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

1308095 EScott将生物分子的高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度选择性的水通道蛋白，由于其在水回用和海水淡化应用中具有形成高通量仿生膜的潜力而受到越来越多的关注；然而，水通道蛋白可用于仿生膜的概念验证尚未被成功证明。本项目的总体目标是利用分散在膜选择层中的水通道蛋白制备一种能够在高水压下工作的仿生膜。假说是，通过将水通道蛋白Z(AqpZ)掺入膜中，AqpZ将充当分子水通道，显著增加水分的通透性。由于它的高选择性和渗透性，这种蛋白质的掺入可以形成一种能够提供纯净水的仿生膜。第一个挑战是在不对水通道蛋白进行化学改变或破坏的情况下将水通道蛋白附着到膜上。PI将用阿拉伯树胶(GA)处理AqpZ，然后将AqpZ-GA分散在带有烷基侧链(PVA-烷基)的两亲性聚乙烯醇基质中。GA被认为是为了保护AqpZ免受与PVA-烷基的共价或离子相互作用的破坏。PVA-烷基是两亲性的，既具有PVA的高亲水性，又结合了长链烷基侧链的疏水性，具有良好的成膜性，以及优异的物理和化学稳定性。目前这项研究的第二个挑战是设计和制备一种组件，使嵌入水通道蛋白的人造仿生膜能够维持水力压力梯度，而不会损失其完整性和性能。PI预计GA和PVA-烷基将保护AqpZ不被扁平。将带有AqpZ-GA的PVA-烷基基质附着到亲水性聚苯并咪唑(PBI)上，有望产生能够承受高水压的膜。更广泛的影响膜技术预计将在净水方面具有越来越大的竞争力。除了减少消毒副产物(DBP)外，膜还可以有效地去除味道、气味、铁、锰、合成有机化合物、药用有机化合物和内分泌干扰物。由于人口增长和水资源短缺，这些问题正变得越来越重要，特别是在美国西南部，那里经过处理的废水占饮用水取水源的很大一部分。与传统的聚合物膜相比，具有专门设计的孔或通道以最大限度地提高水传输或离子选择性的膜将提供显著更有效的操作潜力。仿生膜具有与生物膜相似的结构和功能，有望为低能量海水淡化提供根本突破。总体而言，这项研究具有展示一种新型仿生膜的潜力，可用于净水和其他应用。

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.