Zwitterions fine-tune interactions in electrolyte solutions.

ABSTRACT: Cellular organisms regulate electrolyte composition in the cytosol to optimize intracellular molecular interactions at the same time as balancing external osmotic pressure. While osmotic pressure can be tuned using multiple ionic, zwitterionic, and nonionic solutes, interactions between proteins and other macromolecules are sensitive to the precise composition of the medium. Nonetheless, the roles of individual ions and nonionic solutes in mediating cellular interactions remain relatively unexplored, and standard buffer solutions used in laboratory studies often contain only a few simple salts. Here, we report on model experiments investigating the combined effect of ionic and zwitterionic solutes on interaction forces across electrolytes, revealing a clear role for zwitterions in modifyin

SUBMITTER: Hallett JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9974414 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature