Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 17, 2026
High-Resolution Neutron Spectroscopy to Study Picosecond-Nanosecond Dynamics of Proteins and Hydration Water
Published on: April 28, 2022
Production of lysozyme nanofibers using deep eutectic solvent aqueous solutions
Nuno H C S Silva1, Ricardo J B Pinto2, Carmen S R Freire2
1CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials and Chemistry Department, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. República, Ap. 127, 2780-901 Oeiras, Portugal.
Researchers developed a rapid method to create amyloid fibrils from hen egg white lysozyme using a deep eutectic solvent. This breakthrough accelerates the production of nanofibers for diverse applications in medicine and nanotechnology.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Protein Engineering
Background:
- Amyloid fibrils possess unique morphology, functionality, and mechanical strength.
- Applications include nanofiber materials, biosensors, bioactive membranes, and tissue engineering scaffolds.
- Current in vitro production methods for amyloid fibrils are slow, limiting large-scale nanofiber manufacturing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a faster method for in vitro production of amyloid fibrils.
- To investigate the use of deep eutectic solvents for protein fibrillation.
- To optimize fibrillation conditions and characterize the resulting nanofibers.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a deep eutectic solvent composed of cholinium chloride and acetic acid.
- Employed hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) as the protein source.
- Investigated the effects of temperature and pH on the fibrillation process.
Main Results:
- Achieved rapid fibrillation of HEWL into amyloid fibrils within 2-3 hours.
- Produced nanofibers with dimensions of 0.5-1μm in length and 0.02-0.1μm in thickness.
- Identified temperature and pH as critical factors influencing fibrillation time and nanofiber morphology.
Conclusions:
- The developed deep eutectic solvent method significantly accelerates amyloid fibril production.
- This faster process facilitates the mass production of protein-based nanofibers.
- The findings open new avenues for protein fibrillation into nanofibers with broad applications in medicine, soft matter, and nanotechnology.
