EAGER: A Novel Approach to Fabricate Biomimetic Membranes Embedded with AquaporinZ

EAGER：一种制造嵌入 AquaporinZ 的仿生膜的新方法

• 批准号: 1308095
• 负责人: Isabel Escobar
• 金额: $ 6.87万
• 依托单位: University of Toledo
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-05-15 至 2015-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1308095&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: EAGER; Novel; Approach; Fabricate; Biomimetic

1308095 EscobarCombining the efficient functioning of biological molecules with the productivity of synthetic membranes is the basis of this project. Aquaporin, a highly selective water channel protein, has received increasing attention because of its potential to form biomimetic membranes with high flux in water reuse and desalination applications; however, a proof-of-concept that aquaporins can be used to make biomimetic membranes has not been successfully demonstrated. The overarching objective of this project is to fabricate a biomimetic membrane from aquaporin dispersed in a membrane-selective layer, capable of operation under high hydraulic pressure. The hypothesis is that by incorporating aquaporin Z (AqpZ) into a membrane, AqpZ will act as a molecular water channel to significantly increase water permeability. Because of its high selectivity and permeability, the incorporation of this protein could give rise to a biomimetic membrane that can provide pure water. The first challenge is to attach aquaporin to the membrane without chemically altering or damaging the aquaporin. The PI will treat AqpZ with gum arabic (GA) and then disperse the AqpZ-GA in a matrix of amphiphilic polyvinyl alcohol carrying alkyl side chains (PVA-alkyl). GA is hypothesized to protect AqpZ from damaging covalent or ionic interactions with PVA-akyl. PVA-alkyl is amphiphilic and has the high hydrophilicity of PVA combined with the hydrophobicity of the long alkyl side chains, good film-forming properties, and outstanding physical and chemical stability. The second challenge of the current study is to design and prepare an assembly that will allow artificial biomimetic membranes with embedded aquaporin proteins to sustain hydraulic water pressure gradients without losing their integrity and performance. The PI expects that the GA and the PVA-alkyl will protect AqpZ from flattening. The attachment of the PVA-alkyl matrix with AqpZ-GA to hydrophilized polybenzimidizole (PBI) is expected to produce membranes able to withstand high hydraulic pressures. Broader Impacts Membrane technologies are expected to be increasingly competitive for water purification. In addition to reducing disinfection byproducts (DBPs), membranes can be effective in removing taste, odor, iron, manganese, synthetic organic compounds, pharmaceutical organic compounds, and endocrine disruptors. These issues are becoming increasingly important as a result of population growth and water shortages, especially in the southwestern part of the United States, where treated wastewater comprises a large fraction of the drinking water intake sources. Membranes with pores or channels specifically engineered to maximize water transport or ion selectivity would offer the potential for dramatically more efficient operation compared to conventional polymer membranes. Biomimetic membranes with structure and function similar to membranes of living organisms may offer the ultimate breakthrough for low-energy desalination. Overall, this research has the potential to demonstrate a novel biomimetic membrane, useful for water purification and other applications.

1308095 Escobar将生物分子的有效功能与合成膜的生产力相结合是该项目的基础。 水通道蛋白是一种高选择性的水通道蛋白，由于其在水回用和脱盐应用中形成具有高通量的仿生膜的潜力而受到越来越多的关注;然而，水通道蛋白可用于制造仿生膜的概念验证尚未成功证明。 该项目的总体目标是从分散在膜选择性层中的水通道蛋白制造仿生膜，能够在高液压下操作。 假设是通过将水通道蛋白Z（AqpZ）并入膜中，AqpZ将充当分子水通道以显著增加水渗透性。 由于其高选择性和渗透性，这种蛋白质的掺入可以产生可以提供纯水的仿生膜。 第一个挑战是将水通道蛋白连接到膜上，而不化学改变或破坏水通道蛋白。 PI将用阿拉伯树胶（GA）处理AqpZ，然后将AqpZ-GA分散在携带烷基侧链（PVA-烷基）的两亲性聚乙烯醇基质中。 假设GA可以保护AqpZ免受与PVA-烷基的破坏性共价或离子相互作用。 PVA-烷基是两亲性的，并且具有PVA的高亲水性与长烷基侧链的疏水性的组合、良好的成膜性能以及突出的物理和化学稳定性。 当前研究的第二个挑战是设计和制备一种组装体，该组装体将允许具有嵌入式水通道蛋白的人工仿生膜维持液压水压梯度，而不会失去其完整性和性能。 PI预期GA和PVA-烷基将保护AqpZ免于扁平化。 具有AqpZ-GA的PVA-烷基基质与交联聚苯并咪唑（PBI）的连接预期产生能够承受高液压的膜。 预计膜技术在水净化方面的竞争力将越来越强。 除了减少消毒副产物（DBP），膜可以有效地去除味道，气味，铁，锰，合成有机化合物，药物有机化合物和内分泌干扰物。 由于人口增长和水资源短缺，这些问题变得越来越重要，特别是在美国西南部，其中处理过的废水占饮用水取水源的很大一部分。 与常规聚合物膜相比，具有专门设计以使水传输或离子选择性最大化的孔或通道的膜将提供显著更有效的操作的潜力。 仿生膜的结构和功能与生物膜相似，可能为低能海水淡化提供最终突破。 总的来说，这项研究有可能证明一种新型的仿生膜，可用于水净化和其他应用。