Shanghai Zhong University of Science and Technology research group developed a super-amyloid gene programmable functional coating material
Significant progress Studies Shanghai University Bell Super Task Force Technology achieved in terms of novel protein coating, related to the results of \”Conformable self-assembling amyloid protein coatings with genetically programmable functionality\” in the title, recently published online in the internationally renowned academic journal \” Science Advances \”. Surface modification of materials plays an important role in electronics, bio-medicine, catalysis, textile and other engineering and technical fields. Use of the coating material is a common material surface modification techniques. Now more common coating materials comprising: a polyelectrolyte, a protein, polydopamine, poly polyphenols. However, the above defects in the material or less conformality, universality, stability and the like, so the application is limited. Class of biological macromolecules (such as polysaccharides, polypeptides, oligopeptides, or proteins, etc.) of the coating material because of its good biocompatibility, biodegradability and environmental friendliness has been widely attention. In nature, bacteria rely on biofilm firmly attached to the surface of various substrates. Previous studies showed that E. coli biofilm CsgA rich amyloid nano fibers which ensure the biofilm mechanical strength, structural integrity, and adhesion to the substrate (FIG. 1). In addition, recent studies have shown that the relevant, comprising CsgA protein gene programmability: i.e. strategies using gene modular functional polypeptide or protein domain may be fused to CsgA protein, the protein without affecting the self-assembly nano-fibers.

Based on this, the group proposed super clock Gene programmable function based coating material CsgA protein E. coli biofilm platform. by a simple dipping solution, i.e., the coating material may be applied on a variety of substrate materials (polymer, metal oxides, and inorganic non-metallic, etc.) and different shapes of the interface (plane, curved, and micro-fibers a fluid channel, etc.) (FIG. 2). Further by genetic engineering techniques, the coating is given a unique feature in turn, functional proteins such as fixed, an anchor is satisfiedM particles and other functions. In addition, the protein comprising a stable structure CsgA structure of amyloid, and therefore such coating materials have better resistance to organic reagents and high temperatures.

Finally, a method for the application of such coating materials and functional simplicity flexible features, problems set a series of new applications, including a conductive coating, a touch switch, a multi-enzyme immobilization, detection of the microfluidic chip (FIGS. 3 and 4). Article developed based gene programmable self-assembling amyloid coating is expected to be applied to electronic, biocatalysis, biological medicine and for the design, implementation of new technologies and the development of new coating process coating material provides inspiration and reference.


is first author on the Science and Technology Institute of China Academy 2015 doctoral substance Li Ying wind , 2017 PhD Li Ke as a co-first authors, corresponding author to bell super researcher , the first complete unit greatly Division. Upper Big Branch School material and electron microscopy analysis test platform for the Materials Characterization Center has given strong support. The research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Shanghai Science and Technology Fund, the Shanghai Education Commission Aurora Project and other projects.