Biomolecules dynamic in solid surfaces using spectromicroscopy

• Grant number: 20/10724-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): December 01, 2020
• Effective date (End): July 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Frank Nelson Crespilho
• Grantee: Giovana Rossi Mendes
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 18/22214-6 - Towards a convergence of technologies: from sensing and biosensing to information visualization and machine learning for data analysis in clinical diagnosis, AP.TEM

Abstract

Microorganisms, biomolecules and biomembranes are usually immobilized on solid surfaces (gold, silicon, quartz, glass, carbon, nanoparticles substrates, etc.) when it is intended to study and / or apply them in biotechnology. This includes the use of fungi and bacteria in bioelectrode of biofuel cells, enzymes in biosensors, membranes in organ-on-a-chip, cell culture in microfluidic systems and antigen-antibody systems in chromatographic immunoassays. In this project, we intend to study some model systems by Spectromicroscopy in the Infrared Region (µ-FTIR), that is, a technique that allows the generation of chemical images on solid surfaces, where variations in the vibration frequency of chemical bonds are monitored point-by-point with spatial resolution. Emphasis will be given to µ-FTIR with FPA detector (focal plane array), that allows to obtain chemical images with resolution in the order of 2.7 µm, enabling the analysis of biomolecules dynamics in different matrices. Such detector also provides the simultaneous collection of spectra in 4096 isolated regions, with high statistical significance. It is highlighted the relevance of this technique in the study of molecular events hardly accessed in conventional spectrophotometers. Due to its relevance in application in biotechnology, three large groups of samples were selected: i) proteins immobilized on different solid substrates to determine mechanisms of protein-substrate interaction / aggregation through the analysis of its secondary structure; ii) IgG and IgM interaction for COVID-19 (coronavirus SARS-COV-2) and membrane proteins (eg RBD); iii) in situ monitoring the alcoholic fermentation process of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, in which the glucose is converted into ethanol.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

SEDENHO, GRAZIELA C.; MODENEZ, IAGO; MENDES, GIOVANA R.; CRESPILHO, FRANK N.. The role of extracellular polymeric substance matrix on Saccharomyces cerevisiae bioelectricity. Electrochimica Acta, v. 393, OCT 10 2021. (20/10724-0, 18/22214-6, 19/15333-1, 15/22973-6, 19/12053-8)