Direct Observation of Phenylalanine Orientations in Statherin Bound to Hydroxyapatite Surfaces
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Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Weidner, T.
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An efficient process is developed for modifying Si with self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) through in situ metal oxide surface activation and microcontact printing or spin-coating of phosphonic-acid-based molecules. The utility of this process is demonstrated by fabricating self-organized and solution-processed low-voltage organic thin-film transistors enabled by patterned and spin-cast phosphonate SAM/metal oxide hybrid dielectrics.
Thin metalorganic films were prepared on gold by self-assembly of thioether-functionalized phthalocyaninato complexes from solution. The phthalocyaninato ligands used contain eight peripheral, {beta}-positioned, alkylthio substituents SR (1a: R = n-C{sub 8}H{sub 1}7, 1b: R = n-C{sub 12}H{sub 25}), which serve as headgroups for surface binding and promote lateral assembly, while the disk-like phthalocyaninato core offers the scope for the attachment of axial ligands to the adsorbed molecules. This process was mimicked by coordination of pyridine (Py) to [Zn(1a)] and [Zn(1b)], respectively. The crystal structures of the products [Zn(1a)(Py)] and [Zn(1b)(Py)] were determined. The crystal structures of 4,5-bis(octylthio)phthalodinitrile and 4,5-bis(dodecylthio)phthalodinitrile were also determined. The films fabricated from [Mn(1a)Cl] and [Mn(1b)Cl] on gold were characterized by XPS, ToF-SIMS and NEXAFS spectroscopy, which revealed the presence of well-defined and homogeneous self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), whose constituents are bound to the substrate by thioether-gold linkages. The orientation of the macrocycles is predominantly parallel to the surface. Strong electronic interaction of the manganese(III) centre with the substrate leads to Cl loss upon adsorption and its reduction to MnII.
Thin films of 1,3-diethylbenzimidazol-2-ylidene (BIEt) were fabricated from THF solution on solid gold substrates and characterised by high-resolution X-ray photoelectron and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. The surface-analytical data are in accord with the formation of self-assembled monolayers of BIEt molecules exhibiting an approximately vertical orientation on the substrate. The crystal structure of (BIEt){sub 2} was also determined.
The ability to orient active proteins on surfaces is a critical aspect of many medical technologies. An important related challenge is characterizing protein orientation in these surface films. This study uses a combination of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy, and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy to characterize the orientation of surface-immobilized Protein G B1, a rigid 6 kDa domain that binds the Fc fragment of IgG. Two Protein G B1 variants with a single cysteine introduced at either end were immobilized via the cysteine thiol onto maleimide-oligo(ethylene glycol)-functionalized gold and bare gold substrates. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to measure the amount of immobilized protein, and ToF-SIMS was used to measure the amino acid composition of the exposed surface of the protein films and to confirm covalent attachment of protein thiol to the substrate maleimide groups. SFG and NEXAFS were used to characterize the ordering and orientation of peptide or side chain bonds. On both substrates and for both cysteine positions, ToF-SIMS data showed enrichment of mass peaks from amino acids located at the end of the protein opposite to the cysteine surface position as compared with nonspecifically immobilized protein, indicating end-on protein orientations. Orientation on the maleimide substrate was enhanced by increasing pH (7.0-9.5) and salt concentration (0-1.5 M NaCl). SFG spectral peaks characteristic of ordered {alpha}-helix and {beta}-sheet elements were observed for both variants but not for cysteine-free wild type protein on the maleimide surface. The phase of the {alpha}-helix and {beta}-sheet peaks indicated a predominantly upright orientation for both variants, consistent with an end-on protein binding configuration. Polarization dependence of the NEXAFS signal from the N 1s to {pi}* transition of {beta}-sheet peptide bonds also indicated protein ordering, with an estimated tilt angle of inner {beta}-strands of 40-50{sup o} for both variants (one variant more tilted than the other), consistent with SFG results. The combined results demonstrate the power of using complementary techniques to probe protein orientation on surfaces.