Microbial nanowires - Electron transport and the role of synthetic analogues.

Unlabelled: Electron transfer is central to cellular life, from photosynthesis to respiration. In the case of anaerobic respiration, some microbes have extracellular appendages that can be utilised to transport electrons over great distances. Two model organisms heavily studied in this arena are Shewanella oneidensis and Geobacter sulfurreducens.

Properties of acyl modified poly(glycerol-adipate) comb-like polymers and their self-assembly into nanoparticles.

There is an increasing need to develop bio-compatible polymers with an increased range of different physicochemical properties. Poly(glycerol-adipate) (PGA) is a biocompatible, biodegradable amphiphilic polyester routinely produced from divinyl adipate and unprotected glycerol by an enzymatic route, bearing a hydroxyl group that can be further functionalized. Polymers with an average Mn of ∼13 kDa can be synthesized without any post-polymerization deprotection reactions.

Disruption of diphenylalanine assembly by a Boc-modified variant.

Peptide-based biomaterials are key to the future of diagnostics and therapy, promoting applications such as tissue scaffolds and drug delivery vehicles. To realise the full potential of the peptide systems, control and optimisation of material properties are essential. Here we investigated the co-assembly of the minimal amyloid motif peptide, diphenylalanine (FF), and its tert-butoxycarbonyl (Boc)-modified derivative.

Controlling the Physical Dimensions of Peptide Nanotubes by Supramolecular Polymer Coassembly.

Molecular self-assembly of peptides into ordered nanotubes is highly important for various technological applications. Very short peptide building blocks, as short as dipeptides, can form assemblies with unique mechanical, optical, piezoelectric, and semiconductive properties. Yet, the control over nanotube length in solution has remained challenging, due to the inherent sequential self-assembly mechanism.

Surface-directed modulation of supramolecular gel properties.

Supramolecular materials are widely studied and used for a variety of applications; in most applications, these materials are in contact with surfaces of other materials. Whilst much focus has been placed on elucidating factors that affect supramolecular material properties, the influence of the material surface on gel formation is poorly characterised. Here, we demonstrate that surface properties directly affect the fibre architecture and mechanical properties of self-assembled cytidine based gel films.

Characterization of fiber-forming peptides and proteins by means of atomic force microscopy.

The atomic force microscope (AFM) is widely used in biological sciences due to its ability to perform imaging experiments at high resolution in a physiological environment, without special sample preparation such as fixation or staining. AFM is unique, in that it allows single molecule information of mechanical properties and molecular recognition to be gathered. This review sets out to identify methodological applications of AFM for characterization of fiber-forming proteins and peptides.

Investigation of self-assembling proline- and glycine-rich recombinant proteins and peptides inspired by proteins from a symbiotic fungus using atomic force microscopy and circular dichroism spectroscopy.

Fiber-forming proteins and peptides are being scrutinized as a promising source of building blocks for new nanomaterials. Arabinogalactan-like (AGL) proteins expressed at the symbiotic interface between plant roots and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi have novel sequences, hypothesized to form polyproline II (PPII) helix structures. The functional nature of these proteins is unknown but they may form structures for the establishment and maintenance of fungal hyphae.

Atomic force microscopy-based antibody recognition imaging of proteins in the pathological deposits in pseudoexfoliation syndrome.

The phenomenon of protein aggregation is of considerable interest to various disciplines, including the field of medicine. A range of disease pathologies are associated with this phenomenon. One of the ocular diseases hallmarked by protein aggregation is the Pseudoexfoliation (PEX) Syndrome.

Detecting protein aggregates on untreated human tissue samples by atomic force microscopy recognition imaging.

We apply topography and recognition (TREC) imaging to the analysis of whole, untreated human tissue for what we believe to be the first time. Pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX), a well-known cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, is characterized by abnormal protein aggregation on the anterior lens capsule of the eye. However, the development of effective therapies has been hampered by a lack of detailed knowledge of the protein constituents in these pathological deposits and their distribution.

Laser-based patterning for transfected cell microarrays.

The spatial control over biomolecule- and cell-surface interactions is of great interest to a broad range of biomedical applications, including sensors, implantable devices and cell microarrays. Microarrays in particular require precise spatial control and the formation of patterns with microscale features. Here, we have developed an approach specifically designed for transfected cell microarray (TCM) applications that allows microscale spatial control over the location of both DNA and cells on highly doped p-type silicon substrates.