Xiangfeng Liang

Synthesis of silver nanoparticles by solar irradiation of cell-free Bacillus amyloliquefaciens extracts and AgNO3.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were obtained by solar irradiation of cell-free extracts of Bacillusamyloliquefaciens and AgNO3. Light intensity, extract concentration, and NaCl addition influenced the synthesis of AgNPs. Under optimized conditions (solar intensity 70,000 lx, extract concentration 3 mg/mL, and NaCl content 2 mM), 98.23±0.06% of the Ag+ (1 mM) was reduced to AgNPs within 80 min, and the ζ-potential of AgNPs reached -70.84±0.66 mV. TEM (Transmission electron microscopy) and XRD (X-ray diffraction) analysis confirmed that circular and triangular crystalline AgNPs with mean diameter of 14.6 nm were synthesized. Since heat-inactivated extracts also mediated the formation of AgNPs, enzymatic reactions are likely not involved in AgNPs formation. A high absolute ζ-potential value of the AgNPs, possibly caused by interaction with proteins likely explains the high stability of AgNPs suspensions. AgNPs showed antimicrobial activity against Bacillussubtilis and Escherichiacoli in liquid and solid medium.

Spontaneous Vesicle Formation of Poly(ethylene oxide)−Poly(propylene oxide)−Poly(ethylene oxide) Triblock Copolymer

A novel method has been developed to prepare vesicles from aqueous solutions of poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymer, by adding anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and inorganic salt NaF. As determined by TEM and dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements, the average diameter of vesicles is about 800 nm having 50 nm outer shell thickness. Identifying hydrophobic interactions between the block copolymers and the microenvironments around the vesicles using FTIR, 1H NMR, and fluorescence spectroscopy techniques revealed the vesicle formation mechanism. The spontaneously formed vesicles were further cross-linked by converting the terminal hydroxyl groups of block copolymers into aldehydes, and then chemically bridging the polymer chains by the reaction between aldehydes and diamine compounds. The cross-linked vesicles are proved much more stable than free vesicles even at higher dilutions. The obtained vesicles with good stability and biocompatibility are promising candidates for widespread applications.

Reduction of hexavalent chromium by Pannonibacter phragmitetus LSSE-09 coated with polyethylenimine-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles under alkaline conditions

A novel cell separation and immobilization method for Cr (VI)-reduction under alkaline conditions was developed by using superparamagnetic Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles (NPs). The Fe(3)O(4) NPs were synthesized by coprecipitation followed by modification with sodium citrate and polyethyleneimine (PEI). The surface-modified NPs were monodispersed and the particle size was about 15 nm with a saturation magnetization of 62.3 emu/g and an isoelectric point (pI) of 11.5 at room temperature. PEI-modified Fe(3)O(4) NPs possess positive zeta potential at pH below 11.5, presumable because of the high density of amine groups in the long chains of PEI molecules on the surface. At initial pH 9.0, Pannonibacter phragmitetus LSSE-09 cells were immobilized by PEI-modified NPs via electrostatic attraction and then separated with an external magnetic field. Compared to free cells, the coated cells not only had the same Cr (VI)-reduction activity but could also be easily separated from reaction mixtures by magnetic force. In addition, the magnetically immobilized cells retained high specific Cr (VI)-reduction activity over six batch cycles. The results suggest that the magnetic cell separation technology has potential application for Cr (VI) detoxification in alkaline wastewater.

Dual responsive copolymer micelles for drug controlled release

pH- and temperature-responsive polymeric drug carriers based on Chitosan oligosaccharide (CSO)-g-Pluronic copolymers were successfully synthesized for Doxorubicin (DOX) controlled release. The critical aggregation concentration of CSO-g-Pluronic is 0.035 mg/mL at 25 degrees C. The CSO-g-Pluronic and DOX-loaded CSO-g-Pluronic micelles have an average hydrodynamic diameter of 23.3 nm and 43.6 nm respectively at 30 degrees C and pH 7.0 with narrow size distribution. The temperature or pH responsive behavior of the micelles was characterized by dynamic light scattering, fluorescence spectroscopy, and zeta Potential Analysis. The temperature-dependent micellar transformation was induced by dehydration of Pluronic segments at higher temperature. The pH responsive volume increase was traced to the electrostatic repulsion between CSO segments from protonation of amino groups under acidic conditions. Consequently, the DOX release time was prolonged by CSO-g-Pluronic micelles at body temperature of 37 degrees C, and the DOX release was accelerated at mild acidic conditions (i.e. the pH environment around tumor tissues). The temperature- and pH-responsive properties of CSO-g-Pluronic copolymer have provided promising potentials for biomedical and biotechnological applications.

Bare magnetic nanoparticles as fluorescence quenchers for detection of thrombin

Rapid and sensitive detection of thrombin has very important significance in clinical diagnosis. In this work, bare magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (magnetic nanoparticles) without any modification were used as fluorescence quenchers. In the absence of thrombin, a fluorescent dye (CY3) labeled thrombin aptamer (named CY3-aptamer) was adsorbed on the surface of magnetic nanoparticles through interaction between a phosphate backbone of the CY3-aptamer and hydroxyl groups on the bare magnetic nanoparticles in binding solution, leading to fluorescence quenching. Once thrombin was introduced, the CY3-aptamer formed a G-quartet structure and combined with thrombin, which resulted in the CY3-aptamer being separated from the magnetic nanoparticles and restoration of fluorescence. This proposed assay took advantage of binding affinity between the CY3-aptamer and thrombin for specificity, and bare magnetic nanoparticles for fluorescence quenching. The fluorescence signal had a good linear relationship with thrombin concentration in the range of 1-60 nM, and the limit of detection for thrombin was estimated as low as 0.5 nM. Furthermore, this method could be applied for other target detection using the corresponding fluorescence labeled aptamer.

Aptamer and PNIPAAm co-conjugated nanoparticles regulate activity of enzyme with different temperature.

In this paper, we described a temperature responsive nano-system that can regulate activity of enzyme with different temperature. Temperature responsive polymer poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm), with low critical solution temperature of 32°C, was synthesized with thiol modification. PNIPAAm and thrombin aptamer were co-functionalized on the surface of gold nanoparticles for effective regulation of thrombin activity with different temperature. On the one hand, we studied the thermal responsive properties of this inhibitor via UV-visible spectroscopy. On the other hand, we investigated the regulation of thrombin activity by this platform with different temperature. The PNIPAAm chains could extend and shrink with different temperature, which suggested that PNIPAAm on the surface of gold nanoparticles could regulate interaction between thrombin and aptamer according to temperature changing. At 25°C, PNIPAAm was hydrophilic extended state, which blocked the interaction between thrombin and aptamer on the surface of gold nanoparticles, therefore thrombin activity had no change. On the contrary, at 37°C, PNIPAAm transformed from hydrophilic extended state to hydrophobic shrank state, allowing the aptamer to capture thrombin, inhibiting the activity of thrombin. More interestingly, this regulation was reverse to normal condition, where 37°C was always the optimum reaction temperature for most of human enzymes. This system we prepared was opposite, which was capable of inhibiting the thrombin activity at 37°C. Furthermore, this was the first report of regulation of thrombin activity using this temperature responsive platform.

Solvent Effect on ζ Potential at an Aqueous/Oil Interface in Surfactant-Free Emulsion

The present study prepared a size-controllable, uniform, and surfactant-free emulsification to investigate the ζ potential of the solvent effect. The results showed that the ratio of electrophoretic mobility changed with droplet diameter, and the correct factor of the ζ potential was determined. The effect of functional groups on the ζ potential was further studied in the presence of an organic hydrophilic solvent. The study characterized the effects of pH, ionic strength, and ionic type on the ζ potential and indicated that the solvents were able to modulate the local electrochemical environment, thus leading to the redistribution of interface charges.

Analysis of Mogroside V in Siraitia grosvenorii with Micelle-mediated Cloud-Point Extraction

INTRODUCTION Mogroside V is the main effective ingredient of Siraitia grosvenorii used as a natural sweet food as well as a traditional Chinese medicine. The sample pre-treatment prior to chromatographic analysis requires large amounts of toxic organic solvents and is time consuming. OBJECTIVE To develop an effective and simple method for extracting and determining mogroside V of Siraitia grosvenorii. METHODS Mogroside V was extracted and preconcentrated by micelle-mediated cloud-point extraction with nonionic surfactant isotridecyl poly (ethylene glycol) ether (Genapol® X-080). The obtained solutions containing mogroside V were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet (UV) detection. The chromatographic separation was performed on a C18 -column using gradient elution with acetonitrile and water at 203 nm. RESULTS The cloud-point extraction yield was 80.7% while the pre-concentration factor was about 10.8. The limit of detection was 0.75 µg/mL and the limit of quantification was 2 µg/mL. The relative standard deviations for intra- and interday precisions of mogroside V were less than 8.68% and 5.78%, respectively, and the recoveries were between 85.1% and 103.6%. CONCLUSION The HPLC-UV method based on micelle-mediated cloud-point extraction for determination mogroside V in Siraitia grosvenorii was environmentally friendly, simple and sensitive.

Reversible regulation of thrombin adsorption and desorption based on photoresponsive-aptamer modified gold nanoparticles.

In the protein separation, adsorption and desorption of target protein have been using different buffer condition. Different buffer will change the structure and activity of target protein in some cases. This work describes the use of different wavelength light for remote regulation of adsorption and desorption of target protein in the same buffer solutions. A dynamic system that captured and released protein in response to light is reported. Matrix gold nanoparticles and light-responsive affinity ligand comprising thrombin aptamer (APT15), polyethylene glycol linker, and azobenzene-modified complementary sequence were used. UV light induced a trans-cis isomerization of the azobenzene that destabilized the duplex of aptamer and azobenzene-modified complementary sequence, resulting in thrombin binding to aptamer sequence. Visible light irradiation resulted in DNA duplex rehybridization and thrombin released. Our work demonstrates that different light wavelengths effectively regulated the adsorption and desorption of thrombin in the same buffer, and this system also can capture and release prothrombin from plasma with different wavelength light. Furthermore, this method can be widely applied to a variety of different protein separation process.