Microneedle-based ocular drug delivery systems – recent advances and challenges

• Piotr Gadziński,
• Anna Froelich,
• Monika Wojtyłko,
• Antoni Białek,
• Julia Krysztofiak and
• Tomasz Osmałek

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1167–1184, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.98

• suspension used for 5 min was almost five times less effective than the MNs [158]. Nanoparticle-loaded bilayer dissolving microneedle arrays for the sustained delivery of proteins to the posterior region of the eye were developed by Wu and co-workers (Figure 8). Ovalbumin, a model protein, was encapsulated

Green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles toward highly efficient photocatalysis and antibacterial application

• Vo Thi Thu Nhu,
• Nguyen Duy Dat,
• Le-Minh Tam and
• Nguyen Hoang Phuong

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1108–1119, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.94

• , proteins, DNA, and amino acids [39][40][41]. The O2 causes biomembrane oxidation reactions, damaging tissues [42]. Furthermore, it is reasonable to explain that the additional toxicity that causes bacterial death is due to the fact that zinc solubilization releases Zn2+ ions which can infiltrate into

Recent advances in green carbon dots (2015–2022): synthesis, metal ion sensing, and biological applications

• Aisha Kanwal,
• Naheed Bibi,
• Sajjad Hyder,
• Arif Muhammad,
• Hao Ren,
• Jiangtao Liu and
• Zhongli Lei

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1068–1107, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.93

• core, whereas, green fluorescence may correspond to n–π* transitions of the edge states [48][49]. The “top-down” approach involves breaking down bulky carbonaceous materials, such as carbon fibers, carbohydrates, proteins, and carbon soot, through chemical or physical methods. The carbon containing

• proteins, which makes them a better option based on the fact that surface functionality of CDs can be achieved without adding extra substances for doping, modification and surface passivation [54]. A summary of CDs synthesized from carbon-rich plant extract without surface-passivating agents and their

• electrochemical properties. Lily bulbs as a green source to synthesize N,P-CDs via a facile, fast, and eco-friendly one-pot microwave-assisted method was reported by Gu et al. Lily bulbs rich in carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and amino acids, can be easily used to prepare such CDs [108]. The microalgae

Biomimetic chitosan with biocomposite nanomaterials for bone tissue repair and regeneration

• Se-Kwon Kim,
• Sesha Subramanian Murugan,
• Pandurang Appana Dalavi,
• Sebanti Gupta,
• Sukumaran Anil,
• Gi Hun Seong and
• Jayachandran Venkatesan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1051–1067, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.92

• between cortical and cancellous bones [31]. At the scale of 1 µm, collagen fibrils are surrounded by minerals [32] (Figure 1). Crystals, collagens, and non-collagen organic proteins are found at sub-nanoscale levels ranging from 1 to 10 nm [33]. It has been reported that 90% of the proteins identified

• inside the bone extracellular matrix is produced by bone-forming osteoblasts with a repeating amino acid sequence of [Gly(glycine)–X–Y]n, where X and Y may be proline and hydroxyproline. Collagen fibrils, composed of specific proteins, are usually responsible for mechanical strength. Furthermore

• express particular genes for the production of bone morphogenic proteins and wingless (Wnt) pathway elements. It has been revealed that runt-related transcription factors-2 (Runx2), osterix (Osx), and the distal-less homeobox 5 (Dlx5) are primarily responsible for osteoblast differentiation. Specifically

Interaction between honeybee mandibles and propolis

• Leonie Saccardi,
• Franz Brümmer,
• Jonas Schiebl,
• Oliver Schwarz,
• Alexander Kovalev and
• Stanislav Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 958–974, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.84

• mandibles is particularly strong due to bonding of long chitin chains and sclerotization (crosslinking of proteins in the cuticle) [6]. Foraging and handling of propolis Worker bees exhibit a division of labour based on age (polyethism) [9] in which duties such as brood rearing are usually performed by

Bioselectivity of silk protein-based materials and their bio-inspired applications

• Hendrik Bargel,
• Vanessa T. Trossmann,
• Christoph Sommer and
• Thomas Scheibel

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 902–921, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.81

• -based materials are interesting candidates due to their natural origin, biological activity, and structural properties. Silk materials, in particular those made of spider silk proteins and their recombinant counterparts, are characterized by extraordinary properties including excellent biocompatibility

• on biological processes and surface interactions involved in the bioselective adhesion of mammalian cells and repellence of microbes on protein-based material surfaces. In addition, it highlights the importance of materials made of recombinant spider silk proteins, focussing on the progress regarding

• interactions plays a critical role in many biological processes including embryogenesis, development of neuronal tissue, hemostasis, immune response, and inflammation [9]. The adhesive interactions of cells between each other and with ECM proteins (often of specific molecular nature), have important key

DNA aptamer selection and construction of an aptasensor based on graphene FETs for Zika virus NS1 protein detection

• Nathalie B. F. Almeida,
• Thiago A. S. L. Sousa,
• Viviane C. F. Santos,
• Camila M. S. Lacerda,
• Thais G. Silva,
• Rafaella F. Q. Grenfell,
• Flavio Plentz and
• Antero S. R. Andrade

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 873–881, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.78

• ligands by exponential enrichment” (SELEX). In this study, we select an aptamer (termed ZIKV60) by capillary electrophoresis SELEX (CE-SELEX) to the Zika virus non-structural protein 1 (NS1) and counterselection against the NS1 proteins of DENV (serotypes 1, 2, 3, and 4) and YFV. The ZIKV60 dissociation

• in a sentinel monkey [3]. As with other Flaviviridae members, ZIKV has a single-stranded RNA genome and three structural proteins, namely capsid, pre-membrane, and envelope, building the capsid, and seven non-structural (NS) proteins, NS1, NS2A, NS2B, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, and NS5, involved in virus

• , high-affinity nucleic acid aptamers have been developed for a wide variety of targets, such as proteins, peptides, viruses, and bacteria [11][12]. Generally, nucleic acid aptamers are developed in vitro by a molecular evolution process based on iterative selection–amplification steps known as

Hierachical epicuticular wax coverage on leaves of Deschampsia antarctica as a possible adaptation to severe environmental conditions

• Elena V. Gorb,
• Iryna A. Kozeretska and
• Stanislav N. Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 807–816, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.71

• resistance of D. antarctica, which is achieved through different biochemical adaptations, such as the production of antifreeze proteins that are secreted into the apoplast [35], can be a good explanation why this plant species not only uses the avoidance strategy as C. quitensis does, but also grows in

Gelatin nanoparticles with tunable mechanical properties: effect of crosslinking time and loading

• Agnes-Valencia Weiss,
• Daniel Schorr,
• Julia K. Metz,
• Metin Yildirim,
• Saeed Ahmad Khan and
• Marc Schneider

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 778–787, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.68

• macromolecules, such as proteins [12] and peptides [13], or in the field of gene delivery [14]. The surface charge of gelatin nanoparticles at physiological pH can be easily influenced by the choice of gelatin type [15]. Crosslinking of gelatin nanoparticles is still inevitable to obtain particles that are

Recent advances in nanoarchitectures of monocrystalline coordination polymers through confined assembly

• Lingling Xia,
• Qinyue Wang and
• Ming Hu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 763–777, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.67

• coordination polymers as envelopes for the bio-entities. On the basis of the sensitive coordination bonds, the stored bio-entities may be released from solution triggered by pH value or other factors. In 2015, Falcaro et al. demonstrated that monocrystalline ZIF-8 can take up proteins, enzymes, and DNA [104

Design and selection of peptides to block the SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain by molecular docking

• Kendra Ramirez-Acosta,
• Ivan A. Rosales-Fuerte,
• J. Eduardo Perez-Sanchez,
• Alfredo Nuñez-Rivera,
• Josue Juarez and
• Ruben D. Cadena-Nava

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 699–711, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.62

• variants of SARS-CoV-2. This research work will be focused on the molecular docking of peptides by molecular dynamics, in addition to an analysis of the possible interaction of these peptides with physiological proteins. This methodology could be extended to design peptides that are active against other

• histocompatibility complex (MHC). This is crucial to reduce any acute immunological responses [12][13]. Several suitable peptide candidates could be found to block the SARS-CoV-2 RBD. Natural antiviral and antimicrobial peptides and chimeric peptides with the capability to bind and neutralize viral proteins can be

• [12]. Specifically, during a viral infection, viral antigens are presented by MHC I to be recognized by T cells, which, in turn, promote cytosine release and the cytotoxic activity of CD8+ T cells [12][52][53]. Due to the efficiency of this system, many biological therapeutics (proteins, peptides

Antibacterial activity of a berberine nanoformulation

• Hue Thi Nguyen,
• Tuyet Nhung Pham,
• Anh-Tuan Le,
• Nguyen Thanh Thuy,
• Tran Quang Huy and
• Thuy Thi Thu Nguyen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 641–652, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.56

• bacterial cell membrane and inhibiting the synthesis of proteins and DNA [15]. Chu et al. [16] reported that BBR showed no antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the range of concentrations from 1 to 64 µg/mL. However, inhibition of MRSA biofilm formation was

Stimuli-responsive polypeptide nanogels for trypsin inhibition

• Petr Šálek,
• Jana Dvořáková,
• Sviatoslav Hladysh,
• Diana Oleshchuk,
• Ewa Pavlova,
• Jan Kučka and
• Vladimír Proks

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 538–548, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.45

• purposes or antinutritional properties [7][8]. Different types of small proteins or polypeptides represent a class of bioactive compounds identified as serine protease inhibitors. Aprotinin, a Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitor, is well known for its inhibitory activity regarding trypsin [9]. Other

• , soft hydrogel nanoparticles, have been proven efficient carriers of proteins or peptides preserving the biological activity of their payload [12][13][14]. For instance, Ozawa et al. introduced a nanogel from highly branched cyclic dextrin derivatives that trapped fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled

• insulin, which was continuously released over 12 h [15]. Hirakura et al. fabricated a cholesteryl group-bearing pullulan nanogel serving as a reservoir of three different proteins, glucagon-like peptide 1, insulin, and erythropoietin incorporated in hyaluronan hydrogel [16]. Morimoto et al. prepared an

Design and characterization of polymeric microneedles containing extracts of Brazilian green propolis

• Camila Felix Vecchi,
• Rafaela Said dos Santos,
• Jéssica Bassi da Silva and
• Marcos Luciano Bruschi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 503–516, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.42

• of large molecules, nanoparticles, and proteins through the skin [39][40]. Considering the height, the MNs containing EE and P407 exhibited a significant positive interference (p > 0.05) (Supporting Information File 1, Table S2 and Figure S5), being greater for the amount of extract, which

Zinc oxide nanostructures for fluorescence and Raman signal enhancement: a review

• Ioana Marica,
• Fran Nekvapil,
• Maria Ștefan,
• Cosmin Farcău and
• Alexandra Falamaș

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 472–490, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.40

• were successfully used for the detection of relevant biological and biomedical proteins, such as bovine serum albumin and streptavidin, as well as to study the protein–protein interactions by enhanced fluorescence detection [117]. The ZnO nanoplatforms showed several key advantages, such as enhanced

Micro- and nanotechnology in biomedical engineering for cartilage tissue regeneration in osteoarthritis

• Zahra Nabizadeh,
• Mahmoud Nasrollahzadeh,
• Hamed Daemi,
• Mohamadreza Baghaban Eslaminejad,
• Ali Akbar Shabani,
• Mehdi Dadashpour,
• Majid Mirmohammadkhani and
• Davood Nasrabadi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 363–389, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.31

• candidates for biomedical applications (Table 1). Collagen fibril and fibrous proteins are naturally occurring nanofibers whose fiber diameters range between 50 and 150 nm, depending on tissue type and function. Various techniques to fabricate nanofibers include 3D printing, molecular self-assembly

• cultures, and nanocomposite scaffolds showed no detrimental effects on the chondrocyte viability and promoted the expression of articular cartilage-specific ECM proteins [125]. In addition, functionalized SWCNTs improved the biomechanical properties of cell-laden nanocomposite structures compared with the

• . Cell culture in 3D matrices, unlike 2D cultures, provides the opportunity to include and recruit the necessary bioactive molecules for proper cell function [177]. In addition to biopolymers, which provide structural integrity and stability, ECM consists of protein motifs and full-length proteins

Alcohol-perturbed self-assembly of the tobacco mosaic virus coat protein

• Ismael Abu-Baker and
• Amy Szuchmacher Blum

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 355–362, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.30

• ; Introduction Bottom-up fabrication of nanomaterials with precise control over the spatial arrangement of components is of great interest in nanotechnology [1][2]. A promising approach to this issue is the use of templates based on self-assembling biological materials, such as nucleic acids and proteins [3][4

• proteins for VLPs can be obtained through heterologous expression [11][12]. However, working with infectious virus particles poses serious health and environmental safety risks and may require costly containment measures, depending on the virus of interest [13][14]. With this in mind, it may be preferrable

• to work with virus-like particles composed of the viral capsid proteins without the viral genome. One of the most extensively studied viral templates is the tobacco mosaic virus [15]. The native virus forms helical rod-shaped particles composed of ca. 2130 copies of the coat protein. The particles

Coordination-assembled myricetin nanoarchitectonics for sustainably scavenging free radicals

• Xiaoyan Ma,
• Haoning Gong,
• Kenji Ogino,
• Xuehai Yan and
• Ruirui Xing

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 284–291, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.23

• between antioxidative and oxidative systems, leads to permanent and irreversible damage of cellular components, such as proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids [1]. Furthermore, oxidative stress leads to diseases including Alzheimer’s disease [2], cardiac disease [3], atherosclerosis [4], kidney disease [5

Systematic studies into uniform synthetic protein nanoparticles

• Nahal Habibi,
• Ava Mauser,
• Jeffery E. Raymond and
• Joerg Lahann

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 274–283, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.22

• this knowledge gap by evaluating formulation trends in SPNPs prepared by EHD jetting based on a series of carrier proteins and protein blends (hemoglobin, transferrin, mucin, or insulin). In general, blended SPNPs presented uniform populations with minimum diameters between 43 and 65 nm. Size

• SPNPs made from blended proteins can serve as a promising drug delivery carrier owing to the ease of production, the composition versatility, and the control over their size, shape and dispersity. Keywords: nanogels; nanomedicine; particle characterization; protein-based biomaterials; Introduction As

• ]. Nanoparticles made of proteins [6] hold significant promise in this respect and different methods have been adopted to fabricate protein-based nanoparticles including nab technology [1], desolvation methods [2], and self-assembly [3]. The protein human albumin is a natural carrier of endogenous hydrophobic

Photothermal ablation of murine melanomas by Fe₃O₄ nanoparticle clusters

• Xue Wang,
• Lili Xuan and
• Ying Pan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 255–264, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.20

• proteins were resolved by SDS-PAGE, transferred to nitrocellulose membranes and blocked with 5% non-fat milk for 1 h at room temperature. After overnight incubation with anti-HSP70 primary antibody (Cell Signaling Technologies, #4872) or anti-ACTB (Cell Signaling Technologies, #4970) at 4 °C, membranes

Engineered titania nanomaterials in advanced clinical applications

• Padmavati Sahare,
• Paulina Govea Alvarez,
• Juan Manual Sanchez Yanez,
• Gabriel Luna-Bárcenas,
• Samik Chakraborty,
• Sujay Paul and
• Miriam Estevez

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 201–218, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.15

• proteins. The entry of TiO2 nps inside the human body could be through inhalation, ingestion of food, skin lesions, and injections [30][31]. The circulatory system then distributes them to different parts of the body. Kreyling et al. studied the biokinetics and clearance of 48V-radiolabeled, pure TiO2

• excretion [33]. When a TiO2 nanomaterial circulates through the body, certain biomolecules (such as proteins, phospholipids, or DNA contained in biological fluids or present in living cells) get adsorbed onto the surface of it very quickly, which is termed as “protein corona (PC)” formation. This protein

• corona alters the surface properties and transforms the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the nanomaterial. The types and amounts of adsorbed proteins are influenced by certain physiochemical qualities of the nanomaterial, such as the size, shape, charge as well as topography

A comprehensive review on electrospun nanohybrid membranes for wastewater treatment

• Senuri Kumarage,
• Imalka Munaweera and
• Nilwala Kottegoda

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 137–159, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.10

• and require a pressure typically below 1 bar. Particles with dimensions greater than 0.1 μm will be rejected while smaller particles are allowed to permeate through the membrane. MF filters have the potential to filter out suspended particles, major pathogens, large bacteria, proteins, and yeast cells

Bacterial safety study of the production process of hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers

• Axel Steffen,
• Yu Xiong,
• Radostina Georgieva,
• Ulrich Kalus and
• Hans Bäumler

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 114–126, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.8

• -positive bacteria was investigated in preliminary experiments. Glutaraldehyde is used in the HbMP manufacturing process to cross-link proteins. EDTA is used to dissolve the carbonate template. In order to check whether glutaraldehyde and EDTA have an influence on the bacterial safety of HbMP, growth tests

• . It is mainly applied to disinfect surfaces or medical instruments [41][42][43]. Glutaraldehyde is applied in the manufacturing process of HbMP to cross-link hemoglobin molecules. This cross-linking is also the main reason for the biocidal effect. Glutaraldehyde strongly reacts with proteins and can

• inhibit DNA synthesis in bacteria, and similar effects are also seen on RNA and protein syntheses [44][45]. In addition, glutaraldehyde particularly acts on the outer layers of E. coli and cross-links lipoproteins and proteins there as well. This fixation of bacteria prevents the bacterial cells from

Theranostic potential of self-luminescent branched polyethyleneimine-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles

• Rouhollah Khodadust,
• Ozlem Unal and
• Havva Yagci Acar

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 82–95, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.6

• sodium; superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles; Introduction Luminescent materials are of great interest in biotechnology and medicine since they can be utilized in sensors, labelling, and imaging [1][2][3][4][5]. Luminescent proteins, luminescent synthetic polymers, and quantum dots are the most

• cytochrome c [57]. Covalent binding of Erb to the surface of SPION@bPEI may somehow switch off the intrinsic cytotoxicity by hindering the primary amine interaction with box proteins. These can be some of the possible reasons for cytotoxicity reduction of SPION@bPEI after surface modification with Erb. To

Sputtering onto liquids: a critical review

• Anastasiya Sergievskaya,
• Adrien Chauvin and
• Stephanos Konstantinidis

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 10–53, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.2