Exploiting extremophilic proteins as robust biological components for advanced biomaterials

背景：机械强度是生物支架的基本特性。这包括肌肉蛋白肌联蛋白的高机械强度、断裂韧性和弹性与天然丝纤维的迷人机械性能的显著结合。生物支架为先进生物材料的设计提供了有吸引力的模型系统。特别是，从极端微生物的蛋白质提出了有趣的机会，合理的工程或重新设计强大的生物材料exploitation.Objectives：我们将利用极端微生物的蛋白质，使生物材料具有先进的机械和热稳定性。通过了解构建模块（极端蛋白质）的特性，我们将对生物材料进行预测控制。这种方法将弥合单分子力学和材料生物力学之间的差距，揭示单个组件的机械性能如何转化为宏观材料的性能。新奇：该项目将导致开发极端蛋白质基水凝胶，由于其高含水量，可调的机械性能和生物相容性，这些水凝胶是有前途的生物材料。该项目有三个产出：i）使用单分子力光谱法生产和表征极端蛋白质构建体。ii）使用极端蛋白质成分生产新型生物材料iii）开发具有特定性能的极端生物材料的合理设计工具。时间性：对自然界中发现的蛋白质的机械性能的研究为设计具有先进材料性能平衡的仿生生物聚合物提供了灵感。这些研究揭示了蛋白质的机械特性是由重要的非共价相互作用决定的，这些相互作用定义了它们独特的分子结构。了解这些非共价相互作用的重要性和作用，将允许生物scaffold.Experimental方法的基本理解：该项目将涉及国家的最先进的单分子力谱来表征极端蛋白质在极端环境的温度和溶剂环境的机械性能。它将利用最近开发的光交联技术生产蛋白质水凝胶。

Background: Mechanical robustness is an essential property of biological scaffolds. This includes the remarkable combination of high mechanical strength, fracture toughness and elasticity in the muscle protein titin and the intriguing mechanical properties of natural silk fibres. Biological scaffolds offer attractive model systems for the design of advanced biomaterials. In particular, proteins from extremophile organisms present interesting opportunities to rationally engineer or re-engineer robust biological materials for exploitation.Objectives: We will exploit proteins from extremophile organisms to make biomaterials with advanced mechanical and thermal stability properties. By understanding the properties of the building block (the extremophilic proteins) we will have predictive control of the biomaterial. This approach will bridge the gap between single molecule mechanics and material biomechanics, revealing how the mechanical properties of individual components are translated to the properties of macroscopic materials. Novelty: The project will lead to the development of extremophilic protein-based hydrogels which are promising biomaterials for a number of applications due to their high water content, tuneable mechanical properties and biocompatibility. The project has three outputs: i) production and characterization of extremophilic protein constructs using single molecule forces spectroscopy. ii) production of novel biomaterials using extremophile protein components iii) development of tools for the rational design of extreme biomaterials with specific properties.Timeliness: Studies on the mechanical properties of proteins found in nature have provided inspiration for the design of biomimetic biopolymers that have a balance of advanced material properties. These studies are revealing that the mechanical characteristics of proteins are determined by important non-covalent interactions which define their unique molecular structure. Understanding the importance and role of these non-covalent interactions will allow fundamental understanding of the biological scaffold.Experimental Approach: The project will involve state-of-the-art single molecule force spectroscopy to characterize the mechanical properties of extremophilic proteins in environmental extremes of temperature and solvent environment. It will exploit a recently developed photo-crosslinking technology for the production of protein-based hydrogels.