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Tuning Electrostatic Interactions To Control Orientation of GFP Protein Adsorption on Silica Surface
Nitin Kumar Singh1, Karthik Pushpavanam1, Mithun Radhakrishna1,2
1Discipline of Chemical Engineering Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gujarat 382355, India.
ACS Applied Bio Materials
|June 22, 2023
Summary
Green fluorescent protein (GFP) adsorption on silica surfaces is driven by charge. Molecular dynamics simulations show that GFP variants can be tuned for optimal orientation on silica, crucial for biotechnology applications.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Biotechnology
- Materials Science
Background:
- Green fluorescent protein (GFP) adsorption on silica surfaces is gaining interest for biotechnology and biomedicine.
- Understanding adsorption mechanisms is key for optimizing GFP-based applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the charge-driven adsorption of wild type GFP and its supercharged variants on silica surfaces.
- To explore the role of surface charge distribution and amino acid mutations in GFP orientation.
Main Methods:
- All-atom molecular dynamics simulations were employed.
- Investigated adsorption of wild type GFP and engineered variants on silica.
Main Results:
- Positively charged GFP variants adsorbed onto negatively charged silica with minimal secondary structure loss.
- GFP orientation on silica surfaces can be precisely controlled by mutating charged amino acid residues.
Conclusions:
- Electrostatic interactions play a critical role in GFP adsorption onto silica.
- Tailoring GFP charge and surface properties allows for controlled orientation, enhancing its utility in biotechnological applications.
