Confining a Protein-Containing Water Nanodroplet inside Silica Nanochannels.

ABSTRACT: Incorporation of biological systems in water nanodroplets has recently emerged as a new frontier to investigate structural changes of biomolecules, with perspective applications in ultra-fast drug delivery. We report on the molecular dynamics of the digestive protein Pepsin subjected to a double confinement. The double confinement stemmed from embedding the protein inside a water nanodroplet, which in turn was caged in a nanochannel mimicking the mesoporous silica SBA-15. The nano-bio-droplet, whose size fits with the pore diameter, behaved differently depending on the protonation state of the pore surface silanols. Neutral channel sections allowed for the droplet to flow, while deprotonated sections acted as anchoring piers for the droplet. Inside the droplet, the protein, not directly bo

SUBMITTER: Giussani L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6627703 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature