---
res:
  bibo_abstract:
  - Water is known to play an important role in collagen self-assembly, but it is
    still largely unclear how water–collagen interactions influence the assembly process
    and determine the fibril network properties. Here, we use the H2O/D2O isotope
    effect on the hydrogen-bond strength in water to investigate the role of hydration
    in collagen self-assembly. We dissolve collagen in H2O and D2O and compare the
    growth kinetics and the structure of the collagen assemblies formed in these water
    isotopomers. Surprisingly, collagen assembly occurs ten times faster in D2O than
    in H2O, and collagen in D2O self-assembles into much thinner fibrils, that form
    a more inhomogeneous and softer network, with a fourfold reduction in elastic
    modulus when compared to H2O. Combining spectroscopic measurements with atomistic
    simulations, we show that collagen in D2O is less hydrated than in H2O. This partial
    dehydration lowers the enthalpic penalty for water removal and reorganization
    at the collagen–water interface, increasing the self-assembly rate and the number
    of nucleation centers, leading to thinner fibrils and a softer network. Coarse-grained
    simulations show that the acceleration in the initial nucleation rate can be reproduced
    by the enhancement of electrostatic interactions. These results show that water
    acts as a mediator between collagen monomers, by modulating their interactions
    so as to optimize the assembly process and, thus, the final network properties.
    We believe that isotopically modulating the hydration of proteins can be a valuable
    method to investigate the role of water in protein structural dynamics and protein
    self-assembly.@eng
  bibo_authorlist:
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Giulia
      foaf_name: Giubertoni, Giulia
      foaf_surname: Giubertoni
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Liru
      foaf_name: Feng, Liru
      foaf_surname: Feng
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Kevin
      foaf_name: Klein, Kevin
      foaf_surname: Klein
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Guido
      foaf_name: Giannetti, Guido
      foaf_surname: Giannetti
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Luco
      foaf_name: Rutten, Luco
      foaf_surname: Rutten
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Yeji
      foaf_name: Choi, Yeji
      foaf_surname: Choi
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Anouk
      foaf_name: Van Der Net, Anouk
      foaf_surname: Van Der Net
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Gerard
      foaf_name: Castro-Linares, Gerard
      foaf_surname: Castro-Linares
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Federico
      foaf_name: Caporaletti, Federico
      foaf_surname: Caporaletti
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Dimitra
      foaf_name: Micha, Dimitra
      foaf_surname: Micha
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Johannes
      foaf_name: Hunger, Johannes
      foaf_surname: Hunger
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Antoine
      foaf_name: Deblais, Antoine
      foaf_surname: Deblais
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Daniel
      foaf_name: Bonn, Daniel
      foaf_surname: Bonn
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Nico
      foaf_name: Sommerdijk, Nico
      foaf_surname: Sommerdijk
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Anđela
      foaf_name: Šarić, Anđela
      foaf_surname: Šarić
      foaf_workInfoHomepage: http://www.librecat.org/personId=bf63d406-f056-11eb-b41d-f263a6566d8b
    orcid: 0000-0002-7854-2139
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Ioana M.
      foaf_name: Ilie, Ioana M.
      foaf_surname: Ilie
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Gijsje H.
      foaf_name: Koenderink, Gijsje H.
      foaf_surname: Koenderink
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Sander
      foaf_name: Woutersen, Sander
      foaf_surname: Woutersen
  bibo_doi: 10.1073/pnas.2313162121
  bibo_issue: '11'
  bibo_volume: 121
  dct_date: 2024^xs_gYear
  dct_identifier:
  - UT:001206387400001
  dct_isPartOf:
  - http://id.crossref.org/issn/0027-8424
  - http://id.crossref.org/issn/1091-6490
  dct_language: eng
  dct_publisher: National Academy of Sciences@
  dct_title: Elucidating the role of water in collagen self-assembly by isotopically
    modulating collagen hydration@
  fabio_hasPubmedId: '38451946'
...