Proteins at liquid interfaces : III. Molecular structures of adsorbed films

The rates of change of film pressure (π) and surface concentration (Γ) of protein during the adsorption of β-casein, bovine serum albumin (BSA), and lysozyme at the air-water interface have been monitored by the Wilhelmy plate and surface radioactivity methods, respectively. The increases in π and Γ for the relatively flexible β-casein molecule occur simultaneously with both parameters attaining their steady-state values at about the same time. In contrast, π and Γ follow different time courses for the globular lysozyme molecule; Γ can reach a steady state value while π is still increasing significantly. The kinetics indicate that initially adsorption is diffusion-controlled but at higher surface coverages there is an energy barrier to adsorption. Under these conditions, the ability of the protein molecules to create space in the existing film and penetrate and rearrange in the surface is rate-determining. Two kinetic regions exist: the relaxation time τ₁ (typically 2 hr when Γ 2 mg m⁻²) describes the adsorption when both π and Γ are increasing whereas τ₂ (in the range 1–8 hr for all three proteins) relates to the situation when π is increasing at constant Γ because the protein molecules are changing conformation in the surface.     

Proteins at liquid interfaces: II. Adsorption isotherms

Adsorption isotherms for the three proteins β-casein, bovine serum albumin, and lysozyme at the air-water and oil-water interfaces have been determined independently using ellipsometry and surface radioactivity methods; the surface pressure and surface potential were also monitored. Saturated monolayer coverage occurs via irreversible adsorption of 2–3 mg M^?2 of protein; the resultant films generate surface pressures of about 20 mN m^?1 and are 50–60 Å thick. Molecules adsorbed in the first layer dominate the film pressures so that further adsorption causes no change in the pressure although the film thickness can increase to more than 100 Å. The molecules which give rise to this increase in film thickness are reversibly adsorbed with respect to aqueous substrate exchange. The experimental isotherm data and the Langmuir adsorption isotherm are in close agreement at low protein concentrations. However, comparison with the Gibbs adsorption equation is not valid, although reasonable agreement can be achieved if some account is taken of the fact that the protein molecules in the first layer are irreversibly adsorbed.     

Resistance of β-casein at the air-water interface to enzymatic cleavage

X-ray reflectivity from an air-buffer interfacial β-casein monomolecular film placed on a solution of chymosin (renin) showed unexpectedly slow proteolytic cleavage. To understand this, the separate structures of β-casein and chymosin, the presentation of each molecule to the other at the air/liquid interface, and that of their mixtures is reported. At the air/solution interface, the hydrophobicity of the protein molecules causes orientation and some deformation of the conformation. When β-casein was presented to a chymosin monomolecular interfacial film, the chymosin was largely displaced from the surface, which was accounted for by the different surfactancy of the two molecules at 25 °C. There was no observable proteolysis. In the reverse experiment, a significant enzymatic degradation and the signature of hydrophobic fragments was observed but only at and above an enzyme concentration of 0.015 mg/mL in the substrate. For comparison, the air/solution interface of premixed β-casein with chymosin in phosphate buffer showed that the film was composed of β-casein proteolytic fragments and chymosin.     

Unfolding and refolding details of lysozyme in the presence of β-casein micelles

In this work, we selected a small globular protein, lysozyme, to study how it unfolds and refolds in the presence of micelles composed of the unstructured β-casein proteins by using microcalorimetry and circular dichroism spectroscopy. It was found that a partially unfolded structure of lysozyme starts to form when the β-casein/lysozyme molar ratio is above 0.7, and the structure forms exclusively when the β-casein/lysozyme molar ratio is above 1.6. This partially unfolded state of lysozyme loses most of its tertiary structure and after heating, the denatured lysozyme molecules are trapped in the charged coatings of β-casein micelles and cannot refold upon cooling. The thus obtained protein complex can be viewed as a kind of special polyelectrolyte complex micelle. The net charge ratios of the two proteins and the ionic strength of the dispersions can significantly modulate the electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions between the two proteins. Our present work may have implications for the nanoparticle protein engineering therapy in the biomedicine field and may provide a better understanding of the principles governing the protein-protein interactions. Besides, the heating-cooling-reheating procedure employed in this work can also be used to study the unfolding and refolding details of the target protein in other protein-protein, protein-polymer and protein-small solute systems.     

Kinetics of competitive adsorption of β-casein and methylene blue on hydrophilic glass

The competitive adsorption of methylene blue (MB) and β-casein on hydrophilic glass from an aqueous mixed solution was directly detected at the solution pH smaller than the protein isoelectric point (pI) by means of the waveguide-based broadband time-resolved evanescent wave absorption spectroscopy. The competitive adsorption causes the MB coverage to exponentially decrease with time from its peak value and prevents MB aggregation at the interface. The kinetic equation for the competitive adsorption of binary adsorbates was theoretically deduced based on the Langmuir model, and was used for creating the best fit to the experimental data. In the case of a fixed concentration of MB in the mixed solution, the best-fit parameter τ(-1) increases with the protein concentration at a specific pH and decreases with the solution pH at a given concentration of protein. The findings suggest that the β-casein concentration in sub-μM level can be rapidly determined by the time-resolved waveguide absorptiometry based on the competitive adsorption of MB and protein.     

Mechanical properties of interfacial films formed by lysozyme self-assembly at the air-water interface

We present the first characterization of the mechanical properties of lysozyme films formed by self-assembly at the air-water interface using the Cambridge interfacial tensiometer (CIT), an apparatus capable of subjecting protein films to a much higher level of extensional strain than traditional dilatational techniques. CIT analysis, which is insensitive to surface pressure, provides a direct measure of the extensional stress-strain behavior of an interfacial film without the need to assume a mechanical model (e.g., viscoelastic), and without requiring difficult-to-test assumptions regarding low-strain material linearity. This testing method has revealed that the bulk solution pH from which assembly of an interfacial lysozyme film occurs influences the mechanical properties of the film more significantly than is suggested by the observed differences in elastic moduli or surface pressure. We have also identified a previously undescribed pH dependency in the effect of solution ionic strength on the mechanical strength of the lysozyme films formed at the air-water interface. Increasing solution ionic strength was found to increase lysozyme film strength when assembly occurred at pH 7, but it caused a decrease in film strength at pH 11, close to the pI of lysozyme. This result is discussed in terms of the significant contribution made to protein film strength by both electrostatic interactions and the hydrophobic effect. Washout experiments to remove protein from the bulk phase have shown that a small percentage of the interfacially adsorbed lysozyme molecules are reversibly adsorbed. Finally, the washout tests have probed the role played by additional adsorption to the fresh interface formed by the application of a large strain to the lysozyme film and have suggested the movement of reversibly bound lysozyme molecules from a subinterfacial layer to the interface.     

Three‐Component Langmuir–Blodgett Films Consisting of Surfactant,Clay Mineral,and Lysozyme: Construction and Characterization

The Langmuir–Blodgett (L–B) technique has been employed for the construction of hybrid films consisting of three components: surfactant, clay, and lysozyme (Lys). The surfactants are octadecylammonium chloride (ODAH) and octadecyl ester of rhodamine B (RhB18). The clays include saponite and laponite. Surface pressure versus area isotherms indicate that lysozyme is adsorbed by the surfactant–clay L–B film at the air–water interface without phase transition. The UV‐visible spectra of the hybrid film ODAH–saponite–Lys show that the amount of immobilized lysozyme in the hybrid film is (1.3±0.2) ng mm^?2. The average surface area (Ω) per molecule of lysozyme is approximately 18.2 nm² in the saponite layer. For the multilayer film (ODAH–saponite–Lys)_n, the average amount of lysozyme per layer is (1.0±0.1) ng mm^?2. The amount of lysozyme found in the hybrid films of ODAH–laponite–Lys is at the detection limit of about 0.4 ng mm^?2. Attenuated total reflectance (ATR) FTIR spectra give evidence for clay layers, ODAH, lysozyme, and water in the hybrid film. The octadecylammonium cations are partially oxidized to the corresponding carbamate. A weak 1620 cm^?1 band of lysozyme in the hybrid films is reminiscent of the presence of lysozyme aggregates. AFM reveals evidence of randomly oriented saponite layers of various sizes and shapes. Individual lysozyme molecules are not resolved, but aggregates of about 20 nm in diameter are clearly seen. Some aggregates are in contact with the clay mineral layers, others are not. These aggregates are aligned in films deposited at a surface pressure of 20 mN m^?1.     

Dynamics of adsorption and desorption of proteins at an air/water interface

Adsorption and desorption dynamics of lysozyme and β-casein at the air/water interface were investigated through stress relaxation experiments. The resulting surface tension changes due to a step-type surface area disturbance, as a function of time, were measured through a capillary wave probe. The adsorption data, obtained after a surface area expansion, can be well fitted to a diffusion-controlled adsorption model. However, desorption relaxation following a surface compression is much slower and cannot be modeled by the diffusion theory. Characteristic diffusion frequency and high-frequency dilational elasticity for protein layers were also obtained and found to be consistent with data reported in the literature.     

Foams and surface rheological properties of β-casein, gliadin and glycinin

Interfacial rheological properties and their suitability for foam production and stability of two vegetable proteins were studied and compared to β-casein. Proteins used ranged from flexible to rigid/globular in the order of β-casein, gliadin and soy glycinin. Experiments were performed at pH 6.7. Network forming properties were characterised by the surface dilational modulus (determined with the ring trough) and the critical falling film length (L_still) at which a stagnant protein film will break. Gliadin had the highest dilational modulus, followed by glycinin and β-casein, whereas glycinin formed the strongest film against fracture in the overflowing cylinder. The rate of decrease in the surface tension was studied at the air–water (Wilhelmy plate method) and the oil–water interface (bursting membrane) and the dynamic surface tension during compression and expansion in the caterpillar. Gliadin had the lowest equilibrium interfacial tensions and β-casein the lowest dynamic surface tension during expansion. Hardly any foam could be formed at a concentration of 0.1 g/l by shaking. At a concentration of 1.4 g/l most foam was formed by β-casein, followed by gliadin and glycinin. It seems that in the first place the rate of adsorption is important for foam formation. For the vegetable proteins, adsorption was slow. This resulted in lower foamability, especially for glycinin.     

Hydrolysis of Peptide Bonds in Protein Micelles Promoted by a Zirconium(IV)-Substituted Polyoxometalate as an Artificial Protease

The development of artificial proteases is challenging, but important for many applications in modern proteomics and biotechnology. The hydrolysis of hydrophobic or unstructured proteins is particularly difficult due to their poor solubility, which often requires the presence of surfactants. Herein, it is shown that a zirconium(IV)-substituted Keggin polyoxometalate (POM), (Et₂NH₂)₁₀[Zr(α-PW₁₁O₃₉)₂] ( 1 ), is able to selectively hydrolyze β-casein, which is an intrinsically unstructured protein at pH 7.4 and 60 °C. Four surfactants (sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), N-dodecyl-N,N-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-propanesulfonate (ZW3-12), 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate (CHAPS), and polyethylene glycol tert-octylphenyl ether (TX-100)), which differ in the nature of their polar groups, were investigated for their role in influencing the selectivity and efficiency of protein hydrolysis. Under experimental conditions, β-casein forms micellar structures in which the hydrophilic part of the protein is water accessible and able to interact with 1 . Identical fragmentation patterns of β-casein in the presence of 1 were observed through SDS poly(acrylamide) gel electrophoresis both in the presence and absence of surfactants, but the rate of hydrolysis varied, depending on the nature of surfactant. Whereas TX-100 surfactant, which has a neutral polar head, caused only a slight decrease in the hydrolysis rate, stronger inhibition was observed in the presence surfactants with charges in their polar heads (CHAPS, ZW3-12, SDS). These results were consistent with those of tryptophan fluorescencequenching studies, which showed that the binding between β-casein and 1 decreased with increasing repulsion between the POM and the polar heads of the surfactants. In all cases, the micellar structure of β-casein was not significantly affected by the presence of POM or surfactants, as indicated by circular dichroism spectroscopy.     

Wettability of proteins adsorbed on silica glasses treated with fluorosurfactants

Generally, the apolar/polar surface is probed by water-wetting, which is measured using a method such as the sessile liquid drop method. However, when one tries to measure the wetting of a surface where biological macromolecules are adsorbed, there is the problem of a change in conformation due to drying the surface; hence, using this method in situ information cannot be obtained. We have developed a new method that can be used to measure the wettability of the adsorbed protein surface without drying. This method, the dropping time method, which is based on measuring the dropping time of a film of liquid along a protein-covered surface when this surface is instantaneously vertically removed from the protein solution. The adsorption behavior of four proteins (albumin, lysozyme, β-lactoglobulin, ovalbumin) on the surface of silica glass that has been treated with various fluorosurfactants is studied using this method. At a high concentration of protein, the surfaces of adsorbed proteins of any kind are fairly hydrophilic on glass treated with all fluorosurfactants. At a lower concentration of protein, the hydrophilicity of the protein layer depends on the kind of fluorosurfactant and also on the protein adsorption process. The apolar glass surface becomes more hydrophilic with increasing dipping time in the protein solution. On the other hand, the hydrophilic glass surface shows a complex change in the hydrophilicity with elapsed time after dipping it into a solution of albumin or lysozyme, i.e., the hydrophilicity decreases in the early stage of the adsorption and then increases with proceeding adsorption. Received: 19 March 1999 Accepted in revised form: 10 June 1999     

TiO_2纳米膜上吸附态甲基橙的光催化降解反应活性研究

以反胶束溶液不同陈化是间及涂膜次数制备了三种TiO_2纳米膜,用XRD,SEM 和AFM方法考察了这些膜的形态结构特征,以吸附态甲基橙为模型反应物,研究 TiO_2纳米膜的光催化降解活性,并以AM1分子模拟计算探讨了甲基橙分子在不同膜 上可能的吸附态,及其与光催化降解的关联。结果表明,膜A最薄,膜上纳米粒子 分布均匀,表面平滑,甲基橙分子可能主要以端基方式吸附,这种吸附对分子骨架 化学键的影响较小,且不利于表面羟基对底物分子的进攻,结果反应活性低。膜B 最厚,对光的透过率最低,膜上纳米粒子分布很不均匀,表面缺陷结构丰富,对甲 基橙的吸附强,甲基橙分子主要以平卧式吸附,从而削弱了分子中的N=N双键,有 利于表面痉基对底物分子的进攻,光催化反应活性最高。膜C的厚度和粒子分布的 均匀性介于膜A和膜B之间,甲基橙分子可以两种方式吸附光催化反应的活性介于膜 A和膜B之间。     

Vibrational excitations and structure of C2H4 adsorbed on Cu(100)

The adsorption of C₂H₄ on Cu(100) at 80 K has been investigated by angle-dependent high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). Our observations are consistent with a model where the ethene molecule is adsorbed in a configuration parallel to the Cu(100) surface. The molecule-metal interaction is weak and presumably of π character.     

Enhanced adsorption of atrazine from aqueous solution by molecularly imprinted TiO2 film

TiO₂ film imprinted by atrazine molecule at the surface of quartz crystal was prepared using molecular imprinting and surface sol-gel process. The molecularly imprinted TiO₂ film was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and cyclic voltammetry, and the atrazine adsorption was investigated by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) technique. In comparison with non-imprinted TiO₂ film, the molecularly imprinted TiO₂ film exhibits high selectivity for atrazine, better reversibility and a much higher adsorption capacity for the target molecule, the adsorption equilibrium constant estimated from the in situ frequency measurement is about 6.7 × 10⁴ M⁻¹, which is thirteen times higher than that obtained on non-imprinted TiO₂ film.     

Hierarchically structured β-Ni(OH)2 clusters: a uniquely efficient aqueous phase pollutant adsorbent for multiple anionic dyes and heavy metal ions

Herein, for the first time mesostructured 3D self-assembled β-Ni(OH)₂ clusters with high surface area, large pore size, and uniform flower-like morphology have been synthesized by implementing a novel microwave heating method, using glycine as the cappant. The β-Ni(OH)₂ clusters are subjected to aqueous phase pollutant adsorption for multiple anionic dyes [congo red (CR), acid fuchsin (AF) and acid red 27 (AR-27)], and heavy metal ions [divalent lead ion, Pb(II) and divalent cadmium ion, Cd(II)]. The comprehensive kinetic analyses show that the adsorption of dyes and metal ions on the β-Ni(OH)₂ cluster surface occurs by chemisorption (pseudo-second order kinetics) and intraparticle diffusion (film and pore diffusion) processes. Further, the β-Ni(OH)₂ clusters show excellent equilibrium adsorption capacity for all the anionic dyes and metal ions. The equilibrium isotherm data show homogenous distribution of CR and AF dyes, and heterogeneous distribution of AR-27 dye on the β-Ni(OH)₂ surface. The excellent adsorption efficiency is attributed to the microwave-induced highly hydroxylated rippled 2D surface, open pore architecture, and suitable pore distribution of the β-Ni(OH)₂ clusters, which collectively cause strong hydrogen bonding between the cluster surface and anionic dyes as well as metal ions.     

Perturbed angular correlation study using147Nd as a probe

The time integral pertturbed angular correlation (TIPAC) technique is employed to study PAC parameters in aqueous solutions of biomolecules Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA), lysozyme and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt (EDTA), using radioactive¹⁴⁷Nd as a probe. The attenuation coefficient (G₂₂) is found to decrease with increasing concentration of BSA The effect of attenuation is more pronounced for protein molecules BSA and lysozyme than in the case of EDTA. The relaxation constant (₂) increases with increasing concentration of the solution as well as with the increasing size of the solute molecule.     

Grafted block complex coacervate core micelles and their effect on protein adsorption on silica and polystyrene

We have studied the formation and the stability of grafted block complex coacervate core micelles (C3Ms) in solution and the influence of grafted block C3M coatings on the adsorption of the proteins β-lactoglobulin, bovine serum albumin, and lysozyme. The C3Ms consist of a grafted block copolymer PAA₂₁-b-PAPEO₁₄ (poly(acrylic acid)-b-poly(acrylate methoxy poly(ethylene oxide)), with a negatively charged PAA block and a neutral PAPEO block and a positively charged homopolymer P2MVPI (poly(N-methyl 2-vinyl pyridinium iodide). In solution, these C3Ms partly disintegrate at salt concentrations between 50 and 100 mM NaCl. Adsorption of C3Ms and proteins has been studied with fixed-angle optical reflectometry, at salt concentrations ranging from 1 to 100 mM NaCl. In comparison with the adsorption of PAA₂₁-b-PAPEO₁₄ alone adsorption of C3Ms significantly increases the amount of PAA₂₁-b-PAPEO₁₄ on the surface. This results in a higher surface density of PEO chains. The stability of the C3M coatings and their influence on protein adsorption are determined by the composition and the stability of the C3Ms in solution. A C3M-PAPEO₁₄/P2MVPI₄₃ coating strongly suppresses the adsorption of all proteins on silica and polystyrene. The reduction of protein adsorption is the highest at 100 mM NaCl (>90%). The adsorbed C3M-PAPEO₁₄/P2MVPI₄₃ layer is partly removed from the surface upon exposure to an excess of β-lactoglobulin solution, due to formation of soluble aggregates consisting of β-lactoglobulin and P2MVPI₄₃. In contrast, C3M-PAPEO₁₄/P2MVPI₂₂₈ which has a fivefold longer cationic block enhances adsorption of the negatively charged proteins on both surfaces at salt concentrations above 1 mM NaCl. A single PAA₂₁-b-PAPEO₁₄ layer causes only a moderate reduction of protein adsorption.     

Interactions between hen egg-white lysozyme, PEG2,000, and PLA50 at the air-water interface

In this paper, we compared the efficiency of polymer films, made of a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG2,000)/poly(d,l-lactide) (PLA50) mixture, or a PEG2,000-PLA50 copolymer, to prevent adsorption of a model protein, the hen egg-white lysozyme (HEWL), at the air-water interface. This was achieved by analyzing the surface pressure/surface area curves, and the X-ray reflectivity data of the polymer films spread on a Langmuir trough, obtained in absence or in presence of the protein. For both the mixture and the copolymer, the amount of protein adsorbed at the air-water interface decreases when the density of the polymer surface coverage increases. It was shown that even in a condensed state, the polymer film made by the mixture can not totally prevent HEWL molecules to adsorb and penetrate the polymer mixed film, but however, protein molecules would not be directly exposed to the more hydrophobic phase, i.e. the air phase. It was also shown that the configuration adopted by the copolymer at the interface in its condensed state would prevent adsorption of HEWL molecules for several hours; this would be due in particular to the presence of PEG segments in the interfacial film.     

锐钛矿型多孔TiO2薄膜的溶解法制备及性能表征

在具有锐钛矿晶粒的TiO₂溶胶中加入苯丙乳液粒子，使用该混合液浸渍提拉涂膜，然后利用甲苯将薄膜中的苯丙乳液粒子溶解去除，并通过重复涂膜，在室温下获得了具有良好多孔性的锐钛矿型TiO₂薄膜。考察了多孔薄膜的表面形貌、光学性能、吸附性能和光催化性能。结果表明：随薄膜涂膜次数的增加，TiO₂多孔薄膜的吸光度增大，透光率减小，光吸收边波长向长波方向移动。罗丹明B在TiO₂多孔薄膜上的吸附量随涂膜次数的增加先升高，后降低；多次涂膜会在薄膜中产生半封闭的孔洞，经过长时间的毛细渗透等作用能进一步增加薄膜对罗丹明B的吸附。TiO₂多孔薄膜通过吸附+光催化氧化的模式快速分解罗丹明B，其活性主要受到薄膜在光催化反应初期的吸附能力的影响。此外，TiO₂的负载量、光的利用效率、以及光生电荷迁移及其分离等也是影响薄膜光催化活性的因素。     

Spreading of proteins and its effect on adsorption and desorption kinetics

The kinetics of adsorption of lysozyme and alpha-lactalbumin from aqueous solution on silica and hydrophobized silica has been studied. The initial rate of adsorption of lysozyme at the hydrophilic surface is comparable with the limiting flux. For lysozyme at the hydrophobic surface and alpha-lactalbumin on both surfaces, the rate of adsorption is lower than the limiting flux, but the adsorption proceeds cooperatively, as manifested by an increase in the adsorption rate after the first protein molecules are adsorbed. At the hydrophilic surface, adsorption saturation (reflected in a steady-state value of the adsorbed amount) of both proteins strongly depends on the rate of adsorption, but for the hydrophobic surface no such dependency is observed. It points to structural relaxation ("spreading") of the adsorbed protein molecules, which occurs at the hydrophobic surface faster than at the hydrophilic one. For lysozyme, desorption has been studied as well. It is found that the desorbable fraction decreases after longer residence time of the protein at the interface.