Didac Martí-Balleste publica part dels seu TFGef a ACS OMEGA

Didac Martí-Balleste, estudiant de quart del grau en enginyeria física, com ha resultat de seu Treball de Fi de Grau (TFG) ha publicat, junt amb el director del treball Carlos Alemena i altres col·laboradors, un article a ACS Omega 2018, 3, 7856−7867 titulat Thermomechanical Response of a Representative Porin for Biomimetics.

 

Abstract

The thermomechanical response of Omp2a, a representative porin used for the fabrication of smart biomimetic nanomembranes, has been characterized using microcantilever technology and compared with standard proteins. For this purpose, thermally induced transitions involving the conversion of stable trimers to bigger aggregates, local reorganizations based on the strengthening or weakening of intermolecular interactions, and protein denaturation have been detected by the microcantilever resonance frequency and deflection as a function of the temperature. Measurements have been carried out on arrays of 8-microcantilevers functionalized with proteins (Omp2a, lysozyme and bovine serum albumin). To interpret the measured nanofeatures, the response of proteins to temperature has been also examined using other characterization techniques, including real time wide angle X-ray diffraction. Results not only demonstrate the complex behavior of porins, which exhibit multiple local thermal transitions before undergoing denaturation at temperatures higher than 105 °C, but also suggest a posttreatment to control the orientation of immobilized Omp2a molecules in functionalized biomimetic nanomembranes and, thus, increase their efficacy in ion transport.