Regulation of pH on inflation and deflation of biosynthetic gas vesicles used as ultrasound molecular imaging probes

Abstract:

Gas vesicles (GVs) are gas-filled protein nanostructures that can regulate the buoyancy of microorganisms such as cyanobacteria and archaea. Recent studies have shown that GVs have the potential to be used as ultrasound molecular imaging probes in disease diagnosis and treatment. However, the mechanism of the inflation and deflation of GVs remains unclear, which hampers the preservation of GVs and gas replacement. In the present study, the environmental pH value was found to be an important factor in regulating the inflation and deflation of GVs. It can not only regulate the inflation and deflation of GVs in vivo to make Microcystis sp. cells present distinct levitation state, but also regulate the inflation and deflation of purified GVs in vitro, and the regulation process is reversible. Our results may provide a technical support for the large-scale production and preservation of biosynthetic ultrasound molecular imaging probes, especially for gas replacement to meet different diagnostic and therapeutic needs, and would facilitate the application of biosynthetic ultrasound molecular imaging probes.