Successful protein-based enrichment of uranyl, the predominant form of uranium from seawater, relies not only on selective binding of uranyl with a high affinity but also on the reusability of protein binder and a supporting matrix that is abundantly available at low cost. In this work, we propose a silica-binding peptide-enabled approach that allows the noncovalent immobilization of super uranyl-binding protein (SUP) onto silica nanoparticles for their repeated use. We first thoroughly examined solution conditions that affect the stability of uranyl-binding proteins and identified suitable physical conditions that are beneficial for the non-covalent SUP immobilization and subsequent capture of uranyl. We found that the molecular linker between SUP and silica binding peptide plays an important role in improving interaction strength between the silica nanoparticles and the engineered proteins. Consequently, we have demonstrated repeatable recovery and enrichment of uranyl ions from synthetic seawater using the engineered protein on silica nanoparticles. Our approach does not require chemical modification of silica nanoparticles, yet offers strong attachment of SUP to the silica interface and thus attractive reusability of protein-silica nanomaterials.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.