title: In vitro phosphorylation as tool for modification of silk and keratin fibrous materials.
abstract: An overview is given of the recent work on in vitro enzymatic phosphorylation of silk fibroin and human hair keratin. Opposing to many chemical "conventional" approaches, enzymatic phosphorylation is in fact a mild reaction and the treatment falls within "green chemistry" approach. Silk and keratin are not phosphorylated in vivo, but in vitro. This enzyme-driven modification is a major technological breakthrough. Harsh chemical chemicals are avoided, and mild conditions make enzymatic phosphorylation a real "green chemistry" approach. The current communication presents a novel approach stating that enzyme phosphorylation may be used as a tool to modify the surface charge of biocompatible materials such as keratin and silk.
authors.affiliation: CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Vadim
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Volkov
authors.affiliation: CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal. artur@deb.uminho.pt.
authors.forename: Artur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cavaco-Paulo
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D005349:Fibroins / Q000737:chemistry; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007633:Keratins / Q000737:chemistry*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D047011:Silk / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D047011:Silk; D007633:Keratins; D005349:Fibroins
keywords: Biomaterials; Hair keratin; Improved properties; Phosphorylation; Silk fibroin