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<p>Investigating the presence of microbial communities in the Earth's deep terrestrial subsurface and the metabolic processes taking place in these environments provides insight into the some of the ultimate limits for life on Earth, as well as the potential for microbial life to exist within the subsurface of other planetary bodies. This Master's thesis project utilized phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis, in combination with carbon isotope analyses (δ¹³C and Δ¹⁴C), to explore the presence and activity of microbial communities living within deep terrestrial subsurface fracture water systems and low permeability, deep sedimentary rocks. Deep fracture water systems, ranging from 0.9 to 3.2 km below land surface, were sampled for microbial communities via deep mine boreholes in the Witwatersrand Basin of South Africa. PLFA concentrations revealed low biomass microbial communities, ranging from 2x10¹ to 5x10⁴ cells per mL and the PLFA profiles contained indicators for environmental stressors, including high temperatures and nutrient deprivation. δ¹³C and Δ¹⁴C analyses of PLFAs and potential carbon sources (dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and methane) identified microbial utilization of methane in some systems and utilization of DIC in others. Evidence for microbial oxidation of methane and chemoautotrophy in these systems is consistent with a self-sustaining deep terrestrial subsurface biosphere that is capable of surviving independent of the photosphere. Viable microbial communities were also identified within deep (334 to 694 m depth) sedimentary rock cores sampled from the Michigan Basin, Canada. PLFA analyses revealed microbial cell densities ranging from 1-3 x 10⁵ cells/mL and identified PLFA indicators for environmental stressors. These results demonstrate the ubiquity of microbial life in the deep terrestrial subsurface and provide insight into microbial carbon sources and cycling in deep microbial systems which may persist in isolation over geologic timescales.</p> / Master of Science (MSc)

Two-dimensional (2D) nanoscale confinement effects on poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) crystallization were probed through crystallization studies of PCL-b-poly(tert-butyl acrylate) (PCL-b-PtBA) copolymers, PCL with bulky tri-tert-butyl ester endgroups (PCL triesters), PCL with triacid end groups (PCL triacids), and magnetic nanoparticles stabilized by PCL triacid (PCL MNPs) at the air/water (A/W) interface. Thermodynamic analyses of surface pressure-area per monomer (Π−A)) isotherms for the Langmuir films at the A/W interface showed that PCL-b-PtBA copolymers, PCL triheads and PCL MNPs all formed homogenous monolayers below the dynamic collapse pressure of PCL, Π_C ~11 mN•m⁻¹. For compression past the collapse point, the PCL monolayers underwent a phase transition to three-dimensional (3D) crystals and the nanoscale confinements impacted the PCL crystalline morphologies. Studies of PCL-b-PtBA copolymers revealed that the morphologies of the LB-films became smaller and transitioned to dendrites with defects, stripes and finally nano-scale cylindrical features as the block length of PtBA increased. For the case of PCL triester, irregularly shaped crystals formed at the A/W interface and this was attributed to the accumulation of bulky tert-butyl ester groups around the crystal growth fronts. In contrast, regular, nearly round-shaped lamellar crystals were obtained for PCL triacids. These morphological differences between PCL triacids and PCL triesters were molar mass dependent and attributed to differences in dipole density and the submersion of carboxylic acid groups in the subphase. Nonetheless, enhanced uniformity for PCL triacid crystals was not retained once the polymers were tethered to the spherical surface of a PCL MNP. Instead, the PCL MNPs exhibited small irregularly shaped crystals. This nano-scale confinement effect on the surface morphology at the A/W interface was also molar mass dependent. For the small molar mass PCL MNPs, two layers of collapsed nanoparticles were observed. In a later chapter, studies of polyethylene glycol (PEG) surfactant adsorption onto phospholipid bilayers through quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) measurements revealed a strong dependence of the adsorption and desorption kinetics on hydrophobic tail group structure. PEG surfactants with a single linear alkyl tail inserted and saturated the bilayer surface quickly and the surfactants had relatively fast desorption rates. In contrast, PEG lipids, including dioleoyl PEG lipids and cholesterol PEGs, demonstrated slower adsorption and desorption kinetics. The interactions of Pluronics and Nonoxynol surfactants with phospholipid bilayers were also studied. Pluronics showed no apparent affinity for the phospholipid bilayer, while the Nonoxynol surfactants damaged the lipid bilayers as PEG chain length decreased. / Ph. D.

<p>The main aim of this thesis was to characterize membrane-solute interactions using artificial membranes in immobilized liposome chromatography or capillary electrophoresis. The partitioning of a solute into a cell membrane is an essential step in diffusion across the membrane. It is a valid parameter in drug research and can be linked to the permeability as well as the absorption of drugs. Immobilized liposome chromatography was also used to study partitioning of lignin precursor models. Lignin precursors are synthesized within plant cells and need to pass the membrane to be incorporated into lignin in the cell wall.</p><p>In immobilized liposome chromatography, liposomes or lipid bilayer disks were immobilized in gel beads and the partitioning of solutes was determined. Capillary electrophoresis using disks as a pseudostationary phase was introduced as a new approach in drug partitioning studies. In addition, octanol/water partitioning was used to determine the hydrophobicity of the lignin precursor models.</p><p>Electrostatic interactions occurred between bilayers and charged drugs, whereas neutral drugs were less affected. However, neutral lignin precursor models exhibited polar interactions. Moreover, upon changing the buffer ionic strength or the buffer ions, the interactions between charged drugs and neutral liposomes were affected. Hydrophobic interactions were also revealed by including a fatty acid or a neutral detergent into the bilayer or by using a buffer with a high salt concentration. The bilayer manipulation had only a moderate effect on drug partitioning, but the high salt concentration had a large impact on partitioning of lignin precursor models.</p><p>Upon comparing the partitioning into liposomes and disks, the latter showed a more pronounced partitioning due to the larger fraction of lipids readily available for interaction. Finally, bilayer disk capillary electrophoresis was successfully introduced for partitioning studies of charged drugs. This application will be evaluated further as an analytical partitioning method and separation technique.</p>

The main aim of this thesis was to characterize membrane-solute interactions using artificial membranes in immobilized liposome chromatography or capillary electrophoresis. The partitioning of a solute into a cell membrane is an essential step in diffusion across the membrane. It is a valid parameter in drug research and can be linked to the permeability as well as the absorption of drugs. Immobilized liposome chromatography was also used to study partitioning of lignin precursor models. Lignin precursors are synthesized within plant cells and need to pass the membrane to be incorporated into lignin in the cell wall. In immobilized liposome chromatography, liposomes or lipid bilayer disks were immobilized in gel beads and the partitioning of solutes was determined. Capillary electrophoresis using disks as a pseudostationary phase was introduced as a new approach in drug partitioning studies. In addition, octanol/water partitioning was used to determine the hydrophobicity of the lignin precursor models. Electrostatic interactions occurred between bilayers and charged drugs, whereas neutral drugs were less affected. However, neutral lignin precursor models exhibited polar interactions. Moreover, upon changing the buffer ionic strength or the buffer ions, the interactions between charged drugs and neutral liposomes were affected. Hydrophobic interactions were also revealed by including a fatty acid or a neutral detergent into the bilayer or by using a buffer with a high salt concentration. The bilayer manipulation had only a moderate effect on drug partitioning, but the high salt concentration had a large impact on partitioning of lignin precursor models. Upon comparing the partitioning into liposomes and disks, the latter showed a more pronounced partitioning due to the larger fraction of lipids readily available for interaction. Finally, bilayer disk capillary electrophoresis was successfully introduced for partitioning studies of charged drugs. This application will be evaluated further as an analytical partitioning method and separation technique.

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Diese Arbeit konzentriert sich auf die Anwendbarkeit eines hochmodernen 100 kHz BB-VSFG-Spektrometers, das kürzlich im SALSA Photonics Lab entwickelt wurde, für die Analyse der Grenzflächenstruktur von Alkylketten, des sie umgebenden Wassers und der Phosphatkopfgruppen von Phospholipidschichten. Zunächst wurden Phospholipid-Doppelschichten, die mehrere Komponenten enthalten, bei Laserwiederholraten von 5, 10, 50 und 100 kHz mit konstanter Pulsenergie untersucht. Die BB-VSFG-Spektren legen nahe, dass die Phospholipid-Doppelschichten während der Messungen ohne wärmeinduzierte Veränderungen stabil waren. Darüber hinaus bot die Erhöhung der Laserwiederholungsrate eine praktikable Möglichkeit, Spektren in kurzen Datenerfassungszeiten zu erhalten, ohne dass das Signal-Rausch-Verhältnis beeinträchtigt wurde. Die extrem kurze Aufnahmezeit von 500 ms, die hohe spektrale Auflösung und alle verwendeten Pulsparameter sorgen dafür, dass bei Messungen unter Umgebungsbedingungen keine thermisch bedingten Photoschäden auftreten. Es wurde eine systematische Untersuchung von ein- und zweikomponentigen Phospholipid-Monoschichten in Abhängigkeit von der Oberflächenspannung und dem Mischungsverhältnis für verschiedene Kombinationen an Polarisationen durchgeführt und die Abhängigkeit der Schwingungsspektren untersucht. Die Struktur von Alkylketten und umgebendem Wasser wurde anhand derselben Modellsystemen analysiert. Bislang nicht beobachtete Schwingungsbanden und Spektren von Monolagen mit geringer Oberflächenbedeckung wurden mit einem bisher nicht erreichten Signal-Rausch-Verhältnis gemessen und beschrieben. Die Struktur von Phospholipid-Monolagen mit identischen Kopfgruppen und unterschiedlichen Ketten wurde analysiert und verglichen. Die Spektren bestätigten die Anwesenheit von Wassermolekülen in der Nähe der Phosphat- und Cholingruppen der Phospholipid-Monolagen. / This thesis focuses on the applicability of a state-of-the-art 100 kHz BB-VSFG spectrometer recently developed at the SALSA Photonics Lab and on the analysis of the interfacial structure of alkyl chains, surrounding water, and the phosphate head groups of phospholipid layers. First, multi-component phospholipid bilayers were studied at laser repetition rates of 5, 10, 50, and 100 kHz at constant pulse energy. The spectra suggest that the phospholipid bilayers were stable during the measurements with no heat-induced distortions. Moreover, an increase in the laser repetition rate provided a feasible route to obtain spectra in short data acquisition times without compromising the signal-to-noise ratio. The extremely short acquisition time of 500 ms, the high spectral resolution, and all applied pulse parameters ensured no thermal induced photodamages occur during the measurements. A systematic study of one- and two-component phospholipid monolayers as a function of surface tension and mixture ratio at different polarization combinations was performed and the dependence of the vibrational spectra was explored. The structure of alkyl chains and surrounding water was analyzed using the same model systems. Vibrational modes that were previously unseen and spectra of monolayers at low surface coverage were reported for the first time with an unprecedented signal-to-noise ratio. The structure of phospholipid monolayers containing identical head groups and different chains was analyzed and compared. The order of the phospholipid molecules as a function of the composition of the monolayers was inferred from the spectral data. The influence of the hydration and/or changes in the orientation of the phosphate group was visible from the spectra as well.