Durch die Untersuchungen der vorliegenden Arbeit ist es erfolgreich gelungen die beiden gram-positiven Mikroorganismen Lysinibacillus sphaericus JG-A12 und Lysinibacillus sphaericus JG-B53 unter geregelten und idealen Kultivierungsbedingungen im Bioreaktor in hinreichenden Biomasseausbeuten zu kultivieren. Aus der Biomasse beider Stämme ist es anschließend gelungen, die primären Zellwandkomponenten bestehend aus Membranlipiden, Peptidoglykan mit sekundären Zellwandpolymeren und S-Layer-Proteinen in reiner Form und in guten Ausbeuten zu extrahieren. Diese Zellwandkomponenten wurden dann unter Verwendung von biochemischer und strukturanalytischer Methoden charakterisiert. Dabei ist es erstmals gelungen, die Membranlipide beider genutzter Mikroorganismen in Bezug auf deren Zusammensetzungen der enthalten hydrophoben Fettsäuren und der hydrophilen phosphathaltigen Kopfgruppen zu charakterisieren. Durch die vergleichend durchgeführten Metallbindungsversuche im Batch-Verfahren konnten Bindungspräferenzen intakter Zellen von Lysinibacillus sphaericus JG-A12 und Lysinibacillus sphaericus JG-B53 und deren isolierten Zellwandkomponenten mit den Metallen As, Au, Cd, Eu, Pb, Pd, Pt bzw. U untersucht werden. Dabei konnten sowohl in den Untersuchungen intakter Zellen und der primären Zellwandbestandteile deutlich höhere Metallsorptionsraten und Metallentfernungseffizienzen für Lysinibacillus sphaericus JG-B53 festgestellt werden als dies bei Lysinibacillus sphaericus JG-A12 nachzuweisen war. Dies macht diesen Stamm für potentielle technische Anwendungen als metallselektives biosorptives Material weitaus interessanter. Die Untersuchungen der Einzelkomponenten in Suspension lieferten jedoch nur begrenzt Informationen zur Interaktion der Metalle mit den Schichten wie sie unter natürlichen Bedingungen in der Zelle vorkommen. Daher wurden unter Verwendung der QCM-D erstmals die primären Zellwandkomponenten beider Mikroorganismen (S-Layer und Peptidoglykan) sowie von Referenzlipiden an Grenzflächen erfolgreich im nanoskaligen Bereich abgeschieden und online verfolgt. Dadurch war es möglich vereinfachte Einzelschichtsysteme der gram-positiven bakteriellen Zellwand nachzubilden. In den Untersuchungen konnten stabile Schichten generiert werden, welche vergleichbar zu dem Schichtsystem vitaler Zellen sind. Zusätzlich konnte bei den Abscheidungen der S-Layer-Proteine SlfB und Slp1 der positive Effekt von Polyelektrolytmodifizierungen auf das Rekristallisationsverhalten, die Schichtstabilität und den Bedeckungsgrad auf der technischen Oberfläche aufgezeigt werden. Zur Untersuchung der Metallinteraktion zellulärer Einzelschichtsysteme wurden in dieser Arbeit exemplarisch nach den erfolgreichen Untersuchungen zur Rekristallisation, die S-Layer-Proteine als erste Interaktionsschicht des Gesamtzellsystems mit der QCM-D untersucht. Diese stabilen und intakten Schichten konnten analog zu den Schichtuntersuchungen der reinen biologischen Komponenten und nach den QCM-D Metallinteraktionsstudien mit den S-Layer Strukturen mittels der Rasterkraftmikroskopie (AFM) untersucht und bildgebend dargestellt werden. In weiteren spektroskopischen Untersuchungen (TRLFS) der Zellwandkomponenten konnten die lumineszierenden Eigenschaften von Europium ausgenutzt werden, um das Metallbindungsverhalten der einzelnen Komponenten als auch des Gesamtsystems der Zellen beider Mikroorganismen zu bestimmen. Somit konnte Europium als spektroskopische Sonde eingesetzt werden um Rückschlüsse die Biomolekül-Metallwechselwirkungen zu ermöglichen. Dabei konnten vor allem mit den beiden oberflächennahen Zellschichten Lösung teilweise sehr starke Metall-Biomolekül-Wechselwirkungen beobachtet werden.

Durch die Untersuchungen der vorliegenden Arbeit ist es erfolgreich gelungen die beiden gram-positiven Mikroorganismen Lysinibacillus sphaericus JG-A12 und Lysinibacillus sphaericus JG-B53 unter geregelten und idealen Kultivierungsbedingungen im Bioreaktor in hinreichenden Biomasseausbeuten zu kultivieren. Aus der Biomasse beider Stämme ist es anschließend gelungen, die primären Zellwandkomponenten bestehend aus Membranlipiden, Peptidoglykan mit sekundären Zellwandpolymeren und S-Layer-Proteinen in reiner Form und in guten Ausbeuten zu extrahieren. Diese Zellwandkomponenten wurden dann unter Verwendung von biochemischer und strukturanalytischer Methoden charakterisiert. Dabei ist es erstmals gelungen, die Membranlipide beider genutzter Mikroorganismen in Bezug auf deren Zusammensetzungen der enthalten hydrophoben Fettsäuren und der hydrophilen phosphathaltigen Kopfgruppen zu charakterisieren. Durch die vergleichend durchgeführten Metallbindungsversuche im Batch-Verfahren konnten Bindungspräferenzen intakter Zellen von Lysinibacillus sphaericus JG-A12 und Lysinibacillus sphaericus JG-B53 und deren isolierten Zellwandkomponenten mit den Metallen As, Au, Cd, Eu, Pb, Pd, Pt bzw. U untersucht werden. Dabei konnten sowohl in den Untersuchungen intakter Zellen und der primären Zellwandbestandteile deutlich höhere Metallsorptionsraten und Metallentfernungseffizienzen für Lysinibacillus sphaericus JG-B53 festgestellt werden als dies bei Lysinibacillus sphaericus JG-A12 nachzuweisen war. Dies macht diesen Stamm für potentielle technische Anwendungen als metallselektives biosorptives Material weitaus interessanter. Die Untersuchungen der Einzelkomponenten in Suspension lieferten jedoch nur begrenzt Informationen zur Interaktion der Metalle mit den Schichten wie sie unter natürlichen Bedingungen in der Zelle vorkommen. Daher wurden unter Verwendung der QCM-D erstmals die primären Zellwandkomponenten beider Mikroorganismen (S-Layer und Peptidoglykan) sowie von Referenzlipiden an Grenzflächen erfolgreich im nanoskaligen Bereich abgeschieden und online verfolgt. Dadurch war es möglich vereinfachte Einzelschichtsysteme der gram-positiven bakteriellen Zellwand nachzubilden. In den Untersuchungen konnten stabile Schichten generiert werden, welche vergleichbar zu dem Schichtsystem vitaler Zellen sind. Zusätzlich konnte bei den Abscheidungen der S-Layer-Proteine SlfB und Slp1 der positive Effekt von Polyelektrolytmodifizierungen auf das Rekristallisationsverhalten, die Schichtstabilität und den Bedeckungsgrad auf der technischen Oberfläche aufgezeigt werden. Zur Untersuchung der Metallinteraktion zellulärer Einzelschichtsysteme wurden in dieser Arbeit exemplarisch nach den erfolgreichen Untersuchungen zur Rekristallisation, die S-Layer-Proteine als erste Interaktionsschicht des Gesamtzellsystems mit der QCM-D untersucht. Diese stabilen und intakten Schichten konnten analog zu den Schichtuntersuchungen der reinen biologischen Komponenten und nach den QCM-D Metallinteraktionsstudien mit den S-Layer Strukturen mittels der Rasterkraftmikroskopie (AFM) untersucht und bildgebend dargestellt werden. In weiteren spektroskopischen Untersuchungen (TRLFS) der Zellwandkomponenten konnten die lumineszierenden Eigenschaften von Europium ausgenutzt werden, um das Metallbindungsverhalten der einzelnen Komponenten als auch des Gesamtsystems der Zellen beider Mikroorganismen zu bestimmen. Somit konnte Europium als spektroskopische Sonde eingesetzt werden um Rückschlüsse die Biomolekül-Metallwechselwirkungen zu ermöglichen. Dabei konnten vor allem mit den beiden oberflächennahen Zellschichten Lösung teilweise sehr starke Metall-Biomolekül-Wechselwirkungen beobachtet werden.

Stainless steel (SS) is the material of choice in a number of process industries ranging from food and dairy to pharmaceuticals. Adsorption phenomena on SS surfaces are of paramount importance in these industries. For example, protein adsorption constitutes a major issue in process equipment, as the associated surface fouling decreases the efficiency of the overall process and leads to an increase in operational costs because of the need for regular cleaning. In addition, the adsorption of proteins at solid–liquid interfaces is an important research field with relevance in biosensor and biomaterial applications. The primary aim of this thesis was to understand the underlying adsorption properties of selected protein onto SS surfaces and to identify the influence of specific amino acids on bio-fouling. Protein adsorption experiments were carried out on 316 grade SS sensors using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D). The proteins consisted of milk proteins (α-lactalbumin, β-lactoglobulin, α-casein, β-casein, κ-casein and bovine serum albumin), blood proteins (cytochrome-c, haemoglobin and myoglobin) and proteins of industrial and medical relevance (α-chymotrypsinogen, human recombinant insulin, lysozyme and papain). The adsorption characteristics of the test proteins were studied and an empirical correlation relating the amount of protein adsorbed to their physical properties was proposed. Adsorption onto a SS surface was followed on the QCM-D in real time and the amounts adsorbed calculated using the Sauerbrey model. In addition, the binding kinetics was modelled using different theoretical models to describe the adsorption mechanism. In all the proteins tested, the conformational change model was found to fit considerably well the adsorption data. Finally, the data collected were used to identify the physical properties of proteins that induce surface binding, with hydrophobic and aromatic amino acids having the most effect on binding. A second aspect investigated in the present work was the determination of hydration water present in the adsorbed layer. In fact, water molecules, solvated ions and other small molecules in the vicinity of the surface all play an important role in protein adsorption and often constitute a large fraction of the total measured adsorbed mass. The fraction of water present on SS surfaces along with adsorbed proteins was determined using fluorescently labelled proteins through a comparative study that included QCM-D experiments as well as fluorescent light intensity measurements. The results were similar for all proteins tested, indicating that 32-45.8% of the total mass adsorbed composed of water. One last aspect considered in this thesis was the influence of the putative adhesive amino acid 3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA). DOPA residues are present in high levels in the adhesive proteins from marine mussels, hence are thought to facilitate surface attachment. The role of DOPA residues in mediating protein adhesion on SS surfaces was studied using QCM-D. Two repetitive peptide motifs extracted from the sequence of the mussel foot protein mefp-5, KGYKYYGGSS and KGYKYY, were selected for this study. The two peptides contained unmodified tyrosine (Y) residues, which were chemo-enzymatically modified to DOPA using mushroom tyrosinase. Adsorption of the two sequences on SS surfaces was tested before and after modification of tyrosine residues to DOPA. Conversion was linearly related to the incubation time of the peptide fragments with mushroom tyrosinase, Amount of DOPA formed was 70-99% of the tyrosine content in the peptides. QCM-D adsorption experiments on the DOPA-modified sequences revealed four-fold greater adhesion than for unmodified mefp-5 motifs, indicating the paramount role that DOPA has on the adsorption of peptides on 316 grade stainless steel.

Self-assembly of nanoparticles is a promising route to form complex, nanostructured materials with functional properties. Nanoparticle assemblies characterized by a crystallographic alignment of the nanoparticles on the atomic scale, i.e. mesocrystals, are commonly found in nature with outstanding functional and mechanical properties. This thesis aims to investigate and understand the formation mechanisms of mesocrystals formed by self-assembling iron oxide nanocubes. We have used the thermal decomposition method to synthesize monodisperse, oleate-capped iron oxide nanocubes with average edge lengths between 7 nm and 12 nm and studied the evaporation-induced self-assembly in dilute toluene-based nanocube dispersions. The influence of packing constraints on the alignment of the nanocubes in nanofluidic containers has been investigated with small and wide angle X-ray scattering (SAXS and WAXS, respectively). We found that the nanocubes preferentially orient one of their {100} faces with the confining channel wall and display mesocrystalline alignment irrespective of the channel widths.  We manipulated the solvent evaporation rate of drop-cast dispersions on fluorosilane-functionalized silica substrates in a custom-designed cell. The growth stages of the assembly process were investigated using light microscopy and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D). We found that particle transport phenomena, e.g. the coffee ring effect and Marangoni flow, result in complex-shaped arrays near the three-phase contact line of a drying colloidal drop when the nitrogen flow rate is high. Diffusion-driven nanoparticle assembly into large mesocrystals with a well-defined morphology dominates at much lower nitrogen flow rates. Analysis of the time-resolved video microscopy data was used to quantify the mesocrystal growth and establish a particle diffusion-based, three-dimensional growth model. The dissipation obtained from the QCM-D signal reached its maximum value when the microscopy-observed lateral growth of the mesocrystals ceased, which we address to the fluid-like behavior of the mesocrystals and their weak binding to the substrate. Analysis of electron microscopy images and diffraction patterns showed that the formed arrays display significant nanoparticle ordering, regardless of the distinctive formation process.  We followed the two-stage formation mechanism of mesocrystals in levitating colloidal drops with real-time SAXS. Modelling of the SAXS data with the square-well potential together with calculations of van der Waals interactions suggests that the nanocubes initially form disordered clusters, which quickly transform into an ordered phase. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 4: Manuscript. Paper 5: Manuscript.</p>

The goal of this research was to develop a novel biosensor for detecting and eliminating pathogenic E. coli. Traditionally, identifying pathogenic E. coli and distinguishing it from harmless environmental strains includes serotyping and DNA sequencing, which can take days or weeks. Our biosensor platform makes use of a material that is part of the immune system from single- multi- cellular organisms that target viruses, fungi, and bacteria called antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Using the quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), we characterized non-specific binding between CP1 to silicon nitride and gold, and covalent binding of cysteine-terminated CP1 (CP1-cys) to gold. QCM-D monitors frequency and dissipative changes resulting from adsorbed mass, and peptide film thickness and density can be calculated using Voigt Viscoelastic modeling. Viability of the E. coli was monitored using a live/dead kit consisting of nucleic acid stains Syto 9 and Propidium Iodide. Successfully immobilizing peptide to a substrate is particularly important if CP1 would be applied on a food processing surface. By immobilizing CP1 to silicon nitride, we measured the binding forces between bacteria and peptides with the atomic force microscope (AFM), and explored important bacterial features such as LPS composition and length that influence binding affinity with CP1. The structure of the LPS is comprised of 3 sections: lipid A, core group, and O-antigen. We are mostly interested in the initial binding between AMP and LPS since our goal is to develop a novel biosensor that can detect pathogenic bacteria within seconds of exposure. Considering the short exposure period, the AMP would only be exposed to the O-antigen and outer core groups, which are repeating sugar chains that are essential for bacterial pathogenicity and adhesion to substrates. Although geared for use as a novel biosensor, results of this study can also be applied to the use of AMPs for replacing or enhancing the activity of antibiotics. Our work suggests that CP1 may not be serotype-specific, but targets the O-antigen before interfering with phospholipid groups of the bacterial membrane. Other factors that assist in pathogenicity, such as LPS length, may also be important for the consideration of CP1 potency.

L'objectif visé dans cette étude consiste à développer une méthodologie de caractérisation des interactions ligands/récepteurs cellulaires à la surface d'un transducteur physique. Le ligand immobilisé est représenté par un cyclopentapeptide c(-RGDfK-) dont les propriétés de reconnaissance spécifique pour l'intégrine alphaV beta3 sont bien connues. Les travaux de thèse présentés dans ce manuscrit concernent la synthèse des ligands peptidiques, la mise au point des différentes techniques d'immobilisation de ces ligands et enfin la caractérisation des interactions biomoléculaires avec des cellules exprimant l'intégrine. Le ligand peptidique est présenté de façon multivalente sur un châssis moléculaire cyclodécapeptidique de séquence c(-Pro-Gly-Lys-Lys-Lys-)2. Le greffage des différents motifs se fait via la formation d'un lien éther d'oxime ou d'un lien amide sur les chaînes latérales des lysines orientées de part et d'autre du plan moyen du cyclopeptide. Trois approches ont été mises en œuvre pour fixer les ligands -RGD- sur une surface : le couplage affin, l'insertion dans une bicouche lipidique et le couplage covalent. Les surfaces fonctionnelles résultantes ont été caractérisées par des méthodes physico-chimiques d'analyse de surface et d'interface. Des tests d'adhésion cellulaire, suivis par QCM-D et par microscopie optique, ont ensuite permis de caractériser les propriétés de reconnaissance des ligands peptidiques. La comparaison des signaux de QCM-D et des images de la surface, obtenus à différents taux de greffage du ligand a permis d'identifier une densité de greffage minimale en ligand nécessaire à l'adhésion et à l'étalement des cellules.

Keratins are important structural components of hair and skin. There has been extensive study of keratins from the health and medical perspectives, although little work has been done to date to investigate their basic physicochemical properties in the form of biomaterials. The work presented in this thesis aimed to study surface and interfacial adsorption and solution aggregation of water soluble keratin polypeptides (made available by previous work within the research group). A range of physical techniques were employed including spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), neutron reflection (NR), dual polarisation interferometry (DPI), quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS).A major technical advantage of the neutron techniques is the use of hydrogen/deuterium substitution to enhance structural resolution. This approach was explored to study the interaction of keratins with both conventional surfactants and novel biosurfactants. The work presented comprises four results chapters. The first examines and compares four widely used interfacial techniques, SE, DPI, QCM-D and NR, by studying the adsorption of C12E6 at the silicon oxide/water interface. Whilst the data exhibits a large degree of consistency in the interfacially adsorbed amount, each technique helped reveal unique structural information with a high degree of complementarity. The second results chapter reports on findings regarding the properties of keratin polypeptides in surface adsorption and solution aggregation. It was found that the keratins adsorbed strongly on the surface of water, and formed rugby-shaped nanoaggregates in solution, the size and shape of which responded to salt concentration. The third results chapter reports on the interfacial behaviour of keratin/surfactants complexes in bulk solution, with cationic DTAB and anionic SDS as model conventional surfactants. It was found that both the electrostatic and hydrophobic forces contributed strongly to the surface adsorption processes. The final results chapter reports on interactions of a coated keratin film with novel biosurfactants including rhamnolipids (R1 and R2 with 1 and 2 sugar head(s), respectively) and Mel-C. The keratin films formed were found to be exceptionally stable and reproducible below pH 8, and these films could be widely used as model keratin substrates for screening their binding with surfactants and bioactive molecules. Both rhamnolipids and Mel-C exhibited strong adsorption onto the keratin substrate and interestingly, whilst R1 exhibited a completely reversible adsorption, R2 showed only a partially reversible adsorption. Mel-C showed some degree of irreversible adsorption similar to R2 and exhibited the strongest adsorption at around pH 4-5. These results show mild interactions with the keratin substrate, but indicate that the extent of adsorption and desorption could be manipulated by surfactant structure or solution conditions. The findings presented in this thesis are fundamental in aiding the development of the use of keratin polypeptides as biomaterials, in applications such as personal care. The work is also highly relevant to the understanding of the interactions between surfactants and keratin molecules at interfaces and in solution.

Healthcare associated infections (HAIs) cost the US healthcare system over $45 billion to treat and cause millions of deaths annually. A large subset of HAIs are associated with medical devices that are meant to improve and save lives. Infected devices are treated using traditional antibiotics, contributing to development of antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance is expected to cost $100 trillion and kill more people a year than cancer by 2050; thus, new alternative antimicrobials for the treatment of device-associated HAIs are critically needed. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), such as 26 amino-acid (aa), marine-derived Chrysophsin-1 (CHY1), are poised to reduce HAIs due to their broad antimicrobial activity and unique mechanisms of action that do not promote bacterial resistance. AMPs are short (12-50aa), positively charged (+2-+9) proteins found in the innate immune systems of many different species. Their high separation of hydrophilic and hydrophobic residues leads to many unique mechanisms derived from many unique secondary and tertiary structures that are not yet well understood. Despite the discovery of over 2000 natural AMPs and many more synthetically designed AMPs, none have been successfully commercialized for healthcare applications due to challenges surrounding cytotoxicity, short in vivo half-life (degradation), high costs of production and effectiveness in physiological environments (such as those with high-salt). Several strategies have been investigated to overcome these challenges, for example, truncation of cytotoxic sequences or D-amino acid substitution to improve AMP toxicity and stability; however, many of these strategies can reduce antimicrobial effectiveness. A unique strategy of increasing stability, reducing cytotoxicity, and maintaining antimicrobial activity that is relevant for medical devices is the covalent tethering (binding) of AMPs via a flexible tethering molecule to the surface. However, the effect of tethering parameters on resulting AMP mechanisms and activity is still widely debated. AMP activity can vary widely by utilizing different tethering strategies, which include additional variables such as: (1) peptide choice and properties (such as native mechanism, concentration, charge, and structure), (2) tether choice and properties (such as chemical composition, length, charge, surface density, and flexibility), and (3) testing conditions (such as temperature, solvent composition and substrate type). Some studies suggest that AMP performance may be tether-dependent, for example some AMPs require longer tethers while others do not and some need a flexible tether. Thus, models for predicting successful tethering strategies for different AMP properties, which currently do not exist, must be developed. Further, complicated and often destructive techniques, such as XPS and SEM, are typically implemented to study the relationship of all these parameters vs. antimicrobial activity, which are labor-intensive and limited in scope. Predictive models guiding tether strategy need to be constructed, but also new techniques to study tethering be developed. If these technical milestones are achieved they can serve as a predicate for commercial implementation of a host of new therapies targeted at reducing device-associated HAIs. The overall goal of this thesis was to study the relationship between antimicrobial activity of tethered C-CHY1 examining both spacer length and peptide surface density and the development of a feasible clinical business case for tethered AMPs. To achieve this goal, a traditional entrepreneurial approach was taken in which a minimally-viable product was first designed and business case analyzed, followed by studies to better optimize and understand the underlying structure-mechanism relationships. CHY1 with a C-terminus cysteine to allow for surface-binding (C-CHY1) was tethered onto a silicon dioxide surface via a flexible poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) tether, and then both surface binding behavior and antimicrobial success of C-CHY1 were examined as a function of tether properties and reaction conditions. For these studies, quartz-crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) was the primary technique, a real-time, non-destructive flow method that was then coupled with downstream characterization techniques: fluorescent microscopy and contact angle measurements. In parallel a deep dive into domestic and international business models for commercializing AMP technologies. Specifically, tether length and surface density effects on C-CHY1 mechanisms were studied, followed by the effect of temperature, type of microbe, and salt concentration on the antimicrobial mechanisms of tethered C-CHY1. QCM-D was used to measure binding of C-CHY1 via three different length tethers, PEG molecular weight (MW) 866, 2000 and 7500, followed by microscopy to measure antimicrobial effectiveness against two model microbes Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Modeling of QCM-D data allowed for surface density and thickness to be calculated and related to C-CHY1 antimicrobial activity. PEG 7500 allowed proper C-CHY1 orientation and mobility, allowing for its native pore-forming mechanism and highest activity while PEG 866 tethers led to denser grafting and an effective, yet non-native ion displacement mechanism. The QCM-D was used to characterize the effect of salt concentration and temperature reaction conditions on the grafting density of C-CHY1 tethered via PEG 866 and PEG 7500, which was then related to antimicrobial activity. For PEG MW 866, neither temperature nor salt concentration increases significantly altered the grafting density of C-CHY1 while for PEG 7500 increasing temperature allowed for significantly increased grafting density. C-CHY1 density had no significant effect on antimicrobial activity against either microbe. Temperature of bacterial incubation did demonstrate microbe-specific changes in C-CHY1 antimicrobial activity. These results demonstrated that small changes in reaction conditions can drastically change membrane selectivity of C-CHY1. An in-depth investigation of the effects of bacterial membrane composition and temperature on soluble C-CHY1 mechanism was implemented to better understand the molecular membrane- and temperature-dependent selectivity and structure-function of C-CHY1. Supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) formed in QCM-D can be used as model membranes to elucidate AMP action mechanisms against membranes of different compositions. Two and three component SLBs representative of Gram-negative phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidyglycerol acid (PG) with and without charged lipopolysaccharide, LPS and Gram-positive bacteria phosphatidylcholine (PC) and PG with and without charged lipoteichoic acid, (LTA) were formed at both 23°C and 37°C. C-CHY1 at 5 µM was exposed to the different membranes and mechanistic surface action was studied. The membranes formed highly different baseline responses in QCM-D, indicative of vastly different membrane structures, thicknesses and deposition behaviors on SiO2, warranting future studies. Further, significant effects of LTA incorporation were observed in both peptide interaction and deposition. There were measurable effects of temperature on membrane formation as well as peptide interaction kinetics and even mode of interaction. Lastly, business models for the commercialization of novel medical device technologies such as surface-tethered C-CHY1 were investigated. While this technology has the potential to solve many unmet needs, there must a commercialization plan implemented in order to have an impact. There is a clear disconnect between technology development in academia and technology commercialization in industry that must be connected. Development of an entrepreneurial mindset at the graduate school level, can help bridge the gap. A thorough investigation of domestic and international business models for commercializing AMP technologies was carried out and distilled in the form of the Business Model Canvas developed by Alexander Osterwalder that can be used as a roadmap for commercialization efforts. Using the QCM-D a relationship between both spacer length and peptide surface density and the antimicrobial activity of tethered C-CHY1 was determined. A business plan was developed in order to increase the impact of this and other AMP based work. This work provides a roadmap for future researchers to quickly develop and commercial novel AMP based coating technology.

Healthcare associated infections (HAIs) cost the US healthcare system over $45 billion to treat and cause millions of deaths annually. A large subset of HAIs are associated with medical devices that are meant to improve and save lives. Infected devices are treated using traditional antibiotics, contributing to development of antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance is expected to cost $100 trillion and kill more people a year than cancer by 2050; thus, new alternative antimicrobials for the treatment of device-associated HAIs are critically needed. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), such as 26 amino-acid (aa), marine-derived Chrysophsin-1 (CHY1), are poised to reduce HAIs due to their broad antimicrobial activity and unique mechanisms of action that do not promote bacterial resistance. AMPs are short (12-50aa), positively charged (+2-+9) proteins found in the innate immune systems of many different species. Their high separation of hydrophilic and hydrophobic residues leads to many unique mechanisms derived from many unique secondary and tertiary structures that are not yet well understood. Despite the discovery of over 2000 natural AMPs and many more synthetically designed AMPs, none have been successfully commercialized for healthcare applications due to challenges surrounding cytotoxicity, short in vivo half-life (degradation), high costs of production and effectiveness in physiological environments (such as those with high-salt). Several strategies have been investigated to overcome these challenges, for example, truncation of cytotoxic sequences or D-amino acid substitution to improve AMP toxicity and stability; however, many of these strategies can reduce antimicrobial effectiveness. A unique strategy of increasing stability, reducing cytotoxicity, and maintaining antimicrobial activity that is relevant for medical devices is the covalent tethering (binding) of AMPs via a flexible tethering molecule to the surface. However, the effect of tethering parameters on resulting AMP mechanisms and activity is still widely debated. AMP activity can vary widely by utilizing different tethering strategies, which include additional variables such as: (1) peptide choice and properties (such as native mechanism, concentration, charge, and structure), (2) tether choice and properties (such as chemical composition, length, charge, surface density, and flexibility), and (3) testing conditions (such as temperature, solvent composition and substrate type). Some studies suggest that AMP performance may be tether-dependent, for example some AMPs require longer tethers while others do not and some need a flexible tether. Thus, models for predicting successful tethering strategies for different AMP properties, which currently do not exist, must be developed. Further, complicated and often destructive techniques, such as XPS and SEM, are typically implemented to study the relationship of all these parameters vs. antimicrobial activity, which are labor-intensive and limited in scope. Predictive models guiding tether strategy need to be constructed, but also new techniques to study tethering be developed. If these technical milestones are achieved they can serve as a predicate for commercial implementation of a host of new therapies targeted at reducing device-associated HAIs. The overall goal of this thesis was to study the relationship between antimicrobial activity of tethered C-CHY1 examining both spacer length and peptide surface density and the development of a feasible clinical business case for tethered AMPs. To achieve this goal, a traditional entrepreneurial approach was taken in which a minimally-viable product was first designed and business case analyzed, followed by studies to better optimize and understand the underlying structure-mechanism relationships. CHY1 with a C-terminus cysteine to allow for surface-binding (C-CHY1) was tethered onto a silicon dioxide surface via a flexible poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) tether, and then both surface binding behavior and antimicrobial success of C-CHY1 were examined as a function of tether properties and reaction conditions. For these studies, quartz-crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) was the primary technique, a real-time, non-destructive flow method that was then coupled with downstream characterization techniques: fluorescent microscopy and contact angle measurements. In parallel a deep dive into domestic and international business models for commercializing AMP technologies. Specifically, tether length and surface density effects on C-CHY1 mechanisms were studied, followed by the effect of temperature, type of microbe, and salt concentration on the antimicrobial mechanisms of tethered C-CHY1. QCM-D was used to measure binding of C-CHY1 via three different length tethers, PEG molecular weight (MW) 866, 2000 and 7500, followed by microscopy to measure antimicrobial effectiveness against two model microbes Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Modeling of QCM-D data allowed for surface density and thickness to be calculated and related to C-CHY1 antimicrobial activity. PEG 7500 allowed proper C-CHY1 orientation and mobility, allowing for its native pore-forming mechanism and highest activity while PEG 866 tethers led to denser grafting and an effective, yet non-native ion displacement mechanism. The QCM-D was used to characterize the effect of salt concentration and temperature reaction conditions on the grafting density of C-CHY1 tethered via PEG 866 and PEG 7500, which was then related to antimicrobial activity. For PEG MW 866, neither temperature nor salt concentration increases significantly altered the grafting density of C-CHY1 while for PEG 7500 increasing temperature allowed for significantly increased grafting density. C-CHY1 density had no significant effect on antimicrobial activity against either microbe. Temperature of bacterial incubation did demonstrate microbe-specific changes in C-CHY1 antimicrobial activity. These results demonstrated that small changes in reaction conditions can drastically change membrane selectivity of C-CHY1. An in-depth investigation of the effects of bacterial membrane composition and temperature on soluble C-CHY1 mechanism was implemented to better understand the molecular membrane- and temperature-dependent selectivity and structure-function of C-CHY1. Supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) formed in QCM-D can be used as model membranes to elucidate AMP action mechanisms against membranes of different compositions. Two and three component SLBs representative of Gram-negative phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidyglycerol acid (PG) with and without charged lipopolysaccharide, LPS and Gram-positive bacteria phosphatidylcholine (PC) and PG with and without charged lipoteichoic acid, (LTA) were formed at both 23°C and 37°C. C-CHY1 at 5 µM was exposed to the different membranes and mechanistic surface action was studied. The membranes formed highly different baseline responses in QCM-D, indicative of vastly different membrane structures, thicknesses and deposition behaviors on SiO2, warranting future studies. Further, significant effects of LTA incorporation were observed in both peptide interaction and deposition. There were measurable effects of temperature on membrane formation as well as peptide interaction kinetics and even mode of interaction. Lastly, business models for the commercialization of novel medical device technologies such as surface-tethered C-CHY1 were investigated. While this technology has the potential to solve many unmet needs, there must a commercialization plan implemented in order to have an impact. There is a clear disconnect between technology development in academia and technology commercialization in industry that must be connected. Development of an entrepreneurial mindset at the graduate school level, can help bridge the gap. A thorough investigation of domestic and international business models for commercializing AMP technologies was carried out and distilled in the form of the Business Model Canvas developed by Alexander Osterwalder that can be used as a roadmap for commercialization efforts. Using the QCM-D a relationship between both spacer length and peptide surface density and the antimicrobial activity of tethered C-CHY1 was determined. A business plan was developed in order to increase the impact of this and other AMP based work. This work provides a roadmap for future researchers to quickly develop and commercial novel AMP based coating technology.

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