Public defense in biotechnology, Yin Yin

Title of the thesis: Assembly of silk-like proteins towards functional bio-inspired materials
 

Doctoral student: Yin Yin
Opponent: Professor, Kristaps Jaudzems, Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Latvia
Custos: Professor Markus Linder, Aalto University School of Chemical Engineering
 

Building silk proteins for functional materials

Proteins are nature’s primary building blocks and can be assembled into advanced, sustainable, and high-performance materials that meet diverse needs. Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), a prevalent phenomenon in nature, has been found involved in the organization and function of living cells and the formation of functional materials outside cells. LLPS separates mixtures into two phases: a dense phase (coacervates or condensates) and a dilute phase. This process has become important for designing new biological materials. 

In this thesis, silk-like proteins were used as building blocks to develop functional materials through LLPS, aided by the SpyCatcher-SpyTag protein pair. This research led to the development of a strong adhesive by combining silk-like proteins with mussel foot proteins. It also utilized the intrinsically disordered sequence from spider silk to selectively recruit proteins into silk-like protein-based condensates. Additionally, the study found that phosphate induces β-sheet structures in silk proteins, affecting fiber formation, and explored the assembly pathways involved in LLPS. 

Overall, this research provides strategies and insights for designing silk-based materials with specific properties, such as adhesives, selective recruitment condensates, and fibers, thereby expanding the possibilities for biomaterials inspired by nature.

→Thesis available for public display 10 days prior to the defence

Yhteystiedot:
Yin Yin
[email protected]

→Doctoral theses in the School of Chemical Engineering

Zoom quick guide