Liquid proteins--a new frontier for biomolecule-based nanoscience. 2011

Adam W Perriman, and Stephen Mann
Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, United Kingdom. chawp@bristol.ac.uk

Solid, liquid, or gas? The physical states adopted by nano-objects such as proteins are critically dependent on the size and range of the intermolecular attractive forces, and as a consequence, pure liquids comprising solventless melts of structurally intact, discrete functional nanoconstructs are conspicuously absent. Here we describe how globular proteins can be surface-engineered such that anhydrous powders of these nanoscale objects melt at close to room temperature to produce solvent-free liquids comprising exceedingly high concentrations of structurally and functionally intact biomolecules. These liquids offer unprecedented opportunities in bionanomaterials research, represent a new phase for protein chemistry, and challenge the existing paradigm on the role of water molecules in protein folding and function.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D011506 Proteins Linear POLYPEPTIDES that are synthesized on RIBOSOMES and may be further modified, crosslinked, cleaved, or assembled into complex proteins with several subunits. The specific sequence of AMINO ACIDS determines the shape the polypeptide will take, during PROTEIN FOLDING, and the function of the protein. Gene Products, Protein,Gene Proteins,Protein,Protein Gene Products,Proteins, Gene
D044367 Phase Transition A change of a substance from one form or state to another. Gas-Liquid-Solid Phase Transitions,Sol-Gel Phase Transition,Gas Liquid Solid Phase Transitions,Gas-Liquid-Solid Phase Transition,Phase Transition, Gas-Liquid-Solid,Phase Transition, Sol-Gel,Phase Transitions,Phase Transitions, Gas-Liquid-Solid,Phase Transitions, Sol-Gel,Sol Gel Phase Transition,Sol-Gel Phase Transitions,Transition, Gas-Liquid-Solid Phase,Transition, Sol-Gel Phase,Transitions, Gas-Liquid-Solid Phase,Transitions, Sol-Gel Phase
D049329 Nanostructures Materials which have structured components with at least one dimension in the range of 1 to 100 nanometers. These include NANOCOMPOSITES; NANOPARTICLES; NANOTUBES; and NANOWIRES. Nanomaterials,Nanostructured Materials,Material, Nanostructured,Materials, Nanostructured,Nanomaterial,Nanostructure,Nanostructured Material
D036103 Nanotechnology The development and use of techniques to study physical phenomena and construct structures in the nanoscale size range or smaller. Nanotechnologies

Related Publications

Adam W Perriman, and Stephen Mann
March 2008, Journal of physics. Condensed matter : an Institute of Physics journal,
Adam W Perriman, and Stephen Mann
August 2019, Neurosurgery,
Adam W Perriman, and Stephen Mann
December 2014, Advances in neonatal care : official journal of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses,
Adam W Perriman, and Stephen Mann
May 2024, Molecular brain,
Adam W Perriman, and Stephen Mann
January 2015, Solid state nuclear magnetic resonance,
Adam W Perriman, and Stephen Mann
April 2020, Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland),
Adam W Perriman, and Stephen Mann
February 2022, Molecular cancer,
Adam W Perriman, and Stephen Mann
April 2007, Journal of emergency nursing,
Adam W Perriman, and Stephen Mann
September 2016, Seminars in dialysis,
Adam W Perriman, and Stephen Mann
April 2007, Tanpakushitsu kakusan koso. Protein, nucleic acid, enzyme,
Copied contents to your clipboard!