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Surface-Induced Hydrophobin Assemblies with Versatile Properties and Distinct Underlying Structures
Rezwan Siddiquee1, Victor Lo2, Caitlin L Johnston2
1School of Life and Environmental Sciences and Sydney Nano, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
Biomacromolecules
|September 25, 2023
Summary
Hydrophobins (proteins) can coat various materials, altering their properties. Surprisingly, not all functional amyloid forms are detergent-resistant, opening new applications for these versatile proteins.
Area of Science:
- Protein science
- Materials science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Hydrophobins are proteins known for self-assembly into amphipathic coatings.
- These coatings can reverse surface wettability.
- Class I hydrophobins, like EASΔ15 and DewY, show potential in various applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the versatility of Class I hydrophobins (EASΔ15 and DewY) in nanosuspension and coating applications.
- To investigate how hydrophobins interact with and modify different substrates.
- To explore the structural properties and stability of hydrophobin coatings.
Main Methods:
- Coating or emulsifying substrates such as oil, hydrophobic drugs, and nanodiamonds with hydrophobins.
- Assessing the solution and surface behavior of modified substrates.
- Testing the resistance of hydrophobin coatings to hot detergent treatment.
Main Results:
- Hydrophobins successfully coated and emulsified diverse substrates, altering their properties.
- Only a subset of hydrophobin coatings exhibited resistance to hot detergent treatment.
- Substrate surface properties were found to influence hydrophobin molecular structures and physiochemical properties.
Conclusions:
- Amyloid formation is not essential for Class I hydrophobins to be functional in diverse applications.
- Findings suggest potential for using hydrophobins in applications requiring varied chemical and physical properties.
- Environmental cues may lead Class I hydrophobins to adopt alternative structures, impacting their properties.
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