--- _id: '555' abstract: - lang: eng text: Conventional wisdom has it that proteins fold and assemble into definite structures, and that this defines their function. Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are different. In most cases the structures they form have a low degree of order, even when interacting with proteins. Here, we discuss how physical features common to all GAGs — hydrophilicity, charge, linearity and semi-flexibility — underpin the overall properties of GAG-rich matrices. By integrating soft matter physics concepts (e.g. polymer brushes and phase separation) with our molecular understanding of GAG–protein interactions, we can better comprehend how GAG-rich matrices assemble, what their properties are, and how they function. Taking perineuronal nets (PNNs) — a GAG-rich matrix enveloping neurons — as a relevant example, we propose that microphase separation determines the holey PNN anatomy that is pivotal to PNN functions. acknowledgement: "This work was supported by the European Research Council [Starting Grant 306435 ‘JELLY’; to RPR], the Spanish Ministry of Competitiveness and Innovation [MAT2014-54867-R, to RPR], the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine — Innovation in Medical and Biological Engineering [EP/L014823/1, to JCFK], the Royal Society [RG160410, to JCFK], Wings for Life [WFL-UK-008/15, to JCFK] and the European Union, the Operational Programme Research, Development and Education in the framework of the project ‘Centre of Reconstructive Neuroscience’ [CZ.02.1.01/0.0./0.0/15_003/0000419, to JCFK]. AJD would like to thank Arthritis Research UK [16539, 19489] and the MRC [76445, G0900538] for funding his work on GAG–protein interactions.\r\n" article_processing_charge: No article_type: original author: - first_name: Ralf full_name: Richter, Ralf last_name: Richter - first_name: Natalia full_name: Baranova, Natalia id: 38661662-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87 last_name: Baranova orcid: 0000-0002-3086-9124 - first_name: Anthony full_name: Day, Anthony last_name: Day - first_name: Jessica full_name: Kwok, Jessica last_name: Kwok citation: ama: 'Richter R, Baranova NS, Day A, Kwok J. Glycosaminoglycans in extracellular matrix organisation: Are concepts from soft matter physics key to understanding the formation of perineuronal nets? Current Opinion in Structural Biology. 2018;50:65-74. doi:10.1016/j.sbi.2017.12.002' apa: 'Richter, R., Baranova, N. S., Day, A., & Kwok, J. (2018). Glycosaminoglycans in extracellular matrix organisation: Are concepts from soft matter physics key to understanding the formation of perineuronal nets? Current Opinion in Structural Biology. Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbi.2017.12.002' chicago: 'Richter, Ralf, Natalia S. Baranova, Anthony Day, and Jessica Kwok. “Glycosaminoglycans in Extracellular Matrix Organisation: Are Concepts from Soft Matter Physics Key to Understanding the Formation of Perineuronal Nets?” Current Opinion in Structural Biology. Elsevier, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbi.2017.12.002.' ieee: 'R. Richter, N. S. Baranova, A. Day, and J. Kwok, “Glycosaminoglycans in extracellular matrix organisation: Are concepts from soft matter physics key to understanding the formation of perineuronal nets?,” Current Opinion in Structural Biology, vol. 50. Elsevier, pp. 65–74, 2018.' ista: 'Richter R, Baranova NS, Day A, Kwok J. 2018. Glycosaminoglycans in extracellular matrix organisation: Are concepts from soft matter physics key to understanding the formation of perineuronal nets? Current Opinion in Structural Biology. 50, 65–74.' mla: 'Richter, Ralf, et al. “Glycosaminoglycans in Extracellular Matrix Organisation: Are Concepts from Soft Matter Physics Key to Understanding the Formation of Perineuronal Nets?” Current Opinion in Structural Biology, vol. 50, Elsevier, 2018, pp. 65–74, doi:10.1016/j.sbi.2017.12.002.' short: R. Richter, N.S. Baranova, A. Day, J. Kwok, Current Opinion in Structural Biology 50 (2018) 65–74. date_created: 2018-12-11T11:47:09Z date_published: 2018-06-01T00:00:00Z date_updated: 2023-09-11T14:07:03Z day: '01' department: - _id: MaLo doi: 10.1016/j.sbi.2017.12.002 external_id: isi: - '000443661300011' intvolume: ' 50' isi: 1 language: - iso: eng main_file_link: - open_access: '1' url: http://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/125524/ month: '06' oa: 1 oa_version: Submitted Version page: 65 - 74 publication: Current Opinion in Structural Biology publication_status: published publisher: Elsevier publist_id: '7259' quality_controlled: '1' scopus_import: '1' status: public title: 'Glycosaminoglycans in extracellular matrix organisation: Are concepts from soft matter physics key to understanding the formation of perineuronal nets?' type: journal_article user_id: c635000d-4b10-11ee-a964-aac5a93f6ac1 volume: 50 year: '2018' ...