Lingyun Jia

Stability of polydopamine and poly(DOPA) melanin-like films on the surface of polymer membranes under strongly acidic and alkaline conditions

This study investigated the stability of polydopamine and poly(3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine) (poly(DOPA)) melanin-like films on the surface of polymer substrates. Three polymer membranes, polypropylene (PP), poly(vinylidenefluoride) (PVDF) and nylon, were modified with polydopamine or poly(DOPA), and then immersed in 0.1M HCl or NaOH, followed by UV-vis spectrometry analysis to detect the presence of film detachment. The results showed that the outer parts of both polydopamine and poly(DOPA) films were detached, probably due to electrostatic repulsion between the polymers within the film, when the modified membranes were washed in HCl or NaOH solution. These two films were more stable in strongly acidic solution, but the stability of poly(DOPA) film was better than that of polydopamine film. Compared to the films on the surface of PVDF or nylon membrane, films on PP surface showed the lowest stability, possibly because of the hydrophobic property of PP. The process of film detachment was analyzed by GPC, which showed that unreacted dopamine or DOPA monomers were still present in the freshly formed films. The unreacted monomers, as well as polydopamine or poly(DOPA) that were incorporated in the film via noncovalent interactions, became detached when the film was exposed to strongly acidic or alkaline solution. Oxidation of freshly formed films could significantly enhance their stability. The results therefore provide us with a better understanding of the stability of melanin-like films, and allow us to develop an effective strategy for constructing stable films.

Characterization of pyrene degradation by Pseudomonas sp. strain Jpyr-1 isolated from active sewage sludge.

Using pyrene as a sole carbon, a new polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)-degrading bacterial strain was isolated from the active sewage sludge. This strain was identified as Pseudomonas sp. Jpyr-1 by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The maximum degradation rate of pyrene was 3.07 mg L(-1)h(-1) in 48 h incubation with initial pyrene concentration of 200 mg L(-1). Moreover, in binary system consisting of pyrene and another PAH, the enzyme system of Jpyr-1 showed a preference toward pyrene. Furthermore, competitive inhibition of pyrene degradation by other PAH compounds occurred in the binary system. Jpyr-1 could also rapidly degrade other PAHs, such as benzanthracene, chrysene and benzo[a]pyrene. Moreover, several metabolites were detected during pyrene degradation which indicated that Jpyr-1 degraded pyrene through the o-phthalate pathway. Taken together, these results indicated that Pseudomonas sp. Jpyr-1 was a new PAHs-degrading strain that might be useful in the bioremediation of sites contaminated with PAHs.

Fouling-resistant behavior of silver nanoparticle-modified surfaces against the bioadhesion of microalgae.

Unwanted adhesion of microalgae on submerged surfaces is a ubiquitous problem across many maritime operations. We explored the strategy of developing a silver nanoparticle (AgNP) coating for antifouling applications in marine and freshwater environments. In situ growth of AgNPs was achieved by a polydopamine (PDA)-based method. A range of most used industrial materials, including glass, polystyrene, stainless steel, paint surface, and even cobblestone, were employed, on which AgNP coatings were built and characterized. We described the fouling-resistant behavior of these AgNP-modified surfaces against two typical fouling organisms: a marine microalga Dunaliella tertiolecta and a freshwater green alga community. The PDA-mediated AgNP deposition strategy was demonstrated applicable for all the above materials; the resulting AgNP coatings showed a significant surface inhibitory effect against the adhesion of microalgae by above 85% in both seawater and freshwater environments. We observed that contact killing was the predominant antifouling mechanism of AgNP-modified surfaces, and the viability of the microalgae cells in bulk media would not be affected. In addition, silver loss from PDA-mediated AgNPs was relatively slow; it could allow the coating to persist for long-term usage. This study showed the potential of preparing environmentally friendly surfaces that can effectively manage biofouling through the direct deposition of AgNP coatings.

Degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by Pseudomonas sp. JM2 isolated from active sewage sludge of chemical plant

It is important to screen strains that can decompose polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) completely and rapidly with good adaptability for bioremediation in a local area. A bacterial strain JM2, which uses phenanthrene as its sole carbon source, was isolated from the active sewage sludge from a chemical plant in Jilin, China and identified as Pseudomonas based on 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis. Although the optimal growth conditions were determined to be pH 6.0 and 37 degrees C, JM2 showed a broad pH and temperature profile. At pH 4.5 and 9.3, JM2 could degrade more than 40% of fluorene and phenanthrene (50 mg/L each) within 4 days. In addition, when the temperature was as low as 4 degrees C, JM2 could degrade up to 24% fluorene and 12% phenanthrene. This showed the potential for JM2 to be applied in bioremediation over winter or in cold regions. Moreover, a nutrient augmentation study showed that adding formate into media could promote PAH degradation, while the supplement of salicylate had an inhibitive effect. Furthermore, in a metabolic pathway study, salicylate, phthalic acid, and 9-fluorenone were detected during the degradation of fluorene or phenanthrene. In conclusion, Pseudomonas sp. JM2 is a high performance strain in the degradation of fluorene and phenanthrene under extreme pH and temperature conditions. It might be useful in the bioremediation of PAHs.

Anticoagulant surface coating using composite polysaccharides with embedded heparin-releasing mesoporous silica

Release of heparin from the surface of biomaterials is a feasible and efficient manner for preventing blood coagulation because of the high bioactivity of free heparin and a low application dosage compared to intravenous injection of heparin. Here we report a novel method featuring a blend of heparin-loaded SBA-15, catechol-modified chitosan (CCS), and heparin as a heparin-releasing film. The release of heparin was based on its leakage from heparin-loaded amino-functionalized mesoporous silica SBA-15 (SBA-15-NH2), which was controlled by the amino density of the SBA-15-NH2. Heparin-loaded SBA-15-NH2, CCS, and heparin were mixed together, and the mixture was cast onto the surface of a polydopamine-modified substrate, forming a heparin-releasing film on the surface of the substrate. The polydopamine acted as an adhesive interlayer that stabilized the film coated on the substrate. The sustained release rates of heparin from the film ranged from 15.8 to 2.1 μg/cm(2)/h within 8 h. The heparin-releasing film showed low fibrinogen adsorption, platelet adhesion, and hemolysis rate, indicating that it has good blood compatibility. This new approach would be very useful for modifying the surface of versatile blood-contacting biomaterials and ultimately improve their anticoagulation performance.

Removal of autoantibodies by 4-mercaptoethylpyridine-based adsorbent

Extracorporeal immunoadsorption (ECI) therapy using Staphylococcal Protein A columns has proven effective for removing autoantibodies and circulating immune complexes from patients selectively, providing a promising treatment for autoimmune diseases. However, due to the drawbacks of Protein A in terms of cost and stability, the widespread use of Protein A based ECI is limited. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of 4-mercaptoethylpyridine (MEP, MW 139 Da), a simple and inexpensive synthetic compound, as an alternative to Protein A for autoantibody removal therapy. MEP-based adsorbents were prepared by coupling MEP to Sepharose CL-6B. We found that ligand density was an adjustable parameter for the synthesis of adsorbents aiming at different pathogenic factors, depending on the class of antibody. MEP-Sepharose with a ligand density of 98.8 micromol/ml could remove 80% of the anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies from human serum, whereas a ligand density of 64.5 micromol/ml was enough to remove 96% of the rheumatoid factor (RF) in the serum. Moreover, MEP-based adsorbents showed a lower degree of individual differences compared to Protein A-Sepharose. RF removal of 90% was achieved for all 12 serum samples from different individuals. Among the 14 serum samples derived from systemic lupus erythematosus patients, 11 samples had markedly reduced antinuclear antibody titers. In addition, non-specific adsorption of plasma components to MEP-Sepharose was limited, and the binding capacity of the absorbent for IgG was still about 20 mg/ml of gel after 10 cycles. The results indicated that MEP-based adsorbent could offer a new type of adsorber for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

Isolation and characterization of an Alcaligenes sp. strain DG-5 capable of degrading DDTs under aerobic conditions

In this study, an Alcaligenes sp. strain DG-5 that can effectively degrade dichlorodiphenyltrichloro-ethanes (DDTs) under aerobic conditions was isolated from DDTs-contaminated sediment. Various factors that affect the biodegradation of DDTs by DG-5 were investigated. About 88 %, 65 % and 45 % of the total DDTs were consumed within 120 h when their initial concentrations were 0.5, 5 and 15 mg L−1, respectively. However, almost no degradation was observed when their concentration was increased to 30 mg L−1, but the addition of nutrients significantly improved the degradation, and 66 % and 90 % of the total DDTs were degraded at 336 h in the presence of 5 g L−1 peptone and yeast extract, respectively. Moreover, the addition of 20 mM formate also enhanced the ability of DG-5 to transform DDTs, and its DDT transformation capacity (Tc) value was increased by 1.8 - 2.7 fold for the pure (p,p’-DDT or o,p’-DDT only) and mixed systems (p,p’-DDT, o,p’-DDT, p,p’-DDD and p,p’-DDE). Furthermore, it was found that competitive inhibition in the biodegradation by DDT compounds occurred in the mixed system.

Bilirubin adsorption properties of water-soluble adsorbents with different cyclodextrin cavities in plasma dialysis system

In this study, we explored the use of α-, β- or γ-cyclodextrin (CD)-grafted polyethyleneimine (PEI) as water-soluble adsorbent for removing excess plasma bilirubin. To evaluate the bilirubin-binding capacity of these adsorbents, bovine serum albumin (BSA) solution or plasma with high level of bilirubin were dialyzed against CD-PEI-spiked dialysate. In BSA solution with an initial biliurbin concentration of 171.5mg/L, α-CD-PEI, β-CD-PEI and γ-CD-PEI achieved adsorption capacities of 2.5, 5.8 and 3.8 mg/g, respectively. In a plasma dialysis system, 45.6% of bilirubin (260 mg/L) was removed from 200 mL plasma by 1L dialysate spiked with 10mg/mL β-CD-PEI, which was significantly higher than that removed by the same volume of BSA-spiked dialysate (P<0.05), demonstrating the strong bilirubin-binding ability of β-CD-PEI. The key feature of bilirubin adsorption was related to the CD functional group, not the PEI matrix. Subsequent molecular docking study indicated that the size of CD cavity could affect the affinity energy of CD-bilirubin complex. The cavity of β-CD was most suitable for accommodating the pyrrole rings of bilirubin. The inclusion complex of bilirubin and β-CD in the molar ratio of 1:2 was more logical in terms of affinity energy. All the results demonstrated the potential of β-CD-PEI (water-soluble adsorbent) as an effective agent for removing of bilirubin from plasma in dialysis system.

Organic silicone sol-gel polymer as a noncovalent carrier of receptor proteins for label-free optical biosensor application.

Optical biosensing techniques have become of key importance for label-free monitoring of biomolecular interactions in the current proteomics era. Together with an increasing emphasis on high-throughput applications in functional proteomics and drug discovery, there has been demand for facile and generally applicable methods for the immobilization of a wide range of receptor proteins. Here, we developed a polymer platform for microring resonator biosensors, which allows the immobilization of receptor proteins on the surface of waveguide directly without any additional modification. A sol-gel process based on a mixture of three precursors was employed to prepare a liquid hybrid polysiloxane, which was photopatternable for the photocuring process and UV imprint. Waveguide films were prepared on silicon substrates by spin coating and characterized by atomic force microscopy for roughness, and protein adsorption. The results showed that the surface of the polymer film was smooth (rms = 0.658 nm), and exhibited a moderate hydrophobicity with the water contact angle of 97°. Such a hydrophobic extent could provide a necessary binding strength for stable immobilization of proteins on the material surface in various sensing conditions. Biological activity of the immobilized Staphylococcal protein A and its corresponding biosensing performance were demonstrated by its specific recognition of human Immunoglobulin G. This study showed the potential of preparing dense, homogeneous, specific, and stable biosensing surfaces by immobilizing receptor proteins on polymer-based optical devices through the direct physical adsorption method. We expect that such polymer waveguide could be of special interest in developing low-cost and robust optical biosensing platform for multidimensional arrays.

Application of cyclodextrin-based eluents in hydrophobic charge-induction chromatography: Elution of antibody at neutral pH

Hydrophobic charge-induction chromatography (HCIC) has emerged as a useful addition to Protein A chromatography for antibody purification due to its remarkable merits in cost and stability. However, the instability of antibody during acidic elution, which may cause inactivation and aggregation, is still a major concern for the efficiency of this method. The aim of this study is to develop a new strategy of competitive elution with inclusion complexes in HCIC, and to apply it to antibody elution under neutral pH conditions. Interactions between 4-mercaptoethylpyridine (MEP), a typical ligand of HCIC, and four different types of cyclodextrins (CDs) were investigated by molecular docking; immunoglobulin G (IgG) elution capacities of CDs were characterized on MEP-based HCIC mediums. The results demonstrated the general effectiveness of CD-based eluents for HCIC. This type of displacement eluents could allow an efficient elution of bound antibody over a broad range of pH and ion strength. With 15 mM β-CD, elution of human IgG was achieved at physiological pH, with an average IgG recovery of 87%. When this elution strategy was used to separate antibody directly from human serum, substantial elution of bound IgG could be obtained at pH 7.4, with product purity comparable to traditional method with an acidic buffer. We expect such method can be of special interest in developing HCIC elution strategy for the proteins like antibody that are sensitive to acidic conditions.