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Preparation, Purification, and Use of Fatty Acid-containing Liposomes
Published on: February 9, 2018
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Evaluating methods to create protein functionalized catanionic vesicles.
Paul Zayka1, Brendan Parr1, Hannah Robichaud1
1Chemistry Department, Saint Anselm College, Manchester, NH 03102, USA. mhurley@anselm.edu.
Soft Matter
|February 1, 2023
Summary
Catanionic surfactant vesicles (SVs) were functionalized with acid phosphatase, demonstrating potential for drug delivery and vaccine platforms. Protein attachment was confirmed, with 15% activity retained, highlighting SVs
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Surface Chemistry
Background:
- Catanionic surfactant vesicles (SVs) show promise for biomedical applications like drug delivery and vaccine development.
- Protein functionalization of SV surfaces is crucial for realizing these applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate methods for attaching proteins to the surface of sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS) and cetyltrimethylammonium tosylate (CTAT) vesicles.
- To assess the functionality and characteristics of protein-conjugated SVs.
Main Methods:
- Wheat germ acid phosphatase was used as a model protein for conjugation to SVs enriched with a Triton X-100 derivative.
- Enzymatic activity was measured using an acid phosphatase assay.
- Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and zeta potential measurements were employed to characterize vesicle size and surface charge.
Main Results:
- Acid phosphatase was successfully conjugated to the vesicle surface.
- Approximately 15% of the attached acid phosphatase retained enzymatic activity, though the assay was affected by vesicle presence.
- DLS and zeta potential measurements showed functionalized vesicles had an average diameter of 175 ± 85 nm and zeta potential of -61 ± 5 mV.
Conclusions:
- Protein functionalization of SVs is a viable strategy for developing advanced biomedical technologies.
- Antibodies or spike proteins could be utilized for targeted drug delivery or novel vaccine platforms, respectively.

