Este trabalho é financiado em parte pelo Instituto Nacional de USDA para a Agricultura ea Alimentação, Programa Nacional de Bolsas Competitivas, Programa Nacional de Pesquisa Iniciativa 71,1 FY 2007 como Grant No. 2007-35503-18392, e os Institutos Nacionais de Saúde, Instituto de Alergia e Doenças Infecciosas , R33AI94514-03.

1. Spinning Dope Preparação <ol><li> Prepara-se uma gama de concentrações de biopolímero ser investigados (0,1% a 30%, w / v) e ter a certeza de considerar o conteúdo do pó biopolímero nestes cálculos humidade. Para cada concentração, pesar o biopolímero (amido ou pululana) em pó em um tubo de ensaio de 50 ml. Adicionar solução aquosa de dimetil-sulfóxido (DMSO) e uma barra de agitação. </li><li> Colocar o tubo em água a ferver com agitação constante sobre uma placa de agitação magnética. </li><li> Após cerca de 1 hora, desligar o aquecimento e deixar a dispersão arrefecer até à temperatura ambiente. A dispersão é então pronto para o teste reológico e electrospinning. </li></ol> 2 Firme cisalhamento Reologia <ol><li> Aquecer o reómetro e ajustar a temperatura fase a 20 ° C. Calibra-se o intervalo entre o (25 mm cone utilizado) e a sonda de fase (placa). </li><li> Carga de 0,41 ml de dispersão de biopolímeros para o centro do palco e baixar a sonda para definir o positiem (gap 0,053 milímetros para 25 milímetros cone). Certifique-se de que a dispersão se espalha uniformemente dentro do fosso. </li><li> Realizar o teste reológico com os seguintes parâmetros experimentais: modo de varredura: registro, taxa inicial: 100 sec -1, taxa final: 0,1 seg -1, pontos por década: 10, atraso antes de medida: 5 seg, medir o tempo: 10 seg, e direções por medida: dois (tanto no sentido horário e anti-horário). </li><li> Analisar dados reológicos para estimar concentrações de dispersão apropriados para eletrofiação ensaios. <ol><li> Traçar viscosidades aparentes de cisalhamento em relação às taxas de corte como uma função de concentrações de polímero. Para cada curva de fluxo, aproximados viscosidades de cisalhamento zero, η 0, pelos valores reais ou extrapolados (por exemplo, em baixas concentrações, onde os dados de baixa velocidade de corte não são confiáveis) para viscosidade aparente em 0.1 seg - 1. </li><li> Calcular viscosidade específica: η sp = (η 0 - η s)η / s, onde s η é a viscosidade do solvente. </li><li> Traçar viscosidades específicas como uma função da concentração. Identificar regimes unentangled e emaranhados semidilute. O regime unentangled semidilute começa a partir da extremidade de baixa concentração com uma pequena inclinação, e o regime de semidilute enredada tem um declive maior do seguinte regime unentangled. Modelos de regressão em lei de potência Fit em ambos os regimes. Os valores de potência são as encostas (dependência da concentração) em regimes unentangled e emaranhados semidilute em um gráfico log-log. A interseção das duas linhas de embutidos é a concentração de emaranhamento, c e. </li></ol></li></ol> 3. Electrospinning parâmetro de variação <ol><li> Montar a configuração de electrospinning, como mostrado na Figura 1. Coloque a seringa com a dispersão de uma composição adequada, por exemplo, 15% (w / v) de amido ou pululano em 100% de DMSO, sobre a bomba de seringa. Prenda o fio de alta tensão (positive) para a agulha. Ligar o banho de coagulação contendo etanol puro à terra através da imersão do fio de terra (negativa) para a banheira. Use uma tomada de laboratório para ajustar a distância entre a agulha da seringa e do banho de coagulação. Imergir uma malha de metal no banho de recolher a esteira de fibra após electrospinning. </li><li> Gire o biopolímero no seguinte parâmetro varia: taxa de alimentação de 0,1-0,4 ml / h, a distância de fiação 5-10 cm e voltagem de 0 a 15 kV. <ol><li> Comece com uma distância de fiação de 5 cm. Para a primeira taxa de alimentação (0,1 mL / hr), a tensão de rampa se lentamente a partir de 0 V. Pagamento atenção para a forma da dispersão de extrudido na ponta da agulha e observar quando a dispersão de gotejamento é acelerado e então alongada. </li><li> Note-se a tensão em que um jacto de pequena iniciada a partir da superfície da gota, indicando electrospinnability da solução. Gravar a tensão na qual um jacto contínuo inicia, se houver. </li><li> Examinar a gama completa para cada um dos três parameters E note condições de fiar sucesso. Recolher as fibras apenas quando existe um jacto contínuo a partir da ponta. </li></ol></li><li> Depois de alguns minutos de recolha, lavar o tapete de fibra com etanol puro. Coloque a esteira de fibra para um exsicador contendo dessecante sob vácuo. </li><li> Repita a operação para cada concentração de biopolímero para a caracterização completa. </li></ol><img alt="Figura 1" fo:content-width="5in" src="/files/ftp_upload/51933/51933fig1highres.jpg" width="500" /> Figura 1 Desenho esquemático da configuração eletro-wet-girando. A dispersão biopolímero é expulso de uma bomba de seringa. A fonte de alimentação DC de alta tensão fornece alta tensão para a agulha sem corte e fundamentos do banho de coagulação. O jato de polímero a partir da ponta da agulha percorre um caminho em linha reta e, em seguida, desenvolve um caminho chicotadas rápido (aka chicotadas instabilidade). 4 Caracterização Morfológica<ol><li> Corte um pedaço de tapete de fibra seca e imobilizá-lo em um suporte de SEM utilizando fita de carbono. </li><li> Coloque o stub amostra no instrumento SEM e obtenção de imagens para análise. </li></ol>

<ol>
	<li>Greiner, A., Wendorff, J. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Functional+self-assembled+nanofibers+by+electrospinning.">Functional self-assembled nanofibers by electrospinning.</a> Self-aseembled nanomaterials. 1, 107-171 (2008).</li><li>Ramakrishna, S., Fujihara, K., Teo, W. E., Lim, T. C., Ma, Z. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> An Introduction to Electrospinning and Nanofibers. , (2005).</li><li>Klossner, R. R., Queen, H. A., Coughlin, A. J., Krause, W. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Correlation+of+Chitosan&#8217;s+Rheological+Properties+and+Its+Ability+to+Electrospin.">Correlation of Chitosan&#8217;s Rheological Properties and Its Ability to Electrospin.</a> Biomacromolecules. 9 (10), 2947-2953 (2008).</li><li>McKee, M. G., Wilkes, G. L., Colby, R. H., Long, T. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Correlations+of+Solution+Rheology+with+Electrospun+Fiber+Formation+of+Linear+and+Branched+Polyesters.">Correlations of Solution Rheology with Electrospun Fiber Formation of Linear and Branched Polyesters.</a> Macromolecules. 37 (5), 1760-1767 (2004).</li><li>McKee, M. G., Hunley, M. T., Layman, J. M., Long, T. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Solution+rheological+behavior+and+electrospinning+of+cationic+polyelectrolytes.">Solution rheological behavior and electrospinning of cationic polyelectrolytes.</a> Macromolecules. 39 (2), 575-583 (2006).</li><li>Kong, L., Ziegler, G. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Fabrication+of+pure+starch+fibers+by+electrospinning.">Fabrication of pure starch fibers by electrospinning.</a> Food Hydrocolloids. 36, 20-25 (2014).</li><li>Singh, R. S., Saini, G. K., Kennedy, J. F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Pullulan:+microbial+sources,+production+and+applications.">Pullulan: microbial sources, production and applications.</a> Carbohydrate Polymers. 73 (4), 515-531 (2008).</li><li>Leathers, T. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Biotechnological+production+and+applications+of+pullulan.">Biotechnological production and applications of pullulan.</a> Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. 62 (5), 468-473 (2003).</li><li>Karim, M. R., Lee, H. W., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Preparation+and+characterization+of+electrospun+pullulan/montmorillonite+nanofiber+mats+in+aqueous+solution.">Preparation and characterization of electrospun pullulan/montmorillonite nanofiber mats in aqueous solution.</a> Carbohydrate Polymers. 78 (2), 336-342 (2009).</li><li>Stijnman, A. C., Bodnar, I., Hans Tromp, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Electrospinning+of+food-grade+polysaccharides.">Electrospinning of food-grade polysaccharides.</a> Food Hydrocolloids. 25 (5), 1393-1398 (2011).</li><li>Kong, L., Ziegler, G. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Role+of+molecular+entanglements+in+starch+fiber+formation+by+electrospinning.">Role of molecular entanglements in starch fiber formation by electrospinning.</a> Biomacromolecules. 13 (8), 2247-2253 (2012).</li><li>Kong, L., Ziegler, G. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Rheological+aspects+in+fabricating+pullulan+fibers+by+electro-wet-spinning.">Rheological aspects in fabricating pullulan fibers by electro-wet-spinning.</a> Food Hydrocolloids. 38, 220-226 (2014).</li><li>Han, C. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Fiber Spinning Rheology and Processing of Polymeric Materials: Volume 2: Polymer Processing. , 257-304 (2007).</li><li>Morris, E. R., Cutler, A. N., Ross-Murphy, S. B., Rees, D. A., Price, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Concentration+and+shear+rate+dependence+of+viscosity+in+random+coil+polysaccharide+solutions.">Concentration and shear rate dependence of viscosity in random coil polysaccharide solutions.</a> Carbohydrate Polymers. 1 (1), 5-21 (1981).</li><li>Thompson, C. J., Chase, G. G., Yarin, A. L., Reneker, D. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Effects+of+parameters+on+nanofiber+diameter+determined+from+electrospinning+model.">Effects of parameters on nanofiber diameter determined from electrospinning model.</a> Polymer. 48 (23), 6913-6922 (2007).</li></ol>

Os autores declaram que não têm nada a revelar.

Reologia é uma ferramenta essencial para estudar o processamento de polímeros, incluindo fiação de fibra convencional e Eletrofiação 13. A partir dos estudos constantes cisalhamento reológicos, conformação de polímeros e suas interações em diferentes solventes podem ser resolvidos (Figuras 2 e 3). Em concentrações elevadas o suficiente para não moléculas biopoliméricas a sobrepor-se uns com os outros, a sua dependência da concentração foi de cerca de 1,4 <...

Eletrofiação é uma técnica que é capaz de produzir micro contínua às fibras de nano-escala a partir de uma ampla variedade de materiais. Ela ganhou um crescente interesse acadêmico e industrial 1. Embora a instalação e prática de electrospinning parecer simples, a capacidade de prever e controlar electrospinnability propriedades das fibras permanece um desafio. A razão pode estar no fato de que existem muitos fatores que influenciam o processo de electrospinning 2 eo processo, especialmente o caminho percorrido pela fibra, é caótico 1. Muitas vezes, uma abordagem empírica &quot;cook-e-olhar&quot; é utilizado para triagem de potenciais materiais electrospinnable. No entanto, para obter um melhor controlo sobre o processo de electrospinning e as propriedades da fibra resultante, uma compreensão mais completa dos mecanismos que governam electrospinnability é necessária. Vários pesquisadores descobriram que o emaranhamento molecular de polímeros da droga fiação é uma essêncial pré-requisito para electrospinning sucesso 3 5. Reologia é uma ferramenta poderosa para investigar conformação molecular e interação em dispersões de polímeros. Por exemplo, McKee et al. investigaram a conformação molecular de cadeia linear ou ramificada, poli (tereftalato de etileno-co-isoftalato de etileno) copolímeros em um solvente contendo clorofórmio / tereftalato de dimetilo (7/3, v / v), e determinada a concentração do polímero que tinha de ser 2-2.5x a concentração de emaranhamento para electrospinning sucesso 4. Atualmente, há um interesse renovado em fibras de biopolímeros por causa de suas vantagens em biodegradabilidade, biocompatibilidade e renovabilidade vis-à-vis suas contrapartes sintéticas. No entanto, os profissionais enfrentam muitos desafios que surgem geralmente a partir de sua complexidade estrutural, dificuldade de processamento térmico e propriedades mecânicas inferiores. Amido, encontrados nos tecidos vegetais, é among biopolímeros mais abundantes e baratas na terra. Fibras de amido puro fabricado usando um aparelho eletro-extrusão húmida foram recentemente descritas 6. Pullulan é um polissacarídeo linear produzido extracelular por bactérias. A alternância regular de (1 → 4) e (1 → 6) ligações glicosídicas acredita-se ser responsável por várias propriedades distintivas de pululana, incluindo excelente fibra / filme formando capacidade de 7,8. Eletrofiação de fibras a partir de dispersão aquosa de pululano foi avaliado por um certo número de investigadores 9,10. Em nossas publicações anteriores, o electrospinnability de dois biopolímeros, amido 11 e 12 de pululano, foi discutido. Este relatório centra-se em demonstrar o protocolo para a utilização de princípios reológicos na investigação do electrospinnability destes dois biopolímeros.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="762">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Name of Reagent/ Equipment</td>
			<td style="width:253px;">Company</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Catalog Number</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Comments/Description</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Gelose 80 starch</td>
			<td style="width:253px;">Ingredion</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td>Used as it is</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Pullulan</td>
			<td style="width:253px;">Hayashibara Co. Ltd</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td>Used as it is</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Dimethyl Sulfoxide</td>
			<td style="width:253px;">BDH Chemicals</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">BDH1115-4LP</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="23">
			<td height="23" style="height:23px;width:216px;">Ethanol</td>
			<td style="width:253px;">VWR International</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">89125-172</td>
			<td>200 proof</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;"></td>
			<td style="width:253px;"></td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Rheometer</td>
			<td style="width:253px;">TA Instruments</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">ARES&#160;</td>
			<td>50 mm cone and plate geometry</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Syringe (10 mL)</td>
			<td style="width:253px;">Becton, Dickinson and Company</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">309604</td>
			<td>Syringe with Luer-Lok&#174; Tip</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="25">
			<td height="25" style="height:25px;width:216px;">High voltage generator</td>
			<td style="width:253px;">Gamma High Voltage Research, Inc.</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">ES40P</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Syringe pump</td>
			<td style="width:253px;">Hamilton Company</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">81620</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">Environmental scanning electron microscope</td>
			<td style="width:253px;">FEI Company</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Quanta 200</td>
			<td>for starch fibers</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">Environmental scanning electron microscope</td>
			<td style="width:253px;">Phenom-World</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Phenom G2 Pro</td>
			<td>for pullulan fibers</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

molecular entanglement and electrospinnability of biopolymers

Eletrofiação é uma técnica fascinante de fabricar micro fibras de nano-escala a partir de uma ampla variedade de materiais. Para biopolímeros, emaranhamento molecular dos polímeros constituintes da droga fiação foi encontrado para ser um pré-requisito essencial para electrospinning sucesso. Reologia é uma poderosa ferramenta para sondar a conformação molecular e interação dos biopolímeros. Neste relatório, nós demonstramos o protocolo para a utilização de reologia para avaliar a electrospinnability de dois biopolímeros, amido e pululana, a partir de sua dimetilsulfóxido (DMSO) / dispersões de água. Bem-formados de amido e fibras pululano com diâmetros médios na ordem de mícrons para submicron foram obtidos. Electrospinnability foi avaliada por observação visual e microscópica das fibras formadas. Ao correlacionar as propriedades reológicas das dispersões a sua electrospinnability, nós demonstramos que a conformação molecular, enredamento molecular, e viscosidade de cisalhamento em afectar eleitorospinning. Reologia não só é útil na escolha do sistema solvente e optimização do processo, mas também para a compreensão do mecanismo de formação das fibras a um nível molecular.

As curvas de fluxo das dispersões de biopolímeros como uma função da concentração de biopolímero e concentração de DMSO em solvente foram obtidos. Dois números representativos mostram as curvas de fluxo de amido (Figura 2A) e pululano (Figura 2B), como uma função da sua concentração no solvente DMSO puro. As viscosidades específicas foram representados graficamente em função da concentração de biopolímero (Figura 3A, para o amido e a Figura 3...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Molecular Entanglement and Electrospinnability of Biopolymers at JoVE.com

Molecular Entanglement and Electrospinnability of Biopolymers

Eletrofiação é uma técnica fascinante usado para fabricar fibras de micro-nano-escala a partir de uma ampla variedade de materiais. Enredamento molecular dos polímeros constituintes, o lubrificante de fiação é essencial para electrospinning bem sucedida. Apresenta-se um protocolo para a utilização da reologia para avaliar a electrospinnability de dois biopolímeros, o amido e o pululano.

Entanglement Molecular e Electrospinnability de Biopolímeros

Electrospinning is a fascinating technique to fabricate micro- to nano-scale fibers from a wide variety of materials. For biopolymers, molecular ...

molecular-entanglement-and-electrospinnability-of-biopolymers

Research

JoVE Journal

Bioengineering

13.6K visualizações.  Pennsylvania State University.  Eletrofiação é uma técnica fascinante usado para fabricar fibras de micro-nano-escala a partir de uma ampla variedade de materiais. Enredamento molecular dos polímeros constituintes, o lubrificante de fiação é essencial para electrospinning bem sucedida. Apresenta-se um protocolo para a utilização da reologia para avaliar a electrospinnability de dois biopolímeros, o amido e o pululano. 

Vídeo: Molecular Entanglement and Electrospinnability of Biopolymers

Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging of Molecular Rotors in Living Cells

Diffusion is often an important rate-determining step in chemical reactions or biological processes and plays a role in a wide range of intracellular events. Viscosity is one of the key parameters affecting the diffusion of molecules and proteins, and changes in viscosity have been linked to disease and malfunction at the cellular level.1-3 While methods to measure the bulk viscosity are well developed, imaging microviscosity remains a challenge. Viscosity maps of microscopic objects, such as single cells, have until recently been hard to obtain. Mapping viscosity with fluorescence techniques is advantageous because, similar to other optical techniques, it is minimally invasive, non-destructive and can be applied to living cells and tissues.
Fluorescent molecular rotors exhibit fluorescence lifetimes and quantum yields which are a function of the viscosity of their microenvironment.4,5 Intramolecular twisting or rotation leads to non-radiative decay from the excited state back to the ground state. A viscous environment slows this rotation or twisting, restricting access to this non-radiative decay pathway. This leads to an increase in the fluorescence quantum yield and the fluorescence lifetime. Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (FLIM) of modified hydrophobic BODIPY dyes that act as fluorescent molecular rotors show that the fluorescence lifetime of these probes is a function of the microviscosity of their environment.6-8 A logarithmic plot of the fluorescence lifetime versus the solvent viscosity yields a straight line that obeys the F&ouml;rster Hoffman equation.9 This plot also serves as a calibration graph to convert fluorescence lifetime into viscosity.
Following incubation of living cells with the modified BODIPY fluorescent molecular rotor, a punctate dye distribution is observed in the fluorescence images. The viscosity value obtained in the puncta in live cells is around 100 times higher than that of water and of cellular cytoplasm.6,7 Time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy measurements yield rotational correlation times in agreement with these large microviscosity values. Mapping the fluorescence lifetime is independent of the fluorescence intensity, and thus allows the separation of probe concentration and viscosity effects. 
In summary, we have developed a practical and versatile approach to map the microviscosity in cells based on FLIM of fluorescent molecular rotors.

Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (FLIM) has emerged as a key technique to image the environment and interaction of specific proteins and dyes in living cells. FLIM of fluorescent molecular rotors allows mapping of viscosity in living cells.

Imagem Lifetime fluorescência de rotores moleculares em células vivas

Diffusion is often an important rate-determining step in chemical reactions or biological processes and plays a role in a wide range of intracellular ...

Bioengenharia

In vitro Assembly of Semi-artificial Molecular Machine and its Use for Detection of DNA Damage

Naturally occurring bio-molecular machines work in every living cell and display a variety of designs 1-6. Yet the development of artificial molecular machines centers on devices capable of directional motion, i.e. molecular motors, and on their scaled-down mechanical parts (wheels, axels, pendants etc) 7-9. This imitates the macro-machines, even though the physical properties essential for these devices, such as inertia and momentum conservation, are not usable in the nanoworld environments 10. Alternative designs, which do not follow the mechanical macromachines schemes and use mechanisms developed in the evolution of biological molecules, can take advantage of the specific conditions of the nanoworld. Besides, adapting actual biological molecules for the purposes of nano-design reduces potential dangers the nanotechnology products may pose. Here we demonstrate the assembly and application of one such bio-enabled construct, a semi-artificial molecular device which combines a naturally-occurring molecular machine with artificial components. From the enzymology point of view, our construct is a designer fluorescent enzyme-substrate complex put together to perform a specific useful function. This assembly is by definition a molecular machine, as it contains one 12. Yet, its integration with the engineered part - fluorescent dual hairpin - re-directs it to a new task of labeling DNA damage12.
Our construct assembles out of a 32-mer DNA and an enzyme vaccinia topoisomerase I (VACC TOPO). The machine then uses its own material to fabricate two fluorescently labeled detector units (Figure 1). One of the units (green fluorescence) carries VACC TOPO covalently attached to its 3'end and another unit (red fluorescence) is a free hairpin with a terminal 3'OH. The units are short-lived and quickly reassemble back into the original construct, which subsequently recleaves. In the absence of DNA breaks these two units continuously separate and religate in a cyclic manner. In tissue sections with DNA damage, the topoisomerase-carrying detector unit selectively attaches to blunt-ended DNA breaks with 5'OH (DNase II-type breaks)11,12, fluorescently labeling them. The second, enzyme-free hairpin formed after oligonucleotide cleavage, will ligate to a 5'PO4 blunt-ended break (DNase I-type breaks)11,12, if T4 DNA ligase is present in the solution 13,14 . When T4 DNA ligase is added to a tissue section or a solution containing DNA with 5'PO4 blunt-ended breaks, the ligase reacts with 5'PO4 DNA ends, forming semi-stable enzyme-DNA complexes. The blunt ended hairpins will interact with these complexes releasing ligase and covalently linking hairpins to DNA, thus labeling 5'PO4 blunt-ended DNA breaks.
This development exemplifies a new practical approach to the design of molecular machines and provides a useful sensor for detection of apoptosis and DNA damage in fixed cells and tissues.

In vitro Assembly of Semi-artificial Molecular Machine and its Use for Detection of DNA Damage

We demonstrate the assembly and application of a molecular-scale device powered by a topoisomerase protein. The construct is a bio-molecular sensor which labels two major types of DNA breaks in tissue sections by attaching two different fluorophores to their ends.

Em Assembléia in vitro de Semi-artificial máquina molecular e sua utilização para detecção de danos no DNA

Naturally occurring bio-molecular machines work in every living cell and display a variety of designs 1-6. Yet the development of artificial molecular ...

Low Molecular Weight Protein Enrichment on Mesoporous Silica Thin Films for Biomarker Discovery

The identification of circulating biomarkers holds great potential for non invasive approaches in early diagnosis and prognosis, as well as for the monitoring of therapeutic efficiency.1-3 The circulating low molecular weight proteome (LMWP) composed of small proteins shed from tissues and cells or peptide fragments derived from the proteolytic degradation of larger proteins, has been associated with the pathological condition in patients and likely reflects the state of disease.4,5 Despite these potential clinical applications, the use of Mass Spectrometry (MS) to profile the LMWP from biological fluids has proven to be very challenging due to the large dynamic range of protein and peptide concentrations in serum.6 Without sample pre-treatment, some of the more highly abundant proteins obscure the detection of low-abundance species in serum/plasma. Current proteomic-based approaches, such as two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel-electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) and shotgun proteomics methods are labor-intensive, low throughput and offer limited suitability for clinical applications.7-9 Therefore, a more effective strategy is needed to isolate LMWP from blood and allow the high throughput screening of clinical samples. 
Here, we present a fast, efficient and reliable multi-fractionation system based on mesoporous silica chips to specifically target and enrich LMWP.10,11 Mesoporous silica (MPS) thin films with tunable features at the nanoscale were fabricated using the triblock copolymer template pathway. Using different polymer templates and polymer concentrations in the precursor solution, various pore size distributions, pore structures, connectivity and surface properties were determined and applied for selective recovery of low mass proteins. The selective parsing of the enriched peptides into different subclasses according to their physicochemical properties will enhance the efficiency of recovery and detection of low abundance species. In combination with mass spectrometry and statistic analysis, we demonstrated the correlation between the nanophase characteristics of the mesoporous silica thin films and the specificity and efficacy of low mass proteome harvesting. The results presented herein reveal the potential of the nanotechnology-based technology to provide a powerful alternative to conventional methods for LMWP harvesting from complex biological fluids. Because of the ability to tune the material properties, the capability for low-cost production, the simplicity and rapidity of sample collection, and the greatly reduced sample requirements for analysis, this novel nanotechnology will substantially impact the field of proteomic biomarker research and clinical proteomic assessment.

We developed a technology based on mesoporous silica thin film for the selective recovery of low molecular weight proteins and peptides from human serum. The physico-chemical properties of our mesoporous chips were finely tuned to provide substantial control in peptide enrichment and consequently profile the serum proteome for diagnostic purposes.

Enriquecimento protéico de baixo peso molecular em filmes finos de sílica mesoporosa para a descoberta de biomarcadores

The identification of circulating biomarkers holds great potential for non invasive approaches in early diagnosis and prognosis, as well as for the ...

Flexural Rigidity Measurements of Biopolymers Using Gliding Assays

Microtubules are cytoskeletal polymers which play a role in cell division, cell mechanics, and intracellular transport. Each of these functions requires microtubules that are stiff and straight enough to span a significant fraction of the cell diameter. As a result, the microtubule persistence length, a measure of stiffness, has been actively studied for the past two decades1. Nonetheless, open questions remain: short microtubules are 10-50 times less stiff than long microtubules2-4, and even long microtubules have measured persistence lengths which vary by an order of magnitude5-9.
	Here, we present a method to measure microtubule persistence length. The method is based on a kinesin-driven microtubule gliding assay10. By combining sparse fluorescent labeling of individual microtubules with single particle tracking of individual fluorophores attached to the microtubule, the gliding trajectories of single microtubules are tracked with nanometer-level precision. The persistence length of the trajectories is the same as the persistence length of the microtubule under the conditions used11. An automated tracking routine is used to create microtubule trajectories from fluorophores attached to individual microtubules, and the persistence length of this trajectory is calculated using routines written in IDL.
	This technique is rapidly implementable, and capable of measuring the persistence length of 100 microtubules in one day of experimentation. The method can be extended to measure persistence length under a variety of conditions, including persistence length as a function of length along microtubules. Moreover, the analysis routines used can be extended to myosin-based acting gliding assays, to measure the persistence length of actin filaments as well.

A method to measure the persistence length or flexural rigidity of biopolymers is described. The method uses a kinesin-driven microtubule gliding assay to experimentally determine the persistence length of individual microtubules and is adaptable to actin-based gliding assays.

Flexão Medidas rigidez de Biopolímeros usando ensaios de deslizamento

Microtubules are cytoskeletal polymers which  play a role in cell division, cell mechanics, and intracellular transport. Each of these functions requires ...

Aplysia Ganglia Preparation for Electrophysiological and Molecular Analyses of Single Neurons

A major challenge in neurobiology is to understand the molecular underpinnings of neural circuitry that govern a specific behavior. Once the specific molecular mechanisms are identified, new therapeutic strategies can be developed to treat abnormalities in specific behaviors caused by degenerative diseases or aging of the nervous system. The marine snail Aplysia californica is well suited for the investigations of cellular and molecular basis of behavior because neural circuitry underlying a specific behavior could be easily determined and the individual components of the circuitry could be easily manipulated. These advantages of Aplysia have led to several fundamental discoveries of neurobiology of learning and memory. Here we describe a preparation of the Aplysia nervous system for the electrophysiological and molecular analyses of individual neurons. Briefly, ganglion dissected from the nervous system is exposed to protease to remove the ganglion sheath such that neurons are exposed but retain neuronal activity as in the intact animal. This preparation is used to carry out electrophysiological measurements of single or multiple neurons. Importantly, following the recording using a simple methodology, the neurons could be isolated directly from the ganglia for gene expression analysis. These protocols were used to carry out simultaneous electrophysiological recordings from L7 and R15 neurons, study their response to acetylcholine and quantitating expression of CREB1 gene in isolated single L7, L11, R15, and R2 neurons of Aplysia.

Aplysia Ganglia Preparation for Electrophysiological and Molecular Analyses of Single Neurons

Marine snail Aplysia californica has been widely used as a neurobiology model for the studies on cellular and molecular basis of behavior. Here a methodology is described for exploring the nervous system of Aplysia for the electrophysiological and molecular analyses of single neurons of identified neural circuitry.

Aplysia Preparação de Ganglia para Análises Eletrofisiológicas e Moleculares de Neurônios Únicos

A major challenge in neurobiology is to understand the molecular underpinnings of neural circuitry that govern a specific behavior. Once the specific ...

Microscale Vortex-assisted Electroporator for Sequential Molecular Delivery

Electroporation has received increasing attention in the past years, because it is a very powerful technique for physically introducing non-permeant exogenous molecular probes into cells. This work reports a microfluidic electroporation platform capable of performing multiple molecule delivery to mammalian cells with precise and molecular-dependent parameter control. The system&#8217;s ability to isolate cells with uniform size distribution allows for less variation in electroporation efficiency per given electric field strength; hence enhanced sample viability. Moreover, its process visualization feature allows for observation of the fluorescent molecular uptake process in real-time, which permits prompt molecular delivery parameter adjustments in situ for efficiency enhancement. To show the vast capabilities of the reported platform, macromolecules with different sizes and electrical charges (e.g., Dextran with MW of 3,000 and 70,000 Da) were delivered to metastatic breast cancer cells with high delivery efficiencies (&#62;70%) for all tested molecules. The developed platform has proven its potential for use in the expansion of research fields where on-chip electroporation techniques can be beneficial.

A microfluidic vortex assisted electroporation platform was developed for sequential delivery of multiple molecules into identical cell populations with precise and independent dosage control. The system&#8217;s size based target cell purification step preceding electroporation aided to enhance molecular delivery efficiency and processed cell viability.

Microescala Electroporator para entrega Sequential Molecular assistida por Vortex

Electroporation has received increasing attention in the past years, because it is a very powerful technique for physically introducing non-permeant ...

Biofunctionalized Prussian Blue Nanoparticles for Multimodal Molecular Imaging Applications

Multimodal, molecular imaging allows the visualization of biological processes at cellular, subcellular, and molecular-level resolutions using multiple, complementary imaging techniques. These imaging agents facilitate the real-time assessment of pathways and mechanisms in vivo, which enhance both diagnostic and therapeutic efficacy. This article presents the protocol for the synthesis of biofunctionalized Prussian blue nanoparticles (PB NPs) - a novel class of agents for use in multimodal, molecular imaging applications. The imaging modalities incorporated in the nanoparticles, fluorescence imaging and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), have complementary features. The PB NPs possess a core-shell design where gadolinium and manganese ions incorporated within the interstitial spaces of the PB lattice generate MRI contrast, both in T1 and T2-weighted sequences. The PB NPs are coated with fluorescent avidin using electrostatic self-assembly, which enables fluorescence imaging. The avidin-coated nanoparticles are modified with biotinylated ligands that confer molecular targeting capabilities to the nanoparticles. The stability and toxicity of the nanoparticles are measured, as well as their MRI relaxivities. The multimodal, molecular imaging capabilities of these biofunctionalized PB NPs are then demonstrated by using them for fluorescence imaging and molecular MRI in vitro.

This protocol describes the synthesis of biofunctionalized Prussian blue nanoparticles and their use as multimodal, molecular imaging agents. The nanoparticles have a core-shell design where gadolinium or manganese ions within the nanoparticle core generate MRI contrast. The biofunctional shell contains fluorophores for fluorescence imaging and targeting ligands for molecular targeting.

Bioativa de Prussian Blue Nanopartículas para Multimodal Imagem Molecular Applications

Multimodal, molecular imaging allows the visualization of biological processes at cellular, subcellular, and molecular-level resolutions using multiple, ...

Engineering Molecular Recognition with Bio-mimetic Polymers on Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are a class of optically active nanomaterial that fluoresce in the near infrared, coinciding with the optical window where biological samples are most transparent. Here, we outline techniques to adsorb amphiphilic polymers and polynucleic acids onto the surface of SWNTs to engineer their corona phases and create novel molecular sensors for small molecules and proteins. These functionalized SWNT sensors are both biocompatible and stable. Polymers are adsorbed onto the nanotube surface either by direct sonication of SWNTs and polymer or by suspending SWNTs using a surfactant followed by dialysis with polymer. The fluorescence emission, stability, and response of these sensors to target analytes are confirmed using absorbance and near-infrared fluorescence spectroscopy. Furthermore, we demonstrate surface immobilization of the sensors onto glass slides to enable single-molecule fluorescence microscopy to characterize polymer adsorption and analyte binding kinetics.

We present a protocol for engineering the corona phase of near infrared fluorescent single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) using amphiphilic polymers and DNA to develop sensors for molecular targets without known recognition elements.

Reconhecimento Molecular de engenharia com Polymers Bio-mimético em únicos Walled nanotubos de carbono

Semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are a class of optically active nanomaterial that fluoresce in the near infrared, coinciding with the ...

Methods for the Self-integration of Megamolecular Biopolymers on the Drying Air-LC Interface

Living organisms that use water are always prone to drying in the environment. Their activities are driven by biopolymer-based micro- and macro-structures, as seen in the cases of moving water in vascular bundles and moisturizing water in skin layers. In this study, we developed a method for assessing the effect of aqueous liquid crystalline (LC) solutions composed of biopolymers on drying. As LC biopolymers have megamolecular weight, we chose to study polysaccharides, cytoskeletal proteins, and DNA. The observation of biopolymer solutions during drying under polarized light reveals milliscale self-integration starting from the unstable air-LC interface. The dynamics of the aqueous LC biopolymer solutions can be monitored by evaporating water from a one-side-open cell. By analyzing the images taken using cross-polarized light, it is possible to recognize the spatio-temporal changes in the orientational order parameter. This method can be useful for the characterization of not only artificial materials in various fields, but also natural living tissues. We believe that it will provide an evaluation method for soft materials in the biomedical and environmental fields.

A method for the drying-induced self-integration of megamolecular biopolymers on the air-liquid crystalline interface is provided here. This methodology will be useful not only for understanding the macroscopic potentials of biopolymers, but also as an evaluation method for soft materials in biomedical and environmental fields.

Os métodos para a auto-integração da Megamolecular Biopolímeros na secagem ao ar-LC interface

Living organisms that use water are always prone to drying in the environment. Their activities are driven by biopolymer-based micro- and ...

Bioparticle Microarrays for Chemotactic and Molecular Analysis of Human Neutrophil Swarming in vitro

Neutrophil swarming is a cooperative process by which neutrophils seal off a site of infection and promote tissue reorganization. Swarming has classically been studied in vivo in animal models showing characteristic patterns of cell migration. However, in vivo models have several limitations, including intercellular mediators that are difficult to access and analyze, as well as the inability to directly analyze human neutrophils. Because of these limitations, there is a need for an in vitro platform that studies swarming with human neutrophils and provides easy access to the molecular signals generated during swarming. Here, a multistep microstamping process is used to generate a bioparticle microarray that stimulates swarming by mimicking an in vivo infection. The bioparticle microarray induces neutrophils to swarm in a controlled and stable manner. On the microarray, neutrophils increase in speed and form stable swarms around bioparticle clusters. Additionally, supernatant generated by the neutrophils was analyzed and 16 proteins were discovered to have been differentially expressed over the course of swarming. This in vitro swarming platform facilitates direct analysis of neutrophil migration and protein release in a reproducible, spatially controlled manner.

This protocol generates bioparticle microarrays that provide spatially controlled neutrophil swarming. It provides easy access to the mediators that neutrophils release during migration and allows for quantitative imaging analysis.

Micromatrizes de biopartículas para análise quimiotática e molecular de swarming de nêutrons humanos in vitro

Neutrophil swarming is a cooperative process by which neutrophils seal off a site of infection and promote tissue reorganization. Swarming has classically ...