Effect of Melanomal Proteins on Sepia Melanin Assembly

last updated: 2015-11-09
ProjectPOLARIS :: publications list
TitleEffect of Melanomal Proteins on Sepia Melanin Assembly
Publication TypePapers in Scientific Journals
Year of Publication2015
AuthorsSrisuk P., Correlo V. M., Leonor I. B., Palladino P., and Reis R. L.
Abstract

Melanins are phenol-based pigments with the potential for widespread applications including bioelectronics and tissue engineering. The concentration-dependent structural transition of sepia melanin in water is analyzed. This biopolymer at high concentration gives the well-known nanospheres, whereas sample dilution gives unforeseen nanofibres exhibiting the structural features of mature amyloid fibrils. We propose a mechanism of pigment self-assembly dependent on the interaction of residual melanosomal protein(s) with eumelanin heteropolymer. Our results contribute to understanding the peculiar physico-chemical properties of this ubiquitous pigment

JournalJournal of Macromolecular Science, Part B: Physics
Date Published2015-10-06
PublisherTaylor and Francis Ltd.
DOI10.1080/00222348.2015.1103430
URLhttp://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00222348.2015.1103430
Keywordsamyloid fibrils, atomic force microscopy, cephalopod ink, scanning electron microscopy, Scanning transmission electron microscopy, Sepia melanin self-assembly
RightsopenAccess
Peer reviewedyes
Statuspublished

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