Surface properties of spider silk particles in solution

Titelangaben

Helfricht, Nicolas ; Klug, Maria ; Mark, Andreas ; Kuznetsov, Volodymyr ; Papastavrou, Georg ; Blüm, Claudia ; Scheibel, Thomas:
Surface properties of spider silk particles in solution.
In: Biomaterials Science. Bd. 1 (2013) Heft 11 . - S. 1166-1171.
ISSN 2047-4849
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/c3bm60109a

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Abstract

Recombinant spider silk proteins, such as eADF4(C16), can be used for various applications. Colloidal particles
of eADF4(C16) show potential as drug delivery systems. Tuning the colloidal properties of suspensions
of eADF4(C16) particles represents a major prerequisite for their use in pharmaceutical
formulations. In this study we determined the surface properties concerning inter-particle interactions by
means of electrophoretic mobility and direct force measurements. The surface charge of eADF4(C16)
spider silk particles was determined as a function of ionic strength and pH, respectively. The resulting
electrophoretic mobility can be described using the O’Brien and White theory and is directly related to
the amino acid sequence of the protein. We determined the extension of a fuzzy protein layer protruding
into the solution by direct force measurements using a colloidal probe technique. This soft layer leads to
deviations in the electrophoretic mobility and is responsible for additional repulsive forces at small
separation distances. These steric forces lead to a stabilization of the particle suspension at high ionic
strength