Can Spider Proteins be the Next Medicine or Wound Healing Matrix?
Poster Number
35
Format
Poster Presentation
Faculty Mentor Name
Joan Lin-Cereghino
Faculty Mentor Department
Biological Sciences
Additional Faculty Mentor Name
Geoffrey Lin-Cereghino
Abstract/Artist Statement
Spider silk is composed of many different kinds of proteins. Because spider silk is not readily degraded by microorganisms, it is believed to contain proteins that deter the growth of microbes. Isolated from the webs of the black widow spider, two proteins, GW2 and ADV315, are believed to be antimicrobial because these proteins are structurally similar to secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) and other elfin-related proteins which possess antimicrobial properties due to cysteine rich motifs. The GW2 and ADV315 proteins were expressed in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris, which is commonly used for production of foreign proteins. After small scale expression was conducted in order to optimize conditions for large scale expression, production of the two proteins was confirmed using a spot western blot. These proteins were then purified using affinity chromatography followed by dialysis. A Kirby-Bauer plate assay and a minimum inhibitory concentration liquid assay are being conducted using the purified samples to detect any antimicrobial properties. If the GW2 and ADV315 proteins are found to inhibit microbial growth, there are potential uses for them in medicine, such as antibiotics and medical sutures. In addition, spider silk also features large structural proteins such as, PYSP1 and PYSP2, which are hypothesized to be used potentially as wound-healing matrices. By using the CellTiter 96® Aqueous One Solution Cell Proliferation assay, we have compared the growth of cell-type Eahy926, endothelial tissue culture, on the spider proteins against a polylysine control.
Location
DeRosa University Center, Ballroom
Start Date
26-4-2014 2:00 PM
End Date
26-4-2014 4:00 PM
Can Spider Proteins be the Next Medicine or Wound Healing Matrix?
DeRosa University Center, Ballroom
Spider silk is composed of many different kinds of proteins. Because spider silk is not readily degraded by microorganisms, it is believed to contain proteins that deter the growth of microbes. Isolated from the webs of the black widow spider, two proteins, GW2 and ADV315, are believed to be antimicrobial because these proteins are structurally similar to secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) and other elfin-related proteins which possess antimicrobial properties due to cysteine rich motifs. The GW2 and ADV315 proteins were expressed in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris, which is commonly used for production of foreign proteins. After small scale expression was conducted in order to optimize conditions for large scale expression, production of the two proteins was confirmed using a spot western blot. These proteins were then purified using affinity chromatography followed by dialysis. A Kirby-Bauer plate assay and a minimum inhibitory concentration liquid assay are being conducted using the purified samples to detect any antimicrobial properties. If the GW2 and ADV315 proteins are found to inhibit microbial growth, there are potential uses for them in medicine, such as antibiotics and medical sutures. In addition, spider silk also features large structural proteins such as, PYSP1 and PYSP2, which are hypothesized to be used potentially as wound-healing matrices. By using the CellTiter 96® Aqueous One Solution Cell Proliferation assay, we have compared the growth of cell-type Eahy926, endothelial tissue culture, on the spider proteins against a polylysine control.