BRIGE: Protein-surfactant nanostructures for enhanced electrophoretic separations

0824347 Pozzo电泳分离的主要目的是利用电场将蛋白质从复杂的生物混合物（例如血清、唾液或细胞裂解物）中分离出来。 拟议的工作使用纳米科学的原理，合理地提高再现性，分辨率和灵敏度。它专注于蛋白质-表面活性剂复合物的结构，并采用基于胶体和聚合物科学基本原理的多尺度实验方法来破译蛋白质-表面活性剂复合物的纳米结构之间的复杂关系，（例如爬行）和宏观分离的有效性。光，X射线和中子散射实验将系统地评价由“非传统”阴离子表面活性剂制成的蛋白质复合物的结构。这些实验将探测蛋白质-表面活性剂复合物中发生的纳米级结构转变。这些变化是由表面活性剂的疏水部分（例如直链和支链烷基链）的特定改变或通过使用混合的表面活性剂和辅助表面活性剂制剂引发的。此外，蛋白质的结构和构象将进行原位监测，使用在线中子散射实验在聚合物凝胶中进行，并与电场的应用。这将导致发展一个准确的物理理解的真正的结构参数，支配电泳运输。 长期目标是将这些研究扩展到其他领域，例如使用纳米结构的筛分基质，以便我们能够对分离有全面的了解。在教育方面，这项工作的结果将被纳入现有的课程，以展示表面活性剂在高科技应用中的使用。 它将立即影响来自代表性不足群体的研究生和本科生的研究经验。这将有助于增加他们在STEM研究生课程的参与。最后，该提案将允许PI继续担任NIST中子研究中心与来自代表性不足群体的教师和学生之间的联络人。这将提高历来无法利用这些资源和其他宝贵资源的群体的认识。

0824347PozzoThe main goal of electrophoretic separation is to use electric fields to separate proteins out of complex biological mixtures (e.g. serum, saliva or cell lysates). The proposed work uses the principles of nanoscience to rationally improve reproducibility, resolution, and sensitivity.. It focuses on the structure of the protein-surfactant complex and employs a multi-scale experimental approach based on the fundamentals of colloid and polymer science to decipher the intricate relationship between the nano-structure of protein-surfactant complexes, the mechanism of electrophoretic transport (e.g. reptation) and the effectiveness of the macroscopic separation.Light, x-ray and neutron scattering experiments will systematically evaluate the structure of protein complexes that are made from "non traditional" anionic surfactants. These experiments will probe nanometer scale structural transitions occurring in the protein-surfactant complex. The changes are triggered by specific alterations in the hydrophobic moiety of the surfactant (e.g. linear and branched alkyl chains) or through the use of mixed surfactant and co-surfactant formulations. In addition, the structure and conformation of the proteins will be monitored in-situ, using on-line neutron scattering experiments carried out in polymeric gels and with the application of electric fields. This should lead to the development of an accurate physical understanding of the true structural parameters that govern electrophoretic transport. The long term goal is to extend these studies into other areas, such as the use of nano-structured sieving matrices, so that we can develop a complete understanding of the separation. Educationally the results of this work will be incorporated into existing courses to demonstrate the use of surfactants in high-technology applications. It will immediately impact the research experience of graduate and undergraduate students from under-represented groups. This will help to increase their participation in STEM graduate programs. Finally, the proposal will allow the PI to continue serving as a liaison between the NIST Center for Neutron Research and faculty and students from under-represented groups. This will increase awareness of these and other valuable resources among groups that have historically been unable to take advantage of their availability.