Simultaneous display of functional ligands on protein nanocage

• Main Author: Nurul Syuhadah Johari
• Other Authors: Lim Sierin
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/68432
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The main objective of this project is to improve upon the current treatment of melasma by targeting melanocytes. This would be done by having a treatment that is both penetrative and specific. This novel approach is done by conjugating E2 protein cage together with space peptides to alpha peptide. Space peptides and alpha peptides are what make this treatment specific and penetrative, as it will target the melanocytes and the dermis and epidermis itself. The conjugation method that was used was the EDC-NHS Conjugation method. This particular conjugation method has varying critical parameters that need to be optimized in order for the EDC-NHS conjugation to be successful. The critical parameters include concentration of protein, pH and also molar ratio between the two proteins. After the conjugation is done, to know whether a conjugation is successful, either mass spectrometry and/or SDS-Page is done. When there is a conjugation, there will be a shift in the weight of the protein to show that it has successfully attached to the protein cage.