Adsorption Kinetics and Self-Assembled Structures of Aspergillus oryzae Hydrophobin RolA on Hydrophobic and Charged Solid Surfaces
Yuki Terauchi, Megumi Nagayama, Takumi Tanaka, Hiroki Tanabe, Akira Yoshimi, Kei Nanatani, Hiroshi Yabu, Toshihiko Arita, Takeshi Higuchi, Tomoshi Kameda, Keietsu Abe
Abstract
The adsorption kinetics of hydrophobins to solid surfaces and self-assembled structures formed by hydrophobin molecules have been studied mostly independently. In this report, we combined the kinetic analysis of hydrophobin RolA adsorption onto solid surfaces and observation of RolA self-assembly on these surfaces. Since RolA, whose isoelectric point is close to pH 4.0, showed higher affinity to the solid surfaces at pH 4.0 than at pH 7.0 or 10.0, the affinity of RolA to these surfaces depends mainly on hydrophobic interactions. Our combined analyses suggest that not only the adsorbed amount of RolA but also the chemical properties of the solid surfaces and the zeta potential of RolA affect the self-assembled RolA structures formed on these surfaces.