Article
Construction & Building Technology
Shane D. Frazier, Aparna J. Lobo, Mohammad G. Matar, Wil V. Srubar
Summary: This study presents experimental evidence that specific molecular weights of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) are necessary to enhance the freeze-thaw resistance of portland cement paste. The enhancement is achieved through the interaction between biomimetic polymers like PVA and ice, rather than improved hydrophobicity or an adequately entrained air void system.
CEMENT AND CONCRETE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Elizabeth A. Delesky, Luis F. Garcia, Aparna J. Lobo, Rebecca A. Mikofsky, Nicolas D. Dowdy, Jaqueline D. Wallat, Garret M. Miyake, Wil V. Srubar
Summary: Ice growth mitigation is a challenge for multiple industries. Inspired by ice-binding proteins (IBPs), researchers have developed a bioinspired polymer, pHPMA, that shows strong ice recrystallization inhibition (IRI) activity at ultralow nanomolar concentrations. This study provides valuable insights into the synthesis and characterization of potent bioinspired materials that mimic the behavior of native IBPs.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Constanza Sabando, Walther Ide, Saddys Rodriguez-Llamazares, Richard M. Bastias, Miguel Valenzuela, Claudio Rojas, Johanna Castano, Natalia Pettinelli, Rebeca Bouza, Niels Mueller
Summary: This study investigates the antifreeze properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) microparticles. The results show that PVA microparticles can inhibit the growth of ice crystals and reduce freeze injuries in flower bud tissues, indicating their potential for freeze protection in fruit crops.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Zhihong Wang, Min Li, Tao Wu
Summary: Ice recrystallization inhibitors, including antifreeze proteins, polymers, nanomaterials, and small molecules, have been found to effectively reduce freezing damage in cryopreservation. This study reveals that bile salts, a group of small biological molecules, also possess potent ice recrystallization inhibition activity. The activity increases with a decrease in the number of hydroxyl groups in bile salts. These findings expand the range of materials with ice recrystallization inhibition properties.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yixuan Li, Siheng Li, Junqi Sun
Summary: The study successfully fabricated PVA-based plastics with excellent degradability and high mechanical strength by complexing VPVA, HA, and Fe3+ to form VPVA-HA-Fe complexes, showing outstanding performance in watery and soil environments.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Crystallography
Wentao Yang, Yucong Liao, Qi Shi, Zhaoru Sun
Summary: Antifreeze glycoproteins (AFGPs) are powerful inhibitors of ice recrystallization and have been widely studied. However, there is still controversy about the molecular mechanism of how they inhibit ice growth, particularly the group responsible for binding AFGPs to ice. In this study, molecular dynamics simulations are used to investigate the atomistic details of AFGP8 binding to ice. The results show that AFGP8 can bind to ice through backbone dominant binding, disaccharide dominant binding, and weak binding. Hydrogen-bonding and hydrophobic groups contribute equally to the binding and synergistically promote it. The work provides valuable insights into the ice growth inhibition mechanism of AFGP8, which can aid in the design of efficient cryoprotectants.
Article
Polymer Science
Bartosz Kopka, Bartlomiej Kost, Julia Wrzesniewska, Katarzyna Rajkowska, Slawomir Kadlubowski, Alina Kunicka-Styczynska, Andrzej Baryga, Weronika Gonciarz, Malgorzata Basko, Marek Brzezinski
Summary: Supramolecular hydrogels were prepared by cross-linking PVA with quercetin, which possesses antimicrobial and antifungal properties and can form hydrogen bonds with PVA. These hydrogels not only exhibit desired physicochemical properties but also have the ability to eliminate bacterial and fungal strains, including fluconazole-resistant yeast strains. Furthermore, the color change of the hydrogels depending on the bacteria strains indicates their potential as sensors for different bacteria strains. These advantageous features make supramolecular hydrogels highly effective antimicrobial and antifungal materials for food preservation or wound healing applications.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Yuying Fu, Yuan Li, Shuni Weng, Wenhui Qi, Huanhuan Su, Teng Li
Summary: Ice recrystallization inhibition (IRI) activity of amyloid protein fibrils (APFs) is greatly enhanced when APFs serve as Pickering emulsion stabilizer. The IRI activity resulted from the adsorbed APFs on the surface of emulsion droplets, which showed larger particle size and a higher number of droplets per unit volume. The enhancement of IRI activity caused by oil-water interface adsorption is reasonably ascribed to enlarged size, crowding of APFs on the surface of emulsion droplets, and enhanced ice adsorption of APFs. These findings shed light on the application of IRI-active materials as emulsifiers to improve the quality of frozen food containing emulsions.
FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Yuan Yuan, Madison Fomich, Vermont P. Dia, Tong Wang
Summary: The aim of this research was to enhance the ice recrystallization inhibition (IRI) activity of zein and gelatin hydrolysates (ZH and GH) by succinylation modification. Modified hydrolysates (SA modified ZH and OSA modified GH) decreased the average Feret's diameter of ice crystal from 50.2 μm to 28.8 μm and 29.5 μm, respectively. Succinylated samples also exhibited altered surface hydrophobicity, potentially contributing to their enhanced IRI activity. This study demonstrates that succinylation of food-derived protein hydrolysates can improve their IRI activity.
Article
Polymer Science
Seong Baek Yang, Mohammad Rezaul Karim, Jungeon Lee, Jeong Hyun Yeum, Sabina Yeasmin
Summary: Novel poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(vinyl butyral-vinyl alcohol) films with improved hydrophobicity were prepared by saponification of poly(vinyl acetate)/poly(vinyl butyral) blend films. The saponification process was confirmed by various analysis techniques. The hydrophobicity of the films increased with increasing poly(vinyl butyral) content. The saponified films exhibited improved mechanical properties and unique surface characteristics. These films have potential applications in biomaterials, filters, and medical devices.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Min Li, Matthew Winston Reeder, Tao Wu
Summary: In ice cream, food hydrocolloids are commonly used as stabilizers to control ice recrystallization. Recent studies suggest that ice-binding mechanism of stabilizers might inhibit recrystallization. However, high concentrations of stabilizers sometimes result in reduced activity or even accelerated recrystallization. This study investigates the ice recrystallization inhibition (IRI) activity of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) at different concentrations and proposes a new explanation for the reduced activity at high CNCs concentrations.
FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yuying Fu, Yuan Li, David W. Everett, Shuni Weng, Yun Zhai, Mengtin Wang, Teng Li
Summary: This study employed octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) modification to improve the dispersibility and ice recrystallization inhibition activity of amyloid proteins fibrils (APFs). The modification mainly reacted with the amino groups of APFs without significantly changing their morphology. The modified fibrils had lower pI, carried more negative charges, and were more hydrophobic. The OSA modification showed a pH-dependent effect on the dispersibility of the fibrils, with stronger aggregation at acidic pH values.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Panagiotis G. Georgiou, Nina L. H. Kinney, Ioanna Kontopoulou, Alexander N. Baker, Steven A. Hindmarsh, Akalabya Bissoyi, Thomas R. Congdon, Thomas F. Whale, Matthew I. Gibson
Summary: Researchers have developed a synthetic polymeric ice nucleator that mimics the assembly of ice binding proteins. The nucleation activity of the ice binding polymer is shown to be dependent on side-chain density. This study provides a synthetic framework for investigating heterogeneous ice nucleation and offers potential applications in biotechnology.
Article
Polymer Science
Weiwen Hua, Yuanguang Wang, Cun-Yue Guo, Jianjun Wang, Songjun Li, Li Guo
Summary: The study shows that peptoids with different side chains can significantly inhibit ice recrystallization and reduce crystal grain size, without thermal hysteresis. Peptoids with methyl, ethyl, and amino groups on side chains can modulate ice crystal shape, while peptoids bearing hydroxyl and ethyl groups decrease ice growth rate the most.
JOURNAL OF INORGANIC AND ORGANOMETALLIC POLYMERS AND MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Yu Bao, Xiaobo Huang, Duo Xu, Jun Xu, Li Jiang, Zhong-yuan Lu, Shuxun Cui
Summary: This study investigates the impact of water on the properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and proposes a mechanism by which water affects PVA. Water molecules form stable bridges with adjacent hydroxyl groups on PVA, acting like staples on the PVA backbone. The interaction between PVA and water is preferred over intrachain and interchain interactions, contributing to the high moisture sensitivity of PVA materials.
Article
Polymer Science
Panagiotis G. Georgiou, Collette S. Guy, Muhammad Hasan, Ashfaq Ahmad, Sarah-Jane Richards, Alexander N. Baker, Neer Thakkar, Marc Walker, Sarojini Pandey, Neil R. Anderson, Dimitris Grammatopoulos, Matthew Gibson
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the importance of innovative biosensing, diagnostic, and surveillance platforms. This study demonstrates that glycosylated, polymer-stabilized, gold nanorods can bind to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and correlate with the presence of the virus in COVID-19 clinical samples. The use of polymer tethering of glycans shows promise for plasmonic biosensors in infection detection.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Alexander N. Baker, Asier R. Muguruza, Sarah-Jane Richards, Panagiotis G. Georgiou, Stephen Goetz, Marc Walker, Simone Dedola, Robert A. Field, Matthew Gibson
Summary: Lateral flow immuno-assays using glycosylated polymer-coated nanoparticles show potential for rapid and sensitive detection of lectins, providing unique biosensing opportunities. Optimization of the system allows for detection of lectins at subnanomolar concentrations, comparable to antibody-based systems.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Matthew T. Warren, Iain Galpin, Fabienne Bachtiger, Matthew Gibson, Gabriele C. Sosso
Summary: In this study, the researchers discovered that the amino acid L-alpha-alanine exhibits ice recrystallization inhibition activity. Through experimental assays and molecular simulations, they found that the difference in the inhibition activity between L-alpha-alanine and beta-alanine is not due to their ice binding affinity, but rather their capacity to become overgrown by ice. These findings shed new light on the microscopic mechanisms of small molecule cryoprotectants.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ruben M. F. Tomas, Akalabya Bissoyi, Thomas R. Congdon, Matthew I. Gibson
Summary: This study demonstrates the use of a synthetic macromolecular cryoprotectant for efficient cryopreservation of cell monolayers, simplifying cell handling processes and improving research efficiency and quality.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Vinko Zadjelovic, Gabriel Erni-Cassola, Theo Obrador-Viel, Daniel Lester, Yvette Eley, Matthew I. Gibson, Cristina Dorador, Peter N. Golyshin, Stuart Black, Elizabeth M. H. Wellington, Joseph A. Christie-Oleza
Summary: Polyethylene (PE) is a highly durable synthetic material that is widely distributed in nature as a pollutant. This study found that a hydrocarbon-degrading bacterium in the plastisphere is capable of reducing the molecular weight of PE and inducing metabolic pathways for aliphatic compound degradation. These findings suggest that hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria may play a role in the biodegradation of PE.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Akalabya Bissoyi, Ruben M. F. Tomas, Yanan Gao, Qiongyu Guo, Matthew I. Gibson
Summary: This study successfully cryopreserved hepatocyte spheroids using macromolecular cryoprotectants added to DMSO solutions, which significantly improved post-thaw recovery and minimized cryo-injury related membrane damage. Adding polyampholytes also rescued reduced actin polymerization, potentially linked to intracellular ice formation. This research may facilitate access to off-the-shelf and ready-to-use frozen spheroids, reducing the need for in-house culturing and the number of in vivo experiments.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Marta M. P. S. Neves, Sarah-Jane Richards, Alexander N. N. Baker, Marc Walker, Panagiotis G. G. Georgiou, Matthew I. I. Gibson
Summary: Glycoforms of proteins can indicate disease state, making it crucial to develop new tools for detecting protein glycosylation. This study presents a sandwich bio-assay approach using antibodies immobilised on biolayer interferometry sensors to select proteins, and gold nanoparticles functionalised with lectins to identify specific glycoforms. The nanoparticles significantly enhance the signal, allowing the detection of glycoforms at low concentrations without the need for enrichment or manual steps. Proof of concept using prostate specific antigen shows the potential of glycoform analysis in distinguishing cancerous and non-cancerous status.
NANOSCALE HORIZONS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nicola Judge, Panagiotis G. Georgiou, Akalabya Bissoyi, Ashfaq Ahmad, Andreas Heise, Matthew I. Gibson
Summary: Ice-binding proteins (IBPs) are found in extremophile organisms and have various (bio)-technological applications. This study investigates the use of high molecular weight polyproline as an ice recrystallization inhibitor (IRI) and demonstrates the potential of non-vinyl-based polymers in inhibiting ice recrystallization.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Lukas Eickhoff, Mira Kessler, Christopher Stubbs, Jakob Derksen, Martina Viefhues, Dario Anselmetti, Matthew I. I. Gibson, Berthold Hoge, Thomas Koop
Summary: This study explores the relationship between the molecular size of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and its ice nucleation activity. The experiments show that the ice nucleation activity of shorter PVA chains significantly decreases with a decrease in molar mass. The results support the view that PVA polymers and oligomers act as heterogeneous ice nucleators.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Huba L. Marton, Peter Kilbride, Ashfaq Ahmad, Matthew I. Gibson, Antonia P. Sagona
Summary: Bioprocessing and biotechnology utilize microorganisms for various applications, but bacteriophage contamination poses a challenge to product quality and requires extensive decontamination. We demonstrate that poly(acrylic acid) can prevent phage-induced killing of bacterial hosts and replication, without affecting recombinant protein expression. This simple, low-cost additive offers a practical solution to reduce phage contamination.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Kathryn A. Murray, Yanan Gao, Christopher A. Griffiths, Nina L. H. Kinney, Qiongyu Guo, Matthew I. Gibson, Thomas F. Whale
Summary: 3D cell assemblies, such as spheroids, are more accurate in replicating in vivo conditions compared to traditional 2D cell monolayers, making them valuable tools for reducing or replacing animal testing. However, current cryopreservation methods are not well-suited for complex cell models, limiting their usage. By utilizing soluble ice nucleating polysaccharides, researchers have significantly improved spheroid cryopreservation outcomes, providing better cell protection compared to using DMSO alone. The extracellular function of these nucleators reduces the formation of fatal intracellular ice and prevents ice propagation between adjacent cells, potentially revolutionizing the banking and deployment of advanced cell models.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Callum Pritchard, Melissa Ligorio, Garrett D. Jackson, Matthew I. Gibson, Michael D. Ward
Summary: The presentation of glycans in multiple forms enhances their binding capacity to lectins. Current materials used as scaffolds for multivalent glycan arrays have limited reproducibility and predictability due to their intrinsic dispersity. In this study, self-assembled metal coordination cages with predictable ligand arrays were used to assemble a monodisperse library of glycoclusters displaying a range of valencies. The synthetic route was tolerant of biologically relevant glycans, and the glycocluster series demonstrated increased binding to lectins with increasing glycans. This strategy offers an alternative for controlling the valency of 3-D glycan arrays and has potential applications in sensing, imaging, and basic biology.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yanan Gao, Akalabya Bissoyi, Nina L. H. Kinney, Thomas F. Whale, Qiongyu Guo, Matthew I. Gibson
Summary: Spheroids are better at mimicking 3-D tissue niches than standard cell cultures, but cryopreserving them is challenging due to the limitations of conventional cryoprotectants. This study demonstrates that chemically-programmed extracellular ice nucleation combined with proline pre-conditioning can significantly improve post-thaw recovery of spheroids. This highlights the importance of identifying compounds and materials to address both biochemical and biophysical damage pathways beyond standard cryoprotectants.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Huba L. Marton, Peter Kilbride, Ashfaq Ahmad, Antonia P. Sagona, Matthew I. Gibson
Summary: Bioprocessing and biotechnology rely on microorganisms for the production of various products. However, phage contamination poses a significant challenge. In this study, we found that poly(acrylic acid) can prevent phage-induced killing and replication of bacteria without affecting recombinant protein expression. This simple and cost-effective additive offers a practical solution to reduce phage contamination.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Ruben M. F. Tomas, Robert Dallman, Thomas R. Congdon, Matthew I. Gibson
Summary: This study demonstrates the use of soluble ice nucleator materials for the cryopreservation of hepatocyte-derived cell lines and primary hepatocytes, aiming to facilitate high-throughput screening in drug discovery and development. The method preserves cell integrity, viability, and functionality, with higher recovery rates and a more convenient storage format compared to commercial cryopreserved hepatocytes.
BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Paige A. Shaw, Maxime Klausen, Mark Bradley
Summary: A light-responsive polymer capable of controlled release of camptothecin and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was developed, which exhibited high cancer cell killing activity through both camptothecin release and ROS generation.
Article
Polymer Science
Donghui Zhang, Shiqi Liu, Zhihao Cai, Weizhe Luo, Guojian Liu, Runhui Liu
Summary: A straightforward and efficient method for synthesizing NPC monomers has been developed in this study, which enhances the availability of NPC monomers and facilitates the synthesis of polypeptides.
