Chemical linkers switch triglycerol detergents from bacterial protein purification to mild antibiotic amplification
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Non-ionic detergents enable the investigation of cell membranes, including biomolecule purification and drug delivery. The question of whether non-ionic detergents associated with satisfying protein yields following extraction and affinity purification of proteins from lysed E. coli membranes can amplify antibiotics on whole-cell E. coli remains to be addressed. We unlock the modular chemistry of linear triglycerol detergents to reveal that more polar, non-ionic detergents that form globular micelles work better in amplifying antimicrobial activities of antibiotics than in purifying the membrane proteins mechanosensitive channel and aquaporin Z. Less polar detergents that form worm-like micelles indicate poor performances in both applications. With chromatography we demonstrate how fine-tuning the polarity of chemical linkers between detergent headgroups and tails can switch the utility of detergents from protein purification to antibiotic amplification. We anticipate our findings to be a starting point for structure-property studies to better understand detergent designs in supramolecular chemistry and membrane research.
Source: Communications Chemistry
Authors: Abhishek Kumar Singh, Marc Seewald, Boris Schade, Christian Zoister, Rainer Haag, Leonhard Hagen Urner
Institutions: Freie Universität Berlin, TU Dortmund University
Language: English
Subfield: Organic Chemistry
Field: Chemistry
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,690
Funder: Freie Universität Berlin
OpenAlex ID: W4408252369