Formation of biomimetic coatings capable of retaining high cell survivability and selective permeability to analytes is a primary objective for cell-based sensor applications. We explored the formation of nanoshells on individual cells based on silk derivative polyelectrolytes: silk fibroin (SF) modified with poly-L-lysine (SF-PL), silk fibroin modified with poly-L-glutamic acid (SF-PG), and grafted to SF-PL polyethylene glycol (SF-PL-g-PEG) with different degrees of grafting (g). Variables included the molecular weight of the poly-amino acids (length of side chains), degree of PEG grafting (g) in order to assess the effect of polycations, even in the form of small side chains attached to large protein macromolecule on properties of microbial cells. We showed that survivability/activity of cells which was initially defined by the type of microbial cells (yeast vs bacterial), also depended on the chemical intermolecular interactions involved in constructing the silk shells. Polyelectrolyte shells had the lowest survivability rates, coatings assembled electrostatically with a low grafting ratio of SF-PL-g-PEG improved cell survivability, and coatings assembled based on hydrogen-bond interactions with high grafting ratios of SF-PL-g-PEG had the highest cell viability.

Shells from ionomer silk derivatives and microbial cell responses

247th National Meeting (2014)

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