Showing papers on "Nanobiotechnology published in 2013"

Biogenic Synthesis of Metallic Nanoparticles by Plant Extracts

Abstract: In recent years, nanobiotechnology has emerged as an elementary division of modern science and a noval epoch in the fields of material science and is receiving global attention due to its ample applications. Various physical, chemical, and biological methods have been employed to synthesize nanomaterials. Biological systems such as bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, yeasts, viruses, and plants have been reported to synthesize various metal and metal oxide nanoparticles. Among these, biosynthesis of nanoparticles from plants seems to be a very effective method in developing a rapid, clean, nontoxic, and eco-friendly technology. The use of plant biomass or extracts for the biosynthesis of novel metal nanoparticles (silver, gold, platinum, and palladium) would be more significant if the nanoparticles are synthesized extracellularly and in a controlled manner according to their dispersity of shape and size. Owing to the rich biodiversity of plants, their potential use toward the synthesis of these nobel metal na...

Nanobiotechnology as a novel paradigm for enzyme immobilisation and stabilisation with potential applications in biodiesel production

Abstract: Nanobiotechnology is emerging as a new frontier of biotechnology. The potential applications of nanobiotechnology in bioenergy and biosensors have encouraged researchers in recent years to investigate new novel nanoscaffolds to build robust nanobiocatalytic systems. Enzymes, mainly hydrolytic class of enzyme, have been extensively immobilised on nanoscaffold support for long-term stabilisation by enhancing thermal, operational and storage catalytic potential. In the present report, novel nanoscaffold variants employed in the recent past for enzyme immobilisation, namely nanoparticles, nanofibres, nanotubes, nanopores, nanosheets and nanocomposites, are discussed in the context of lipase-mediated nanobiocatalysis. These nanocarriers have an inherently large surface area that leads to high enzyme loading and consequently high volumetric enzyme activity. Due to their high tensile strengths, nanoscale materials are often robust and resistant to breakage through mechanical shear in the running reactor making them suitable for multiple reuses. The optimisation of various nanosupports process parameters, such as the enzyme type and selection of suitable immobilisation method may help lead to the development of an efficient enzyme reactor. This might in turn offer a potential platform for exploring other enzymes for the development of stable nanobiocatalytic systems, which could help to address global environmental issues by facilitating the production of green energy. The successful validation of the feasibility of nanobiocatalysis for biodiesel production represents the beginning of a new field of research. The economic hurdles inherent in viably scaling nanobiocatalysts from a lab-scale to industrial biodiesel production are also discussed.

Polymerization-Induced Self-Assembly of Galactose-Functionalized Biocompatible Diblock Copolymers for Intracellular Delivery

Abstract: Recent advances in polymer science are enabling substantial progress in nanobiotechnology, particularly in the design of new tools for enhanced understanding of cell biology and for smart drug delivery formulations. Herein, a range of novel galactosylated diblock copolymer nano-objects is prepared directly in concentrated aqueous solution via reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization using polymerization-induced self-assembly. The resulting nanospheres, worm-like micelles, or vesicles interact in vitro with galectins as judged by a turbidity assay. In addition, galactosylated vesicles are highly biocompatible and allow intracellular delivery of an encapsulated molecular cargo.

Coarse-graining DNA for simulations of DNA nanotechnology

Abstract: To simulate long time and length scale processes involving DNA it is necessary to use a coarse-grained description. Here we provide an overview of different approaches to such coarse-graining, focussing on those at the nucleotide level that allow the self-assembly processes associated with DNA nanotechnology to be studied. OxDNA, our recently-developed coarse-grained DNA model, is particularly suited to this task, and has opened up this field to systematic study by simulations. We illustrate some of the range of DNA nanotechnology systems to which the model is being applied, as well as the insights it can provide into fundamental biophysical properties of DNA.

Fabrication of 14 different RNA nanoparticles for specific tumor targeting without accumulation in normal organs

Abstract: Duetostructuralflexibility,RNasesensitivity,andseruminstability,RNAnanoparticleswithconcreteshapesforinvivoapplication remain challenging to construct. Here we report the construction of 14 RNA nanoparticles with solid shapes for targeting cancers specifically. These RNA nanoparticles were resistant to RNase degradation, stable in serum for >36 h, and stable in vivo after systemic injection. By applying RNA nanotechnology and exemplifying with these 14 RNA nanoparticles, we have established the technology and developed “toolkits” utilizing a variety of principles to construct RNA architectures with diverse shapes and angles. The structure elements of phi29 motor pRNA were utilized for fabrication of dimers, twins, trimers, triplets, tetramers, quadruplets, pentamers, hexamers, heptamers, and other higher-order oligomers, as well as branched diverse architectures via hand-in-hand, foot-to-foot, and arm-on-arm interactions. These novel RNA nanostructures harbor resourceful functionalities for numerous applications in nanotechnology and medicine. It was found that all incorporated functional modules, such as siRNA, ribozymes, aptamers, and other functionalities, folded correctly and functioned independently within the nanoparticles. The incorporation of all functionalities was achieved prior, but not subsequent, to the assembly of the RNA nanoparticles, thus ensuring the production of homogeneous therapeutic nanoparticles. More importantly, upon systemic injection, these RNA nanoparticles targeted cancer exclusively in vivo without accumulation in normal organs and tissues. These findings open a new territory for cancer targeting and treatment. The versatility and diversity in structure and function derived from one biological RNA molecule implies immense potential concealed within the RNA nanotechnology field.

Nanotechnology: Interdisciplinary science of applications

Abstract: Nanotechnology is the study of particle sizes between 1 and 100 nanometers at least at one dimension. Particle size reduced to nanometer length scale exhibit more surface area to volume size ratio and showing unusual properties makes them enable for systematic applications in engineering, biomedical, agricultural and allied sectors. Nanomaterial can create from bottom up or top down approaches using physical, chemical and biological mode of synthesis. Keywords: Nanotechnology, nanomaterial, nanobiotechnology, nanotech-applications African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(3), pp. 219-226

Fruit-mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Vitis vinifera and evaluation of their antimicrobial efficacy

Abstract: Nanobiotechnology is a rapidly growing scientific field of producing and constructing devices utilizing nanosized particles of about nanometer scale level (1 to 100 nm). Nowadays, nanoparticles have potential effects in life sciences and human health care applications. Among the nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles are playing a major role in the field of biomedical nanotechnology and nanomedicine. Silver is a naturally occurring precious metal, most often as a mineral ore in association with other elements. Silver nanoparticle has a natural antimicrobial effect against many pathogens such as bacteria, fungus, viruses, and yeast. In this present study, the silver nanoparticle is produced using Vitis vinifera fruit extract, and the purified nanoparticles will be used as an antibacterial agent against Bacillus subtilis and Klebsiella planticola. This green chemistry for the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles has several advantages such as cost-effectiveness and compatibility for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications as well as for large-scale commercial production. Apart from this, it is an eco-friendly process, and compared with microorganisms, plant extract biorecovery unit has an added benefit of ease handling.

Individual inorganic nanoparticles: preparation, functionalization and in vitro biomedical diagnostic applications

Abstract: Inorganic nanoparticles have become the focus of modern materials science due to their potential technological importance, particularly in bionanotechnology, which stems from their unique physical properties including size-dependent optical, magnetic, electronic, and catalytic properties. The present article provides an overview on the currently used individual inorganic nanoparticles for in vitro biomedical domains. These inorganic nanoparticles include iron oxides, gold, silver, silica, quantum dots (QDs) and second harmonic generation (SHG) particles. For each of these interesting nanoparticles, the main issues starting from preparation up to bio-related applications are presented.

Nanobiotechnology meets plant cell biology: carbon nanotubes as organelle targeting nanocarriers

Abstract: For years, nanotechnology has shown great promise in the fields of biomedical and biotechnological sciences and medical research. In this review, we demonstrate its versatility and applicability in plant cell biology studies. Specifically, we discuss the ability of functionalized carbon nanotubes to penetrate the plant cell wall, target specific organelles, probe protein-carrier activity and induce organelle recycling in plant cells. We also, shed light on prospective applications of carbon nanomaterials in cell biology and plant cell transformation.

Gold nanoparticles: an era in bionanotechnology

Abstract: Introduction: Gold nanoparticles have been efficiently and effectively used for the delivery of biomolecules and genes along with the potential to offer extremely sensitive diagnostics and imaging methods. Areas covered: This review discusses the historical aspects, synthesis of gold nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles as drug delivery vehicles, photothermal effect of gold nanoparticles and the applications of gold nanoparticles. Gold nanoparticles with their unique optical properties may be useful as biosensors in living cells and has application in the field of drug delivery and photothermal therapy. Depending on the size, shape and degree of aggregation and nature of the protecting organic shells on their surface, gold nanoparticles can appear red, blue and other colors and emit bright resonance light of various wavelengths, which falls under visible region. Because of this property, gold nanoparticles have been extensively used as probes for sensing/imaging a wide range of analysts/targets such as prote...

Nanostructures for magnetically triggered release of drugs and biomolecules

Abstract: Specific targeting and controlled release are crucial factors in the administration of drugs and therapeutic biomolecules. It has been shown that drug delivery systems can significantly benefit of the introduction of superparamagnetic nanoparticles in terms of both targeting and controlled release. Magnetic gradients can be used to target therapeutics to specific regions, while alternating magnetic fields produce frequency-dependent effects at the nanoparticle level. This review reports on the latest developments of multifunctional systems based on magnetic nanoparticles where the release of drugs and/or biomolecules is triggered by the application of an external magnetic field. The potentials of these systems are presented through examples in the fields of surface functionalized magnetic nanoparticles, magnetic polymer nanocomposites and magnetoliposomes. Recent results suggest the importance of integrating multiple functions within a single nanostructured device in order to successfully transport, localize and release drugs and biomolecules.

Down-/up-conversion luminescence nanocomposites for dual-modal cell imaging

Abstract: Dual-modal luminescence nanocomposites (NCs) were successfully prepared via a facile and versatile strategy by embedding the hydrophobic down-conversion (DC) fluorescence ZnS:Mn2+ quantum dots (QDs) and up-conversion (UC) luminescence NaYF4:Er3+/Yb3+ nanoparticles (NPs) into hydrophilic polymer matrixes through in situ cross-linking polymerization. Due to the enriched carboxylic groups in the polymer matrixes, the as-prepared NCs are highly water-stable and bioconjugatable with chemical and biological moieties. The results of cytotoxicity assay and dual-modal luminescence cell imaging application of DC–UC NCs indicate that the as-prepared NCs are biocompatible and applicable in biomedical fields. The current work paves the way to the fabrication of multifunctional NCs including down- and up-conversion dual-modal luminescence, luminescence–magnetism, magnetic targeted drug vehicles and magnetic recyclable catalyst NCs, and will attract wide attention from the fields of chemistry, materials, catalysis, nanotechnology, nanobiotechnology and nanomedicine.

DNA nanotechnology: a future perspective

Abstract: In addition to its genetic function, DNA is one of the most distinct and smart self-assembling nanomaterials. DNA nanotechnology exploits the predictable self-assembly of DNA oligonucleotides to design and assemble innovative and highly discrete nanostructures. Highly ordered DNA motifs are capable of providing an ultra-fine framework for the next generation of nanofabrications. The majority of these applications are based upon the complementarity of DNA base pairing: adenine with thymine, and guanine with cytosine. DNA provides an intelligent route for the creation of nanoarchitectures with programmable and predictable patterns. DNA strands twist along one helix for a number of bases before switching to the other helix by passing through a crossover junction. The association of two crossovers keeps the helices parallel and holds them tightly together, allowing the assembly of bigger structures. Because of the DNA molecule's unique and novel characteristics, it can easily be applied in a vast variety of multidisciplinary research areas like biomedicine, computer science, nano/optoelectronics, and bionanotechnology.

Lipid-nanostructure hybrids and their applications in nanobiotechnology

Abstract: Cell membranes contain a variety of lipids and functional proteins that offer active platforms that organize the membrane components into functional assemblies and perform biologically important reactions. The dynamic and complex nature of the membranes makes them attractive materials, but at the same time, researchers report substantial experimental uncertainty in controlling the membrane reactions and extracting valuable information. The fascinating new structures and properties of nanomaterials could be utilized in addressing aforementioned issues, and the design and synthesis of lipid-nanostructure hybrids could be beneficial to the research areas in lipid-membrane biotechnology and nanobiotechnology. These hybrid structures possess dimensions that are comparable to that of biological molecules and structures and physicochemical properties that arise from both lipids and nanomaterials. Therefore, lipid-nanostructure hybrids offer additional options for control of the synthesized structures, provide new insight in understanding nanostructures and biological systems and allow the mimicking of functional subcellular membrane components and monitoring of the membrane-associated reactions in a highly sensitive and controllable manner. In this review, we present recent advances in the synthesis of various lipid-nanostructure hybrids and the application of these structures in biotechnology and nanotechnology. We further describe the scientific and practical applications of lipid-nanostructure hybrids for detecting membrane-targeting molecules, interfacing nanostructures with live cells and creating membrane-mimicking platforms to investigate various intercellular processes. Cell membranes, which mostly consist of lipids and proteins, routinely rearrange to perform a variety of biological processes. There is much interest in fabricating lipid bilayer-based structures that resemble these membranes to serve as cell mimics or functional materials which, for example, have potential for use in drug delivery through the encapsulation and subsequent release of cargo. The dynamic nature of the structures, however, makes them difficult to control – an issue that can be circumvented by their assembly with other nanomaterials such as solid, and sometimes porous, supports or carbon nanotubes. Moreover, multifunctionality can also be obtained by combining lipids with nanomaterials. Jwa-Min Nam and co-workers from Seoul National University in Korea review recent advances in the synthesis of these hybrid nanostructures, the properties arising from their controllable assembly, and their application to the study of biological molecules, cells and processes. The hybrid systems show promise as a platform for interaction with live cells and the investigation of intercellular events. Lipid-nanostructure hybrids possess dimensions that are comparable to biological molecules as well as unique and useful physicochemical properties arising from both lipids and nanomaterials. Therefore, the hybrids allow mimicking of the assembled structure and function of subcellular membrane components and monitoring of the membrane-associated reactions in a highly sensitive and controllable manner. In this review, we present recent advances in the synthesis of various lipid-nanostructure hybrids and the use of these structures for applications in nanobiotechnology. We further describe the scientific and practical applications of lipid-nanostructure hybrids for detecting membrane-targeting molecules, interfacing nanostructures with live cells and creating membrane-mimicking platforms to investigate cell–cell communication and intracellular processes.

Molecular design and applications of self-assembling surfactant-like peptides

Abstract: Self-assembling surfactant-like peptides have been explored as emerging nanobiomaterials in recent years. These peptides are usually amphiphilic, typically possessing a hydrophobicmoiety and a hydrophilicmoiety. The structural characteristics can promote many peptide molecules to self-assemble into various nanostructures. Furthermore, properties of peptide molecules such as charge distribution and geometrical shape could also alter the formation of the self-assembling nanostructures. Based on their diverse self-assembling behaviours and nanostructures, self-assembling surfactant-like peptides exhibit great potentials in many fields, including membrane protein stabilization, drug delivery, and tissue engineering. This review mainly focuses on recent advances in studying self-assembling surfactant-like peptides, introducing their designs and the potential applications in nanobiotechnology.

A plant derived multifunctional tool for nanobiotechnology based on Tomato bushy stunt virus

Abstract: Structure, size, physicochemical properties and production strategies make many plant viruses ideal protein based nanoscaffolds, nanocontainers and nano-building blocks expected to deliver a multitude of applications in different fields such as biomedicine, pharmaceutical chemistry, separation science, catalytic chemistry, crop pest control and biomaterials science. Functionalization of viral nanoparticles through modification by design of their external and internal surfaces is essential to fully exploit the potentiality of these objects. In the present paper we describe the development of a plant derived multifunctional tool for nanobiotechnology based on Tomato bushy stunt virus. We demonstrate the ability of this system to remarkably sustain genetic modifications and in vitro chemical derivatizations of its outer surface, which resulted in the successful display of large chimeric peptides fusions and small chemical molecules, respectively. Moreover, we have defined physicochemical conditions for viral swelling and reversible viral pore gating that we have successfully employed for foreign molecules loading and retention in the inner cavity of this plant virus nanoparticles system. Finally, a production and purification strategy from Nicotiana benthamiana plants has been addressed and optimized.

Dipeptide derived from benzylcystine forms unbranched nanotubes in aqueous solution

Abstract: The essence of modern nanotechnology is manifested in the formation of well-ordered nanostructures by a process of self-association. Peptides are among the most useful building blocks for organic bionanostructures such as nanotubes, nanospheres, nanotapes, nanofibrils, and other different ordered structures at the nanoscale. Peptides are biocompatible, chemically diverse, and much more stable and can be readily synthesized on a large scale. Also, they have diverse application in biosensors, tissue engineering, drug delivery, etc. Here, we report a short cystine-based dipeptide, which spontaneously self-associates to form straight, unbranched nanotubes. Such self-assembled nanobiomaterials provide a novel possibility of designing new functional biomaterials with potential applications in nanobiotechnology. The formation of nanotubes in solution state has been demonstrated by atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Infrared absorption and circular dichroism demonstrated the intermolecular β-sheet-like backbone hydrogen bonding in juxtaposing and stacking of aromatic side chains.

Tuning Gold Nanoparticles Interfaces by Specific Peptide Interaction for Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) and Separation Applications

Abstract: Surface functionalization and control over nanostructured interfaces represents a key aspect in nanoscience and nanobiotechnology. Nanoplasmonic structures for analyte detection typically require sophisticated nanofabrication techniques, as well as bioactivated nanostructures that need multistep conjugations for chemical ligation. An alternative to such complex processes is to rely on specific biomolecules adsorption for decoration or self-assembly of nanoparticles at solid/liquid interface. In principle, small biomolecules with specific binding properties to nanostructures could control the assembly without modifying the nanoparticle chemistry, pH of the solution or salt concentration. Importantly, such an approach could be direct, robust, and reversible. In this work, we report about the use of a specific peptide for direct and reversible adsorption on gold nanoparticles with tuned interfacial properties just by simply adjusting the ratio between the numbers of peptide molecules to the number of gold na...

Nanobiotechnology: an efficient approach to drug delivery of unstable biomolecules.

Abstract: Biotechnology and nanotechnology are fields of science that can be applied together to solve a variety of biological issues. In the case of human health, biotechnology attempts to improve advances on the therapy against several diseases. Therapeutic peptides and proteins are promissory molecules for developing new medicines. Gene transfection and RNA interference have been considered important approaches for modern therapy to treat cancer and viral infections. However, because of their instability, these molecules alone cannot be used for in vivo application, since they are easily degraded or presenting a poor efficiency. Nanotechnology can contribute by the development of nanostructured delivery systems to increase the stability and potency of these molecules. Studies involving polymeric and magnetic nanoparticles, dendrimers, and carbon nanotubes have demonstrated a possibility to use these systems as vectors instead of the conventional viral ones, which present adverse effects, such as recombination and immunogenicity. This review presents some possibilities and strategies to efficiently delivery peptides, proteins, gene and RNA interference using nanotechnology approach.

Proteins and Peptides as Biological Nanowires: Towards Biosensing Devices

Abstract: The current landscape of nanotechnology is such that attention is being given to those materials that self-assemble, as a mode of "bottom-up" fabrication of nanomaterials. The field of nanotubes and nanowires has long been dominated by carbon nanotubes and inorganic materials. However in more recent years, the search for materials with desirable properties, such as self-assembly, has unsurprisingly led to the biological world, where functional nanoscale biomolecular assemblies are in abundance.Potential has been seen for a number of these assemblies to be translated into functional nanomaterials. The early days of bionanotechnology saw a lot of attention given to DNA molecules as nanowires, and proteins and peptides have now also been seen to have promise in this area. With most of the biological structures investigated having low conductivity in the native state, the use of biomolecules as templates for the formation of metallic and semiconductor nanowires has been the direction taken.This chapter will discuss the use of various biomolecules and biomolecular assemblies as nanowires, with a particular emphasis on proteins, beginning with an introduction into the field of nanotubes and nanowires. Many applications are now recognized for nanowires, but for brevity, this chapter will focus solely on their use as biosensors, using glucose sensors as a case study.

Method for carrying out DNA (deoxyribose nucleic acid) detection based on PCR (polymerase chain reaction) assembled magnetic nanoparticles

Abstract: The invention provides a method for carrying out DNA (deoxyribose nucleic acid) detection based on PCR (polymerase chain reaction) assembled magnetic nanoparticles and belongs to the field of nanobiotechnology detection. The method comprises the following steps of: coupling magnetic nanoparticles with an upstream primer and a downstream primer respectively, assembling the magnetic nanoparticles by applying PCR, and detecting a magnetic nanoparticle assembly by adopting a magnetic resonance signal. According to the method for detecting DNA based on the magnetic nanoparticle assembly, magnetic nanoparticles coupled with primers are used, assembling in different degrees is carried out by applying PCR in presence of a target DNA, and the target DNA is detected by the magnetic resonance signal by virtue of difference of aggregation extents of magnetic nanoparticle assemblies. The method for detecting DNA based on PCR-assembled magnetic nanoparticles can realize ultrasensitive detection on DNA, detection limit is low, detection sensitivity is high, specificity is good, and high throughout detection requirement can be realized.