title: Production of lysozyme nanofibers using deep eutectic solvent aqueous solutions.
abstract: Amyloid fibrils have recently gained a lot of attention due to their morphology, functionality and mechanical strength, allowing for their application in nanofiber-based materials, biosensors, bioactive membranes and tissue engineering scaffolds. The in vitro production of amyloid fibrils is still a slow process, thus hampering the massive production of nanofibers and its consequent use. This work presents a new and faster (2-3h) fibrillation method for hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) using a deep eutectic solvent based on cholinium chloride and acetic acid. Nanofibers with dimensions of 0.5-1μm in length and 0.02-0.1μm in thickness were obtained. Experimental variables such as temperature and pH were also studied, unveiling their influence in fibrillation time and nanofibers morphology. These results open a new scope for protein fibrillation into nanofibers with applications ranging from medicine to soft matter and nanotechnology.
authors.affiliation: CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials and Chemistry Department, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. República, Ap. 127, 2780-901 Oeiras, Portugal.
authors.forename: Nuno H C S
authors.initials: NHCS
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials and Chemistry Department, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ricardo J B
authors.initials: RJB
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.affiliation: CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials and Chemistry Department, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Carmen S R
authors.initials: CSR
authors.lastname: Freire
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. República, Ap. 127, 2780-901 Oeiras, Portugal; Centro de Química Estrutural, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal. Electronic address: imarrucho@itqb.unl.pt.
authors.forename: Isabel M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Marrucho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D005260:Female; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007700:Kinetics; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009113:Muramidase / Q000737:chemistry*; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry*; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds
chemical_list: D012997:Solvents; C421864:hen egg lysozyme; D009113:Muramidase