SKM 2023 – scientific programme

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CPP: Fachverband Chemische Physik und Polymerphysik

CPP 19: Crystallization, Nucleation and Self-Assembly

CPP 19.12: Talk

Tuesday, March 28, 2023, 12:45–13:00, MER 02

From protein adsorption to crystallization: a simultaneous real-time QCM-D and microscopy study — •Hadra Banks, Furio Surfaro, Simon Storz, Anna Maischberger, Cara Buchholz, Kai-Florian Pastryk, Alexander Gerlach, and Frank Schreiber — University of Tübingen, Germany

Protein crystallization is widely investigated by employing a homogeneous nucleation approach; however, it is predicted that heterogeneous nucleation is energetically more favorable [1]. Nevertheless, only few experimental studies on the nucleation of protein crystals at surfaces are available, since this is a complex phenomenon and requires surface-sensitive techniques. Here, quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), a real-time surface-sensitive technique, was employed simultaneously with optical microscopy to investigate protein adsorption and crystallization at a negatively charged surface. Human serum albumin (HSA) and β-lactoglobulin (BLG), in the presence of a trivalent salt, were used as model systems for the study of heterogeneous nucleation [2]. We found that their surface behavior during crystallization exhibit complex phenomena such as wetting transition, enhanced adsorption, and layer rearrangements. The results highlight the importance of the interaction between proteins and surfaces and how this can influence protein phase behavior.

[1] J. R. Espinosa et al., Soft Matter 15 (47), 9625-9631, 2019

[2] O. Matsarskaia et al., ChemPhysChem 21 (16), 1742-1767, 2020