title: Self-assembly process of soft ferritin-PNIPAAm conjugate bionanoparticles at polar-apolar interfaces.
abstract: We describe an in-depth investigation on the dynamics and assembly behavior at polar-apolar interfaces of ferritin-PNIPAAm conjugates (poly-N-isopropylacrylamide). The stabilization of oil-water interfaces by the modified ferritin was investigated by dynamic surface tension measurements and compared to the individual components of the bionanoparticle conjugate, namely, unmodified ferritin and pure PNIMAAm of similar molecular weight. It was found that the modified ferritin, even at a low particle concentration, rapidly reduces the interfacial tension. The difference in interfacial stabilization was also shown by cryo-scanning electron microscopy and scanning force microscopy, which displayed very different morphologies at the polar-apolar interface for the unmodified ferritin, pure PNIPAAm, and the ferritin-PNIPAAm conjugate, respectively. The self-assembly of the ferritin-PNIPAAm was further analyzed by cryo-transmission electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy, for which a fluorescently labeled polymer was used. Both techniques revealed details on the assembly of the protein-polymer conjugate at the oil-water interface.
authors.affiliation: DWI an der RWTH Aachen e.V., Lehrstuhl für Makromolekulare Materialien und Oberflächen, RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstrasse 50, D-52074 Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: van Rijn
authors.forename: Hyunji
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kadriye
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Özlem Nazli
authors.forename: Nathalie C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Mougin
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Böker
mesh_terms: D000178:Acrylamides / Q000737:chemistry*; D000180:Acrylic Resins; D005293:Ferritins / Q000737:chemistry*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008954:Models, Biological; D008958:Models, Molecular; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D009821:Oils / Q000737:chemistry; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000178:Acrylamides; D000180:Acrylic Resins; D009821:Oils; D011108:Polymers; D014867:Water; C052970:poly-N-isopropylacrylamide; D005293:Ferritins