Electrostatic interactions between α-lactalbumin (α-lac) and carboxymethyldextran (CMD) in acidic solutions lead to phase-separated complexes. By adding a non-ionic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) chain onto the reducing end of CMD, forming carboxymethyl-dextran-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (CMD-b-PEG), the PEG block was hypothesized to reduce interactions with α-lac and promote formation of a micelle-like complex structure. Formation of complexes between α-lac and CMD-b-PEG or α-lac and CMD was determined following acidification by light scattering and electrophoretic mobility. Phase separation, size, and structure of α-lac/CMD-b-PEG complexes were characterized by turbidimetry, dynamic light scattering, and electron microscopy, respectively. Complexes of α-lac/CMD-b-PEG formed at pH values near pH 6, while α-lac/CMD complexes formed at pH 5.5. Both CMD and CMD-b-PEG decreased the charge of α-lac below pH 5.5 and led to phase separation below pH 5. Shift in charge and the critical pH of phase separation were both sensitive to the α-lac to CMD ratio, while the relative amount of CMD-b-PEG did not significantly influence either. Hydrodynamic radii of α-lac/CMD-b-PEG complexes was between 11 and 20 nm, which increased with increasing α-lac to CMD-b-PEG ratio and with decreasing pH. Spheroidal structures of ∼10 nm were also observed in micrographs that were attributed to α-lac/CMD-b-PEG complexes.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.10.021 | DOI Listing |
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl
January 2025
Zhejiang University, Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of the Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Xihu District, hangzhou City, 310058, Hangzhou, CHINA.
The separation of xylene isomers is a critical and energy-intensive process in the petrochemical industry, primarily due to their closely similar molecular structures and boiling points. In this work, we report the synthesis and application of a novel core-shell zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) composite, ZIF-65@ZIF-67, designed to significantly enhance the kinetic separation of xylene isomers through a synergistic "shell-gated diffusion and core-facilitated transport" strategy. The external ZIF-67 shell selectively restricts the diffusion of larger isomers (MX and OX), while the internal ZIF-65 core accelerates the diffusion of PX, thereby amplifying the diffusion differences among the isomers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLangmuir
January 2025
College of Bioresources Chemical and Materials Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an 710021, China.
A novel pH-responsive full-bio-based surfactant (Ca-S) containing a dynamic covalent bond is synthesized using renewable cashew phenol, 5-chloro-2-furanaldehyde, and taurine. The structure of Ca-S is characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis. Limonene containing oil-in-water (O/W) microemulsions are prepared on the basis of the Ca-S surfactant and are applied to the remediation of oil-contaminated soil under low-energy conditions at ambient temperature.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNucleic Acids Res
January 2025
Department of Genome Sciences, University of Virginia, PO Box 800717, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.
Many transcription factors (TFs) have been shown to bind to super-enhancers, forming transcriptional condensates to activate transcription in various cellular systems. However, the genomic and epigenomic determinants of phase-separated transcriptional condensate formation remain poorly understood. Questions regarding which TFs tend to associate with transcriptional condensates and what factors influence their association are largely unanswered.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Sci Food Agric
January 2025
Department of Food Engineering and Technology, Tezpur University, Tezpur, India.
Background: Incorporating β-carotene into food systems improves nutritional value by providing a natural source of vitamin A. However, maintaining its stability during processing and storage is a significant barrier for its bioavailability.
Results: This study investigated the utilization of banana rachis nanocellulose (BRNC) as a natural stabilizer in the formulation of Pickering nanoemulsion (PNE).
Nanoscale
January 2025
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, 1-1 Sensui-cho, Tobata-ku, Kitakyushu 804-8550, Japan.
Self-organization realizes various nanostructures to control material properties such as superconducting vortex pinning and thermal conductivity. However, the self-organization of nucleation and growth is constrained by the growth geometric symmetry. To realize highly controlled three-dimensional nanostructures by self-organization, nanostructure formation that breaks the growth geometric symmetry thermodynamically and kinetically, such as tilted or in-plane aligned nanostructures, is a challenging issue.
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