title: Biocatalytic self-assembly of nanostructured peptide microparticles using droplet microfluidics.
abstract: Uniformly-sized, nanostructured peptide microparticles are generated by exploiting the ability of enzymes to serve (i) as catalysts, to control self-assembly within monodisperse, surfactant-stabilized water-in-oil microdroplets, and (ii) as destabilizers of emulsion interfaces, to enable facile transfer of the produced microparticles to water. This approach combines the advantages of biocatalytic self-assembly with the compartmentalization properties enabled by droplet microfluidics. Firstly, using microfluidic techniques, precursors of self-assembling peptide derivatives and enzymes are mixed in the microdroplets which upon catalytic conversion undergo molecular self-assembly into peptide particles, depending on the chemical nature of the precursors. Due to their amphiphilic nature, enzymes adsorb at the water-surfactant-oil interface of the droplets, inducing the transfer of peptide microparticles from the oil to the aqueous phase. Ultimately, through washing steps, enzymes can be removed from the microparticles which results in uniformely-sized particles composed of nanostructured aromatic peptide amphiphiles.
authors.affiliation: WestCHEM/Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G1 1XL, UK.
authors.forename: Shuo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Sisir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Debnath
authors.forename: Kirsty
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schlicht
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bayne
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zagnoni
authors.forename: Rein V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Ulijn
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D055162:Biocatalysis; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000379:methods*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D049329:Nanostructures; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases / Q000737:chemistry; D013820:Thermolysin / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases; D013820:Thermolysin
keywords: biocatalytic self-assembly; demulsification; droplet microfluidics; enzyme adsorption; peptides; supramolecular gel