Applications In Nanobiotechnology Research Articles

Understanding Protein Adsorption on Carbon Nanotube Inner and Outer Surfaces by Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

Biomolecules, such as proteins, can form complexes with carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which have numerous applications in nanobiotechnology. Proteins can be adsorbed onto either the inner walls or outer surfaces of CNTs via van der Waals interactions; however, the differences between these two processes remain poorly understood. In this work, we performed classical all-atom molecular dynamics simulations with explicit solvents to investigate the interaction between a model protein, the Yap65 WW domain, and (22,22) CNTs and larger. The Yap65 WW domain comprises three β-sheet segments and contains three key aromatic residues: TRP17, TYR28, and TRP39. Our findings reveal distinct interaction mechanisms for the inner and outer surfaces of large CNTs. The protein's interaction with the inner surface is governed by the interplay between surface curvature and adsorption orientation. In the confined space of the CNT channel, variations in tube curvature and adsorption orientation give rise to specific binding modes, resulting in varying degrees of protein conformational change. In contrast, on the outer surface of large CNTs, where space is less restricted, the adsorption orientation plays a more dominant role. Specifically, the orientation in which more aromatic residues directly interact with the surface suffer from the greater structural loss, regardless of the tube curvature. Finally, protein-CNT binding free energies were calculated using the Poisson-Boltzmann surface area (MM-PBSA) method and steered molecular dynamics simulations based on Jarzynski equality, demonstrating that protein desorption from CNTs is highly dependent on binding configurations. This study reveals the influence of confined space on protein adsorption and the critical role of CNT curvature in modulating β-sheet stability.

Actinorhodopsin: an efficient and robust light-driven proton pump for bionanotechnological applications

Actinorhodopsins are encoded by a distinct group of microbial rhodopsin (MR) genes predominant in non-marine actinobacteria. Despite their role in the global energy cycle and potential for bionanotechnological applications, our understanding of actinorhodopsin proteins is limited. Here, we characterized the actinorhodopsin RlActR from the freshwater actinobacterium Rhodoluna lacicola, which conserves amino acid residues critical for light-driven proton pumping found in MRs. RlActR was efficiently overexpressed in Escherichia coli in milligram amounts and isolated with high purity and homogeneity. The purified RlActR absorbed green light and its primary proton acceptor exhibited a mildly acidic apparent pKa. Size-exclusion chromatography of RlActR purified in the relatively mild and harsh detergents 5-cyclohexyl-1-pentyl-β-D-maltoside and n-octyl-β-D-glucopyranoside revealed highly homogeneous oligomers and no disruption into monomers, indicating significant robustness of the RlActR oligomer. Cryo-electron microscopy and 2D classification of protein particles provided a projection structure identifying the oligomeric state of RlActR as a pentamer. Efficient establishment of a proton gradient across lipid membranes upon light illumination was demonstrated using RlActR-overexpressing E. coli cells and reconstituted RlActR proteoliposomes. In summary, these features make RlActR an attractive energizing building block for the bottom-up assembly of molecular systems for bionanotechnological applications.

Applications of nanobiotechnology in the field of exercise physiology

Applications of nanobiotechnology in the field of exercise physiology

Principles and Biomedical Applications of Self-Assembled Peptides: Potential Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is the most prevalent metabolic disorder worldwide. There have been tremendous efforts to find a safe and prolonged effective therapy for its treatment. Peptide hormones, from certain organisms in the human body, as the pharmaceutical agents, have shown outstanding profiles of efficacy and safety in plasma glucose regulation. Their therapeutic promises have undergone intensive investigations via examining their physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties. Their major drawback is their short half-life in vivo. To address this challenge, researchers have recently started to apply the state-of-the-art molecular self-assembly on peptide hormones to form nanofibrillar structures, as a smart nanotherapeutic drug delivery technique, to tremendously enhance their prolonged bioactivity in vivo. This revolutionary therapeutic approach would significantly improve patient compliance. First, this review provides a comprehensive summary on the pathophysiology of T2DM, various efforts to treat this chronic disorder, and the limitations and drawbacks of these treatment approaches. Next, this review lays out detailed insights on various aspects of peptide self-assembly: adverse effects, potential applications in nanobiotechnology, thermodynamics and kinetics of the process, as well as the molecular structures of the self-assembled configurations. Furthermore, this review elucidates the recent efforts on applying reversible human-derived peptide self-assembly to generate highly organized smart nanostructured drug formulations known as nanofibrils to regulate and prolong the bioactivity of the human gut hormone peptides in vivo to treat T2DM. Finally, this review highlights the future research directions to advance the knowledge on the state-of-the-art peptide self-assembly process to apply the revolutionary smart nanotherapeutics for treatment of chronic disorders such as T2DM with highly improved patient compliance.

Synergistic Activity of Antibiotics and Bio Active Plant Extract: Astudy Against Mdr Gram Negative Bacteria in Kirkuk City

Increasing multidrug resistance (MDR) is becoming a problematic issue worldwide. Finding alternatives to cope with this rising problem is becoming crucial for community healthcare. The present study aimed to investigate the antibacterial activityCopper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) synthesised using hawthorn fruit extract against different MDR gram-negative bacteria isolates. CuoNPs were synthesized from Fresh hawthorn fruits (Crataegus). The biosynthesized copper oxide nanoparticles were Characterization of the synthesised nanoparticles was performed using UV-visible spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to confirm CuONP production and assess their properties. Antibacterial activity was determined by disc diffusion and the healthy diffusion method. The considerable inhibitory action of hawthorn fruit extract was observed in gram-negative bacteria isolates. Also, the green synthesised CuoNPs demonstrated remarkable antibacterial activity against two human pathogenic bacteria when combined with commercially available antibiotics. The current study suggested that CuoNPs have become an essential approach for nanobiotechnology applications in the development of antibacterial treatments for different bacterial infections, particularly for non-treatable antibiotic resistance pathogen.

Single-molecule digital sizing of proteins in solution

The physical characterization of proteins in terms of their sizes, interactions, and assembly states is key to understanding their biological function and dysfunction. However, this has remained a difficult task because proteins are often highly polydisperse and present as multicomponent mixtures. Here, we address this challenge by introducing single-molecule microfluidic diffusional sizing (smMDS). This approach measures the hydrodynamic radius of single proteins and protein assemblies in microchannels using single-molecule fluorescence detection. smMDS allows for ultrasensitive sizing of proteins down to femtomolar concentrations and enables affinity profiling of protein interactions at the single-molecule level. We show that smMDS is effective in resolving the assembly states of protein oligomers and in characterizing the size of protein species within complex mixtures, including fibrillar protein aggregates and nanoscale condensate clusters. Overall, smMDS is a highly sensitive method for the analysis of proteins in solution, with wide-ranging applications in drug discovery, diagnostics, and nanobiotechnology.

Ionic current blockade in a nanopore due to an ellipsoidal particle.

Nanopores in solid-state membranes have been used to detect, identify, filter, and characterize nanoparticles and biological molecules. In this work, we simulate an ionic flow through a nanopore while an ellipsoidal nanoparticle translocates through a pore. We numerically solve the Poisson-Nernst-Planck equations to obtain the ionic current values for different aspect ratios, sizes, and orientations of a translocating particle. By extending the existing theoretical model for the ionic current in the nanopore to the particles of ellipsoidal shape, we propose semiempirical fitting formulas which describe our computed data within 5% accuracy. We also demonstrate how the derived formulas can be used to identify the dimensions of nanoparticles from the available experimental data which may have useful applications in bionanotechnology.

FLIM nanoscopy resolves the structure and preferential adsorption in the co-nonsolvency of PNIPAM microgels in methanol-water

Polymer microgels are swollen macromolecular networks with a typical size of hundred of nanometers to several microns that show an extraordinary open and responsive architecture to different external stimuli, being therefore important candidates for nanobiotechnology and nanomedical applications such as biocatalysis, sensing and drug delivery. It is therefore crucial to understand the delicate balance of physical-chemical interactions between the polymer backbone and solvent molecules that to a high extent determine their responsivity.In particular, the co-nonsolvency effect of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) in aqueous alcohols is highly discussed, and there is a disagreement between molecular dynamics (MD) simulations (from literature) of the preferential adsorption of alcohol on the polymer chains and the values obtained by several empirical methods that mostly probe the bulk solvent properties.It is our contention that the most efficacious method for addressing this problem requires a nanoscopic method that can be combined with spectroscopy and record fluorescence spectra and super-resolved fluorescence lifetime images of microgels labeled covalently with the solvatochromic dye Nile Red. By employing this approach, we could simultaneously resolve the structure of sub-micron size objects in the swollen and in the collapsed state and estimate the solvent composition inside of them in ▪–▪ mixtures for two very different polymer architectures. We found an outstanding agreement between the MD simulations and our results that estimate a co-solvent molar fraction excess of approximately 3 with a very flat profile in the lateral direction of the microgel.

Nanobiotechnology-mediated regulation of reactive oxygen species homeostasis under heat and drought stress in plants.

Global warming causes heat and drought stress in plants, which affects crop production. In addition to osmotic stress and protein inactivation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) overaccumulation under heat and drought stress is a secondary stress that further impairs plant performance. Chloroplasts, mitochondria, peroxisomes, and apoplasts are the main ROS generation sites in heat- and drought-stressed plants. In this review, we summarize ROS generation and scavenging in heat- and drought-stressed plants and highlight the potential applications of plant nanobiotechnology for enhancing plant tolerance to these stresses.

Selective Naked-Eye Detection of Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma Mediated by lncRNA SOX2OT Targeted Nanoplasmonic Probe.

The application of nanobiotechnology in biomolecule detection can provide fast and accurate tests for diagnosing molecular changing-associated diseases. The use of AuNPs-thiolated probe conjugates has long been considered as an alternative method for the detection of specific DNA/RNA targets. Here, we present a colorimetric direct detection method for the SOX2OT transcript, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), by using a poly guanine tail (G12) as a template for in situ synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) without any chemical modification or DNA labeling. We have then developed this proposed detection system based on two complementary sequences of long noncoding RNA SOX2OT with an extra strand of poly G12. Using this method, we were able to differentiate lung squamous cell carcinoma from adenocarcinoma samples. Based on this disclosure, this invention provides a simple visual method to detect specific lncRNA sequences without the need for amplifying the target lncRNA and discriminate squamous cell carcinoma from adenocarcinoma samples. Our invention provides a diagnostic kit to detect RNA by means of direct detection (PCR-free) of the lncRNA by in situ synthesis of AuNPs based on two probes with an extra strand of poly G12.

Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles from Cannabis sativa: Properties, Synthesis, Mechanistic Aspects, and Applications

The increasing global focus on green nanotechnology research has spurred the development of environmentally and biologically safe applications for various nanomaterials. Nanotechnology involves crafting diverse nanoparticles in terms of shapes and sizes, with a particular emphasis on environmentally friendly synthesis routes. Among these, biogenic approaches, including plant-based synthesis, are favored for their safety, simplicity, and sustainability. Silver nanoparticles, in particular, have garnered significant attention due to their exceptional effectiveness, biocompatibility, and eco-friendliness. Cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) has emerged as a promising candidate for aiding in the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles. Leveraging the phytochemical constituents of Cannabis, researchers have successfully tailored silver nanoparticles for a wide array of applications, spanning from biomedicine to environmental remediation. This review explores the properties, synthesis mechanisms, and applications of silver nanoparticles obtained from Cannabis. Additionally, it delves into the recent advancements in green synthesis techniques and elucidates the optical properties of these nanoparticles. By shedding light on plant-based fabrication methods for silver nanoparticles and their diverse bionanotechnology applications, this review aims to contribute to the growing body of knowledge in the field of green nanotechnology. Through a comprehensive examination of the synthesis processes, mechanistic aspects, and potential applications, this review underscores the importance of sustainable approaches in nanoparticle synthesis and highlights the potential of Cannabis-derived silver nanoparticles in addressing various societal and environmental challenges.

Growth and Development of Nanobiotechnology Applications and Future Prospects

Despite the high cost of nanomaterials and devices, nanotechnology is witnessing great growth and development worldwide, and competition has become great among developed countries to produce and develop this technology by allocating huge budgets and expanding the establishment and support of specialized research centers due to the increasing demand for it. This modern technology is considered the latest technology. What has been achieved by scientific and technological development in recent years, which would work to achieve the economic goals of comprehensive development through employing various economic resources and making optimal use of them. This study aimed to introduce nanotechnology, its importance and applications in various areas of life, and to clarify the extent of the possibility of benefiting from it in achieving the economic goals of comprehensive development. The study reached some results and recommendations, the most important of which is encouraging work on introducing and using nanotechnology as an entry point for comprehensive development in Libyan industry, especially industries that face high competition from imported products, and marketing environmentally friendly products in the local market as a first step through transferring the results of research and academic studies to industrial facilities and various production companies. Establishing, supporting and developing centers for nanotechnology research in Libya and linking them with regional and international organizations to benefit from their expertise in this field, Educating and encouraging the private industrial sector to use nanotechnology because of its great advantages and benefits to the environment and society, Also since oil is considered the primary source of income in Libya, which represents about 95% of the total GDP, if the state focuses on supporting and encouraging investment in the direction of using nanotechnology by exploiting and investing in the resources available to it, there is great potential to benefit from it as a source of income that provides It is an addition to Libya gross domestic product and is considered a source of diversified national income.

Uniaxial Symmetry Breaking in Bacteriorhodopsin at the Thermal Phase Transition of Lipids of Purple Membranes.

The article correlates between symmetry breaking and phase transition. An analogy, extending from physics to biology, is known to exist between these two topics. Bacteriorhodopsin (bR) as a paradigm of membrane proteins has been used as a case study in the present work. The bR, as the sole protein embedded in what is called a purple membrane (PM), has attracted widespread interest in bionanotechnological applications. The lipids of PM have a crucial role in maintaining the crystal lattice of bR inside PM. For this reason, the present work has been concerned with elucidating the thermal phase transition properties of the PM lipids in orthogonal directions. The results indicated that the axial symmetry of bR exhibits considerable changes occurring at the thermal phase transition of lipids. These changes are brought by an anomaly observed in the time course of orthogonal electric responses during the application of thermal fields on PM. The observed anomaly may bear on symmetry breaking in bR occurring at the phase transition of lipids based on such analogy found between symmetry breaking and phase transition. Lipid-protein interactions may underlie the broken axial symmetry of bR at such lipid thermal transition of PM. Accordingly, thermally perturbed axial symmetry of bR may be of biological relevance relying on the essence of the crystal lattice of bR. Most importantly, a question has to be raised in the present study: Can bR, as a helical protein with broken axial symmetry, affect the symmetry breaking of helical light? This may be of potential technical applications based on a recent discovery that bR breaks the symmetry of helical light.

Encapsulation of Nanoparticles with Statistical Copolymers with Different Surface Charges and Analysis of Their Interactions with Proteins and Cells.

Encapsulation with polymers is a well-known strategy to stabilize and functionalize nanomaterials and tune their physicochemical properties. Amphiphilic copolymers are promising in this context, but their structural diversity and complexity also make understanding and predicting their behavior challenging. This is particularly the case in complex media which are relevant for intended applications in medicine and nanobiotechnology. Here, we studied the encapsulation of gold nanoparticles and quantum dots with amphiphilic copolymers differing in their charge and molecular structure. Protein adsorption to the nanoconjugates was studied with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, and their surface activity was studied with dynamic interfacial tensiometry. Encapsulation of the nanoparticles without affecting their characteristic properties was possible with all tested polymers and provided good stabilization. However, the interaction with proteins and cells significantly depended on structural details. We identified statistical copolymers providing strongly reduced protein adsorption and low unspecific cellular uptake. Interestingly, different zwitterionic amphiphilic copolymers showed substantial differences in their resulting bio-repulsive properties. Among the polymers tested herein, statistical copolymers with sulfobetaine and phosphatidylcholine sidechains performed better than copolymers with carboxylic acid- and dimethylamino-terminated sidechains.

Comprehensive Review of Nanotechnology: Innovations and Multidisciplinary Applications

Nanotechnology, which involves the control of substances at the nanoscale, has emerged as a valuable discipline that holds the capacity to fundamentally transform numerous scientific sectors, such as materials science, healthcare, environmental remediation, and agriculture. This review article explores the uses and advancements of nanotechnology, emphasizing how it might improve crop yield, advance medical treatments, and provide solutions to environmental problems. This also examines revolutionary applications of nanobiotechnology, including CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, targeted drug delivery systems, cancer therapy, and regenerative medicine. It highlights the potential of these technologies to enhance diagnostic capabilities and pharmaceutical results. It also looks at how nanotechnology is affecting agriculture, with a focus on improvements in food safety, pest and disease control, and crop yield. Additionally, environmental applications are covered, with an emphasis on the use of nanomaterials for sustainable resource management and pollution remediation. The significance of nanotechnology's contributions to green chemistry, its interdisciplinary character, and the challenges and potential for its incorporation into conventional applications are all emphasized in the review. The article provides an overview of the current status and future directions of nanotechnology by discussing the synthesis of nanoparticles, their commercialization, and the challenges surrounding nano-innovations.

Advancements in bionanotechnological applications for climate-smart agriculture and food production

Due to the significant challenges of growing global population and climate change, the agriculture and food industries are facing a continued demand for improving productivity. The integration of nanotechnology in food and agriculture has been envisioned to supply abundant alternative avenues for the crop improvement and food security. To meet these challenges, nanotechnology has made remarkable advancements in agricultural sciences, resulting in numerous beneficial impacts on crop yield and productivity. The key areas of nano-based agriculture aim to enhance food quality, optimized fertilizer doses, reduced agricultural inputs, and improved nutrient uptake by plants from the soil. Additionally, employing minimal hazardous agrochemicals, lowering fertilizer losses, solidification of soil and water quality, and managing nutrient supply efficiently are attributed to the advantages of nanomaterials. In future, the continued efforts and convergence of agriculture and nanotechnology offers promising benefits such as equipping plants with cutting-edge nanotools to combat abiotic (drought, salt, and temperature) and biotic (insects and diseases) stresses, precise and rapid diagnostics, and maximizing utilization of available resources. The ultimate goal in agricultural sciences is to achieve sustainable food production, which forms the backdrop for harnessing the properties of nanomaterials to enhance crop productivity and address widening growing climate challenges. In summary, the extensive applications of nanotechnology in agriculture are anticipated to support climate-smart crop cultivation.

Bacteriophages of Thermophilic 'Bacillus Group' Bacteria-A Systematic Review, 2023 Update.

Bacteriophages associated with thermophiles are gaining increased attention due to their pivotal roles in various biogeochemical and ecological processes, as well as their applications in biotechnology and bionanotechnology. Although thermophages are not suitable for controlling bacterial infections in humans or animals, their individual components, such as enzymes and capsid proteins, can be employed in molecular biology and significantly contribute to the enhancement of human and animal health. Despite their significance, thermophages still remain underrepresented in the known prokaryotic virosphere, primarily due to limited in-depth investigations. However, due to their unique properties, thermophages are currently attracting increasing interest, as evidenced by several newly discovered phages belonging to this group. This review offers an updated compilation of thermophages characterized to date, focusing on species infecting the thermophilic bacilli. Moreover, it presents experimental findings, including novel proteomic data (39 proteins) concerning the model TP-84 bacteriophage, along with the first announcement of 6 recently discovered thermophages infecting Geobacillus thermodenitrificans: PK5.2, PK2.1, NIIg10.1, NIIg2.1, NIIg2.2, and NIIg2.3. This review serves as an update to our previous publication in 2021.

Zinc-Induced Luminescent l-Valine-Based Pseudopeptidic Soft Bioinspired Materials for Precise Tuning of Nanoassembly.

Pseudopeptide-based bioinspired materials are emerging for selective recognition of biologically significant analytes and are applicable in the modern nanoscience field. Therefore, we have developed novel multifunctional C2-symmetric soft pseudopeptides by amino acid l-valine and salicylaldehyde fragments using a series of aliphatic linkers. They are highly selective and sensitive to Zn (II) ions under physiological conditions and reveal significant fluorescence enhancement with the PET mechanism. The molecular self-assembly shows zinc-induced morphological transformation of the rod-shaped assembly into a chain-like morphology. Such a metal-induced hierarchical nano-assembly may have relevance for specific nanobiotechnology applications.

Synthesis of Photoluminescent 2D Self-Assembled Silver Thiolate Nanoclusters for Sensors and Biomolecule Support.

Silver thiolate nanoclusters (Ag NCs) show distinctive optical properties resulting from their hybrid nature, metallic and molecular, exhibiting size-, structure-, and surface-dependent photoluminescence, thus enabling the exploitation of Ag NCs for potential applications in nanobiotechnology, catalysis, and biomedicine. However, tailoring Ag NCs for specific applications requires achieving long-term stability and may involve modifying surface chemistry, fine-tuning ligand composition, or adding functional groups. In this study, we report the synthesis of novel Ag NCs using 2-ethanephenylthiolate (SR) as a ligand, highlight critical points addressing stability, and characterize their optical and structural properties. A preliminary electrical characterization revealed high anisotropy, well suited for potential use in electronics/sensing applications. We also present the synthesis and characterization of Ag NCs using 10-carboxylic 2-ol thiolate (SR'COOH) having a terminal carboxylic group for conjugation with amine-containing molecules. We present a preliminary assessment of its bioconjugation capability using bovine serum albumin as a model protein indicating its prospective application as a biomolecule support.

A genetic circuit on a single DNA molecule as an autonomous dissipative nanodevice

Realizing genetic circuits on single DNA molecules as self-encoded dissipative nanodevices is a major step toward miniaturization of autonomous biological systems. A circuit operating on a single DNA implies that genetically encoded proteins localize during coupled transcription-translation to DNA, but a single-molecule measurement demonstrating this has remained a challenge. Here, we use a genetically encoded fluorescent reporter system with improved temporal resolution and observe the synthesis of individual proteins tethered to a DNA molecule by transient complexes of RNA polymerase, messenger RNA, and ribosome. Against expectations in dilute cell-free conditions where equilibrium considerations favor dispersion, these nascent proteins linger long enough to regulate cascaded reactions on the same DNA. We rationally design a pulsatile genetic circuit by encoding an activator and repressor in feedback on the same DNA molecule. Driven by the local synthesis of only several proteins per hour and gene, the circuit dynamics exhibit enhanced variability between individual DNA molecules, and fluctuations with a broad power spectrum. Our results demonstrate that co-expressional localization, as a nonequilibrium process, facilitates single-DNA genetic circuits as dissipative nanodevices, with implications for nanobiotechnology applications and artificial cell design.