Towards an understanding of peptide-inorganic interactions

This study has contributed to the developing understanding of fundamental principles through which interactions at peptide-inorganic interfaces occur. The inorganic materials; crystalline zinc oxide (ZnO) and platinum (Pt) together with specific binding peptides identified using the phage display technique and alanine scanning for mutant sequences selected on the basis of peptide stability calculated in silico were synthesized, extensively characterized and the mechanisms of their interaction and the effects thereof studied. Firstly ZnO growth was monitored during solution synthesis from precursors using two different ZnO methods in the absence and presence of ZnO binding peptides (ZnO-BPs); G-12 (GLHVMHKVAPPR), its mutants (G-12A6, G-12A11, G-12A12) and GT-16 (GLHVMHKVAPPR-GGGC). Secondly, adsorption characteristics and thermodynamics of interaction of ZnO with ZnO-BPs and Pt with platinum binding peptides (Pt-BPs) were studied using biophysical tools; quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC).

Name dc:type.qualificationname

phd

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Nottingham Trent University

Year dc:date.issued

2013

Author dc:creator

• Limo, MJ

Language dc:language

en