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Genetically engineered protein in hydrogels tailors stimuli-responsive characteristics

Nature Materials volume 4, pages 298–302 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Certain proteins undergo a substantial conformational change in response to a given stimulus. This conformational change can manifest in different manners and result in an actuation, that is, catalytic or signalling event, movement, interaction with other proteins, and so on1,2,3,4,5,6. In all cases, the sensing–actuation process of proteins is initiated by a recognition event that translates into a mechanical action. Thus, proteins are ideal components for designing new nanomaterials that are intelligent and can perform desired mechanical actions in response to target stimuli. A number of approaches have been undertaken to mimic nature's sensing–actuating process1,2,3,4,5. We now report a new hybrid material that integrates genetically engineered proteins within hydrogels capable of producing a stimulus-responsive action mechanism. The mechanical effect is a result of an induced conformational change and binding affinities of the protein in response to a stimulus. The stimuli-responsive hydrogel exhibits three specific swelling stages in response to various ligands offering additional fine-tuned control over a conventional two-stage swelling hydrogel. The newly prepared material was used in the sensing, and subsequent gating and transport of biomolecules across a polymer network, demonstrating its potential application in microfluidics and miniaturized drug-delivery systems.

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Figure 1: Swelling of stimuli-responsive hydrogel.
Figure 2: Reversible swelling and kinetics of stimuli-responsive hydrogel.
Figure 3: Controlled transport of molecules by stimulus-induced hydrogel swelling.
Figure 4: Incorporation of hydrogels in microfluidic systems.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Aaron A. Urbas for assistance generating hydrogel microdome surface maps. This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (EB003072) and the Kentucky Science & Technology Corporation. J.D.E. acknowledges support from the National Science Foundation-Integrated Graduate Education Research Training program (NSF-IGERT) for a Predoctoral fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, 40506, Kentucky, USA

    Jason D. Ehrick, Sapna K. Deo, Tyler W. Browning, Leonidas G. Bachas & Sylvia Daunert

  2. Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California Irvine, Irvine, 92697, California, USA

    Marc J. Madou

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  1. Jason D. Ehrick
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Correspondence to Sylvia Daunert.

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Supplementary figures S1, S2, S3 and S4; supplementary table S1 (PDF 895 kb)

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Ehrick, J., Deo, S., Browning, T. et al. Genetically engineered protein in hydrogels tailors stimuli-responsive characteristics. Nature Mater 4, 298–302 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat1352

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