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Solvent-free Liquid Proteins

Solvent-free Liquid Proteins

Solvent-free liquid proteins, or protein melts, are bio-nanoconstructs produced as a result of the strong interactions between surface-functionalized proteins and polymer surfactant molecules. The resulting protein-polymer surfactant conjugates are prepared in aqueous solution and then lyophilised to remove all the water to produce a solvent-free soft solid that melts at close to room temperature to generate a solvent-free melt.

Within the melt, proteins have been shown to retain their native structure and in the case of oxygen-binding proteins hemoglobin and myoglobin retain their biological function. The solvent-free liquid proteins can be heated to 200 degrees centigrade without denaturation, and when they do finally unfold, the proteins can be re-folded in the absence of water by cooling back to room temperature. As a result these novel biofluids offer a wide range of potential applications whilst challenging preconceived notions about the role of water in the structure and function of proteins.

Similar synthetic strategies have also been applied to produce solvent-free melts of plant viruses. 

In other studies, the protein-polymer surfactant conjugates have been used to prepare enzymatically active self-standing films via a hierarchical self-assembly process.

 

melt

Relevant publications

  • K.P Sharma, K. Bradley, A.P.S. Brogan, S. Mann, A.W. Perriman and D. J. Fermin, J. Amer. Chem. Soc.  2013, 135, 18311-18314.
  • A.P.S.Brogan, K.P Sharma, A. W. Perriman and S. Mann. J. Phys. Chem B, 2013, 117, 8400–8407.
  • K.P. Sharma, A.M. Collins, A.W. Perriman and S. Mann, Adv. Mater. 2013, 25, 2005-2010. 
  • A.J. Patil, N. McGrath, J.E. Barclay, D.J. Evans, H. Cölfen, I. Manners, A.W. Perriman and S. Mann. Adv. Mater. 2012, 24, 4557-4563.
  • F.X. Gallat, A.P.S. Brogan, Y. Fichou, N. McGrath, M. Moulin, M. Härtlein, J. Combet, J. Wuttke, S. Mann, G. Zaccai, C. J. Jackson, A.W. Perriman and M. Weik, J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 13168-13171.
  • A.P.S. Brogan, G. Siligardi, R. Hussain, A. Perriman and S. Mann, Chem. Sci., 2012, 3, 1839-1846.
  • A.W. Perriman and S. Mann, ACS Nano, 2011, 5, 6085-6091.
  • A.W. Perriman, A.P.S. Brogan, H. Colfen, N. Tsoureas, G.R. Owen and S. Mann, Nature Chem., 2010, 2, 622-626.
  • A. Perriman, H. Colfen, R.W. Hughes, C.L. Barrie and S. Mann, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2009, 48, 6242-6246.

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