Surface interactions of gelatin-sourced carbon quantum dots with a model globular protein: insights into carbon-based nanomaterials and biological systems.

ABSTRACT: Carbon nanomaterials (CNMs), such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene quantum dots (GQDs), and carbon quantum dots (CQDs), are prevalent in biological systems and have been widely utilized in applications like environmental sensing and biomedical fields. While their presence in human matrices is projected to increase, the interfacial interactions between carbon-based nanoscopic platforms and biomolecular systems continue to remain underexplored. In this study, we investigated the effect of gelatin-sourced CQDs on the globular milk protein beta-lactoglobulin (BLG). Exposure to the CQDs resulted in the disruption of BLG's tertiary and secondary structural elements (transformation of isolated helices to coiled-coils and increased beta-sheet content), with IR amide backbone signatures further

SUBMITTER: Masoudi Asil S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11694652 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature