Formation of magnetite nanocrystals by magnetotactic bacteria is controlled by specific proteins which regulate the particles’ nucleation and growth. One such protein is Mms6. This small, amphiphilic ...protein can self‐assemble and bind ferric ions to aid in magnetite formation. To understand the role of Mms6 during in vitro iron oxide precipitation we have performed in situ pH titrations. We find Mms6 has little effect during ferric salt precipitation, but exerts greatest influence during the incorporation of ferrous ions and conversion of this salt to mixed‐valence iron minerals, suggesting Mms6 has a hitherto unrecorded ferrous iron interacting property which promotes the formation of magnetite in ferrous‐rich solutions. We show ferrous binding to the DEEVE motif within the C‐terminal region of Mms6 by NMR spectroscopy, and model these binding events using molecular simulations. We conclude that Mms6 functions as a magnetite nucleating protein under conditions where ferrous ions predominate.
Biomimetic synthesis: Mms6 is a key protein involved in the formation of magnetite nanocrystals by magnetotactic bacteria. To understand the role of Mms6 during in vitro iron oxide precipitation, in situ pH titrations (see figure), NMR spectroscopy, and molecular simulations were performed. The results suggest that Mms6 functions as a magnetite nucleating protein under conditions where ferrous ions predominate.
Adhirons are robust, well expressing, peptide display scaffold proteins, developed as an effective alternative to traditional antibody binding proteins for highly specific molecular recognition ...applications. This paper reports for the first time the use of these versatile proteins for material binding, and as tools for controlling material synthesis on the nanoscale. A phage library of Adhirons, each displaying two variable binding loops, was screened to identify specific proteins able to interact with 100 faces of cubic magnetite nanoparticles. The selected variable regions display a strong preference for basic residues such as lysine. Molecular dynamics simulations of amino acid adsorption onto a 100 magnetite surface provides a rationale for these interactions, with the lowest adsorption energy observed with lysine. These proteins direct the shape of the forming nanoparticles towards a cubic morphology in room temperature magnetite precipitation reactions, in stark contrast to the high temperature, harsh reaction conditions currently used to produce cubic nanoparticles. These effects demonstrate the utility of the selected Adhirons as novel magnetite mineralization control agents using ambient aqueous conditions. The approach we outline with artificial protein scaffolds has the potential to develop into a toolkit of novel additives for wider nanomaterial fabrication.
Adhirons are robust, well expressing, peptide display scaffold proteins, developed as an effective alternative to traditional antibody binding proteins for highly specific molecular recognition ...applications. This paper reports for the first time the use of these versatile proteins for material binding, and as tools for controlling material synthesis on the nanoscale. A phage library of Adhirons, each displaying two variable binding loops, was screened to identify specific proteins able to interact with 100 faces of cubic magnetite nanoparticles. The selected variable regions display a strong preference for basic residues such as lysine. Molecular dynamics simulations of amino acid adsorption onto a 100 magnetite surface provides a rationale for these interactions, with the lowest adsorption energy observed with lysine. These proteins direct the shape of the forming nanoparticles towards a cubic morphology in room temperature magnetite precipitation reactions, in stark contrast to the high temperature, harsh reaction conditions currently used to produce cubic nanoparticles. These effects demonstrate the utility of the selected Adhirons as novel magnetite mineralization control agents using ambient aqueous conditions. The approach we outline with artificial protein scaffolds has the potential to develop into a toolkit of novel additives for wider nanomaterial fabrication.
Biopanning was used to generate novel artificial binding proteins which are able to control the formation of synthetic cubic nanoparticles of magnetite.
Biopanning was used to generate novel artificial binding proteins which are able to control the formation of synthetic cubic nanoparticles of magnetite.
Adhirons are robust, well expressing, peptide ...display scaffold proteins, developed as an effective alternative to traditional antibody binding proteins for highly specific molecular recognition applications. This paper reports for the first time the use of these versatile proteins for material binding, and as tools for controlling material synthesis on the nanoscale. A phage library of Adhirons, each displaying two variable binding loops, was screened to identify specific proteins able to interact with 100 faces of cubic magnetite nanoparticles. The selected variable regions display a strong preference for basic residues such as lysine. Molecular dynamics simulations of amino acid adsorption onto a 100 magnetite surface provides a rationale for these interactions, with the lowest adsorption energy observed with lysine. These proteins direct the shape of the forming nanoparticles towards a cubic morphology in room temperature magnetite precipitation reactions, in stark contrast to the high temperature, harsh reaction conditions currently used to produce cubic nanoparticles. These effects demonstrate the utility of the selected Adhirons as novel magnetite mineralization control agents using ambient aqueous conditions. The approach we outline with artificial protein scaffolds has the potential to develop into a toolkit of novel additives for wider nanomaterial fabrication.
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