaonong Zhang
  • Qingming Ma
  • Yang Song

Detail(s)

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)8195-8203
Journal / PublicationACS Nano
Volume17
Issue number9
Online published24 Apr 2023
Publication statusPublished - 9 May 2023
Externally publishedYes

Abstract

Intrinsically disordered peptides drive dynamic liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) in membraneless organelles and encode cellular functions in response to environmental stimuli. Engineering design on phase-separating peptides (PSPs) holds great promise for bioimaging, vaccine delivery, and disease theranostics. However, recombinant PSPs are devoid of robust luminogen or suitable cell permeability required for intracellular applications. Here, we synthesize a peptide-based RNA sensor by covalently connecting tetraphenylethylene (TPE), an aggregation-induced emission luminogen (AIEgens), to tandem peptide repeats of (RRASL)n (n = 1, 2, 3). Interestingly, the conjugation of TPE luminogen promotes liquid−liquid phase separation of the peptide repeats, and the minimum coacervation concentration (MCC) of TPE-(RRASL)n is decreased by an order of magnitude, compared to that of the untagged, TPE-free counterparts. Moreover, the luminescence of TPE-(RRASL)n is enhanced by up to 700-fold with increasing RNA concentration, which is attributed to the constricted rotation of the TPE moiety as a result of peptide/RNA coacervates within the droplet phase. Besides, at concentrations above MCC, TPE-(RRASL)n can efficiently penetrate through human gallbladder carcinoma cells (SGC-996), translocate into the cell nucleus, and colocalize with intracellular RNA. These observations suggest that AIEgen-conjugated PSPs can be used as droplet-based biosensors for intracellular RNA imaging through a regime of coacervation-induced emission. © 2023 American Chemical Society.

Research Area(s)

  • coacervation-induced emission, liquid−liquid phase separation, phase-separating peptides, RNA/peptide coacervates, tetraphenylethylene

Citation Format(s)

AIEgen-Conjugated Phase-Separating Peptides Illuminate Intracellular RNA through Coacervation-Induced Emission. / Yang, Shi; Yu, Han; Xu, Xiuli et al.
In: ACS Nano, Vol. 17, No. 9, 09.05.2023, p. 8195-8203.

Research output: Journal Publications and ReviewsRGC 21 - Publication in refereed journalpeer-review