Journal article

How Peptide Molecular Structure and Charge Influence the Nanostructure of Lipid Bicontinuous Cubic Mesophases: Model Synthetic WALP Peptides Provide Insights

Leonie van 't Hag, Xu Li, Thomas G Meikle, Soren V Hoffmann, Nykola C Jones, Jan Skov Pedersen, Adrian M Hawley, Sally L Gras, Charlotte E Conn, Calum J Drummond

LANGMUIR | AMER CHEMICAL SOC | Published : 2016

Abstract

Nanostructured bicontinuous lipidic cubic phases are used for the encapsulation of proteins in a range of applications such as in meso crystallization of transmembrane proteins and as drug delivery vehicles. The retention of the nanoscale order of the cubic phases subsequent to protein incorporation, as well as retention of the protein structure and function, is essential for all of these applications. Herein synthetic peptides (WALP21, WALPS53, and WALPS73) with a common α-helical hydrophobic domain, but varying hydrophilic loop size, were designed to systematically examine the effect of peptide structure and charge on bicontinuous cubic phases. The effect of the cubic phases on the seconda..

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Grants

Awarded by ARC Dairy Innovation Hub


Awarded by ARC DECRA Fellowship


Funding Acknowledgements

We thank Dr. Stephen Mudie and Dr. Nigel Kirby for their assistance with SAXS experiments, and we acknowledge the use of the SAXS/WAXS beamline at the Australian Synchrotron. We also acknowledge ISA, Centre for Storage Ring Facilities in Aarhus for SR-CD beamtime at ASTRID2. We thank Dr. Janet Newman and Dr. Shane Seabrook for help with robotic setup of plates at C<SUP>3</SUP> Collaborative Crystallization Centre, CSIRO, Parkville, Australia. S.L.G. is supported by the ARC Dairy Innovation Hub IH120100005. L.v.H. was supported by an Australian Nanotechnology Network (ANN) Overseas Travel Fellowship to carry out the experiments at Aarhus University, Denmark. We acknowledge travel funding provided by the International Synchrotron Access Program (ISAP) managed by the Australian Synchrotron and funded by the Australian Government. C.E.C. is the recipient of an ARC DECRA Fellowship DE160101281.