title: Surface modifications created by using engineered hydrophobins.
abstract: Hydrophobins are small (ca. 100 amino acids) secreted fungal proteins that are characterized by the presence of eight conserved cysteine residues and by a typical hydropathy pattern. Class I hydrophobins self-assemble at hydrophilic-hydrophobic interfaces into highly insoluble amphipathic membranes, thereby changing the nature of surfaces. Hydrophobic surfaces become hydrophilic, while hydrophilic surfaces become hydrophobic. To see whether surface properties of assembled hydrophobins can be changed, 25 N-terminal residues of the mature SC3 hydrophobin were deleted (TrSC3). In addition, the cell-binding domain of fibronectin (RGD) was fused to the N terminus of mature SC3 (RGD-SC3) and TrSC3 (RGD-TrSC3). Self-assembly and surface activity were not affected by these modifications. However, physiochemical properties at the hydrophilic side of the assembled hydrophobin did change. This was demonstrated by a change in wettability and by enhanced growth of fibroblasts on Teflon-coated with RGD-SC3, TrSC3, or RGD-TrSC3 compared to bare Teflon or Teflon coated with SC3. Thus, engineered hydrophobins can be used to functionalize surfaces.
authors.affiliation: Groningen Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences Institute, University of Groningen, 9751 NN Haren, The Netherlands. K.Scholtmeijer@chem.rug.nl
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Scholtmeijer
authors.forename: Meike I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.forename: Bertus
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gerssen
authors.forename: Marcel L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: de Vocht
authors.forename: Babs M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: van Leeuwen
authors.forename: Theo G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: van Kooten
authors.forename: Han A B
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Wösten
authors.forename: Joseph G H
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Wessels
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000502:physiology; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D012567:Schizophyllum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D005353:Fibronectins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene