Molecular Scale Study of Peptide Interaction with Metal Oxide Nanoparticles

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The Environmental Chemical Sciences (ECS) program of the Division of Chemistry will support the research program of Profs. Joel Pedersen and Robert Hamers of University of Wisconsin, Madison. Profs. Pedersen and Hamers and their students will investigate the interaction of well-defined peptides with metal oxide nanoparticles as a first step toward a deeper understanding of how nanoparticles interact with proteins. Titanium dioxide and aluminum oxide will be used as model systems for investigation. The specific aims of the study are: (i) employ discovery tools (phage-display methods) to identify binding motifs in short peptide sequences (heptapeptides) that lead to high affinity for nanoparticles of environmental relevance; (ii) investigate the thermodynamics and kinetics of peptide binding to TiO2 and Al2O3 nanoparticles, using both binding sequences identified via phage-display methods and simpler combinations of amino acids in tetrapeptides to elucidate binding rules; and (iii) identify the peptide functional groups that interact with the nanoparticles and understand the nature of peptide-surface bonds by combining experimental with computational methods. The outcome of this research will be a fundamental understanding of the molecular level interactions that control the interactions of peptides with metal oxide nanoparticles. Knowledge of how factors such as peptide sequence, nanoparticle composition and structure, and solution composition affect peptide-nanoparticle interactions will provide insights into the physical and chemical processes that ultimately control the environmental safety and health impacts of nanomaterials. The project will provide outstanding educational opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students desiring to understand the interface between nanomaterials and biological systems.