Preparation and Characterization of Water-Soluble Xylan Ethers.

Xylan is a predominant hemicellulose component that is found in plants and in some algae. This polysaccharide is made from units of xylose (a pentose sugar). One promising source of xylan is oat spelt.

Development of specific adsorbents for human tumor necrosis factor-alpha: influence of antibody immobilization on performance and biocompatibility.

To develop adsorbents for the specific removal of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) in extracorporeal blood purification, cellulose microparticles were functionalized either with a monoclonal anti-TNF antibody (mAb) or with recombinant human antibody fragments (Fab). The TNF binding capacity of the adsorbents was determined with in vitro batch experiments using spiked human plasma (spike: 1200 pg TNF/mL; 1 mg particles in 250 muL plasma). Random immobilization of the full-sized monoclonal antibody to periodate-activated cellulose yielded particles with excellent adsorption capacity (258.

Interaction forces between cellulose microspheres and ultrathin cellulose films monitored by colloidal probe microscopy-effect of wet strength agents.

Colloidal probe microscopy was employed to study forces between cellulose surfaces upon addition of a series of cationic copolymers in aqueous solution, as model compounds for wet strength agents. The content of quaternary ammonium groups and primary amines was systematically varied in the cationic polymers, to distinguish between the importance of electrostatical and H-bonding effects. Cellulose microspheres were glued at the apex of tipless microfabricated cantilevers and used as colloidal probes.

Construction of a functional S-layer fusion protein comprising an immunoglobulin G-binding domain for development of specific adsorbents for extracorporeal blood purification.

The chimeric gene encoding a C-terminally-truncated form of the S-layer protein SbpA from Bacillus sphaericus CCM 2177 and two copies of the Fc-binding Z-domain was constructed, cloned, and heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli HMS174(DE3). The Z-domain is a synthetic analogue of the B-domain of protein A, capable of binding the Fc part of immunoglobulin G (IgG). The S-layer fusion protein rSbpA(31-1068)/ZZ retained the specific properties of the S-layer protein moiety to self-assemble in suspension and to recrystallize on supports precoated with secondary cell wall polymer (SCWP), which is the natural anchoring molecule for the S-layer protein in the bacterial cell wall.