Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37696784›Full record

ArticleNature communications2023

Building block aspect ratio controls assembly, architecture, and mechanics of synthetic and natural protein networks.

Matt D G Hughes, Sophie Cussons, Benjamin S Hanson, Kalila R Cook, Tímea Feller, Najet Mahmoudi, Daniel L Baker, Robert Ariëns, David A Head, David J Brockwell and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. HGels (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Capturing Dynamic Assembly of Nanoscale Proteins During Network Formation.Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) · 2025
    Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Matt D G HughesSchool of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5838-7939
Sophie CussonsAstbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9318-3859
Benjamin S HansonSchool of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6079-4506
Kalila R CookSchool of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-5534-2813
Tímea FellerLeeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Najet MahmoudiISIS Neutron and Muon Spallation Source, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4936-6911
Daniel L BakerSchool of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5145-3320
Robert AriënsLeeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6310-5745
David A HeadSchool of Computing, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Science, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0216-6787
David J BrockwellAstbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0802-5937
Lorna DouganSchool of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK. L.Dougan@leeds.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2620-5827

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Fibrous networks constructed from high aspect ratio protein building blocks are ubiquitous in nature. Despite this ubiquity, the functional advantage of such building blocks over globular proteins is not understood. To answer this question, we engineered hydrogel network building blocks with varying numbers of protein L domains to control the aspect ratio. The mechanical and structural properties of photochemically crosslinked protein L networks were then characterised using shear rheology and small angle neutron scattering. We show that aspect ratio is a crucial property that defines network architecture and mechanics, by shifting the formation from translationally diffusion dominated to rotationally diffusion dominated. Additionally, we demonstrate that a similar transition is observed in the model living system: fibrin blood clot networks. The functional advantages of this transition are increased mechanical strength and the rapid assembly of homogenous networks above a critical protein concentration, crucial for in vivo biological processes such as blood clotting. In addition, manipulating aspect ratio also provides a parameter in the design of future bio-mimetic and bio-inspired materials.

Indexed as

Biomimetic MaterialsBlood CoagulationDiffusionHydrogelsModels, BiologicalHydrogels

Identifiers

PMID37696784
PMCPMC10495373

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.