@article{CharanKinzelGlebeetal.2016,
  author    = {Charan, Himanshu and Kinzel, Julia and Glebe, Ulrich and Anand, Deepak and Garakani, Tayebeh Mirzaei and Zhu, Leilei and Bocola, Marco and Schwaneberg, Ulrich and B{\"o}ker, Alexander},
  title     = {Grafting PNIPAAm from beta-barrel shaped transmembrane nanopores},
  series = {Biomaterials : biomaterials reviews online},
  volume    = {107},
  journal   = {Biomaterials : biomaterials reviews online},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  address   = {Oxford},
  issn      = {0142-9612},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.biomaterials.2016.08.033},
  pages     = {115 -- 123},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {The research on protein-polymer conjugates by grafting from the surface of proteins has gained significant interest in the last decade. While there are many studies with globular proteins, membrane proteins have remained untouched to the best of our knowledge. In this study, we established the conjugate formation with a class of transmembrane proteins and grow polymer chains from the ferric hydroxamate uptake protein component A (FhuA; a beta-barrel transmembrane protein of Escherichia coli). As the lysine residues of naturally occurring FhuA are distributed over the whole protein, FhuA was reengineered to have up to 11 lysines, distributed symmetrically in a rim on the membrane exposed side (outside) of the protein channel and exclusively above the hydrophobic region. Reengineering of FhuA ensures a polymer growth only on the outside of the beta-barrel and prevents blockage of the channel as a result of the polymerization. A water-soluble initiator for controlled radical polymerization (CRP) was consecutively linked to the lysine residues of FhuA and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) polymerized under copper mediated CRP conditions. The conjugate formation was analyzed by using MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry, SDS-PAGE, circular dichroism spectroscopy, analytical ultracentrifugation, dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy and size exclusion chromatography. Such conjugates combine the specific functions of the transmembrane proteins, like maintaining membrane potential gradients or translocation of substrates with the unique properties of synthetic polymers such as temperature and pH stimuli handles. FhuA-PNIPAAm conjugates will serve as functional nanosized building blocks for applications in targeted drug delivery, self-assembly systems, functional membranes and transmembrane protein gated nanoreactors. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{GarakaniLiuGlebeetal.2019,
  author    = {Garakani, Tayebeh Mirzaei and Liu, Zhanzhi and Glebe, Ulrich and Gehrmann, Julia and Lazar, Jaroslav and Mertens, Marie Anna Stephanie and M{\"o}ller, Mieke and Hamzelui, Niloofar and Zhu, Leilei and Schnakenberg, Uwe and B{\"o}ker, Alexander and Schwaneberg, Ulrich},
  title     = {In Situ Monitoring of Membrane Protein Insertion into Block Copolymer Vesicle Membranes and Their Spreading via Potential-Assisted Approach},
  series = {ACS applied materials \& interfaces},
  volume    = {11},
  journal   = {ACS applied materials \& interfaces},
  number    = {32},
  publisher = {American Chemical Society},
  address   = {Washington},
  issn      = {1944-8244},
  doi       = {10.1021/acsami.9b09302},
  pages     = {29276 -- 29289},
  year      = {2019},
  abstract  = {Synthosomes are polymer vesicles with trans membrane proteins incorporated into block copolymer membranes. They have been used for selective transport in or out of the vesicles as well as catalysis inside the compartments. However, both the insertion process of the membrane protein, forming nanopores, and the spreading of the vesicles on planar substrates to form solid-supported biomimetic membranes have been rarely studied yet. Herein, we address these two points and, first, shed light on the real-time monitoring of protein insertion via isothermal titration calorimetry. Second, the spreading process on different solid supports, namely, SiO2, glass, and gold, via different techniques like spin- and dip-coating as well as a completely new approach of potential-assisted spreading on gold surfaces was studied. While inhomogeneous layers occur via traditional methods, our proposed potential-assisted strategy to induce adsorption of positively charged vesicles by applying negative potential on the electrode leads to remarkable vesicle spreading and their further fusion to form more homogeneous planar copolymer films on gold. The polymer vesicles in our study are formed from amphiphilic copolymers poly(2-methyl oxazoline)-block-poly(dimethylsiloxane)-block-poly(2-methyl oxazoline) (PMOXA-b-PDMS-b-PMOXA). Engineered variants of the transmembrane protein ferric hydroxamate uptake protein component A (FhuA), one of the largest beta-barrel channel proteins, are used as model nanopores. The incorporation of FhuA Delta 1-160 is shown to facilitate the vesicle spreading process further. Moreover, high accessibility of cysteine inside the channel was proven by linkage of a fluorescent dye inside the engineered variant FhuA Delta CVFtev and hence preserved functionality of the channels after spreading. The porosity and functionality of the spread synthosomes on the gold plates have been examined by studying the passive ion transport response in the presence of Li+ and ClO4- ions and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis. Our approach to form solid-supported biomimetic membranes via the potential-assisted strategy could be important for the development of new (bio-) sensors and membranes.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Charan2017,
  author    = {Charan, Himanshu},
  title     = {Self assembled transmembrane protein polymer conjugates for the generation of nano thin membranes and micro compartments},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-402060},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {xii, 138},
  year      = {2017},
  abstract  = {This project was focused on generating ultra thin stimuli responsive membranes with an embedded transmembrane protein to act as the pore. The membranes were formed by crosslinking of transmembrane protein polymer conjugates. The conjugates were self assembled on air water interface and the polymer chains crosslinked using a UV crosslinkable comonomer to engender the membrane. The protein used for the studies reported herein was one of the largest transmembrane channel proteins, ferric hydroxamate uptake protein component A (FhuA), found in the outer membrane of Escherichia coli (E. coli). The wild type protein and three genetic variants of FhuA were provided by the group of Prof. Schwaneberg in Aachen. The well known thermo responsive poly(N isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) and the pH and thermo responsive polymer poly((2-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) were conjugated to FhuA and the genetic variants via controlled radical polymerization (CRP) using grafting from technique. These polymers were chosen because they would provide stimuli handles in the resulting membranes. The reported polymerization was the first ever attempt to attach polymer chains onto a membrane protein using site specific modification. The conjugate synthesis was carried out in two steps - a) FhuA was first converted into a macroinitiator by covalently linking a water soluble functional CRP initiator to the lysine residues. b) Copper mediated CRP was then carried out in pure buffer conditions with and without sacrificial initiator to generate the conjugates. The challenge was carrying out the modifications on FhuA without denaturing it. FhuA, being a transmembrane protein, requires amphiphilic species to stabilize its highly hydrophobic transmembrane region. For the experiments reported in this thesis, the stabilizing agent was 2 methyl 2,4-pentanediol (MPD). Since the buffer containing MPD cannot be considered a purely aqueous system, and also because MPD might interfere with the polymerization procedure, the reaction conditions were first optimized using a model globular protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA). The optimum conditions were then used for the generation of conjugates with FhuA. The generated conjugates were shown to be highly interfacially active and this property was exploited to let them self assemble onto polar apolar interfaces. The emulsions stabilized by particles or conjugates are referred to as Pickering emulsions. Crosslinking conjugates with a UV crosslinkable co monomer afforded nano thin micro compartments. Interfacial self assembly at the air water interface and subsequent UV crosslinking also yielded nano thin, stimuli responsive membranes which were shown to be mechanically robust. Initial characterization of the flux and permeation of water through these membranes is also reported herein. The generated nano thin membranes with PNIPAAm showed reduced permeation at elevated temperatures owing to the resistance by the hydrophobic and thus water-impermeable polymer matrix, hence confirming the stimulus responsivity. Additionally, as a part of collaborative work with Dr. Changzhu Wu, TU Dresden, conjugates of three enzymes with current/potential industrial relevance (candida antarctica lipase B, benzaldehyde lyase and glucose oxidase) with stimuli responsive polymers were synthesized. This work aims at carrying out cascade reactions in the Pickering emulsions generated by self assembled enzyme polymer conjugate.},
  language  = {en}
}