Probing Nanoparticle Effect in Protein-Surfactant Complexes

SANS experiments have been carried to probe the role of anionic silica nanoparticles in the anionic BSA protein-cationic DTAB surfactant complexes. In protein-surfactant complex, surfactant molecules aggregate to form micelle-like clusters along the unfolded polypeptide chains of the protein. The nanoparticle aggregation mediated by oppositely charged protein-surfactant complex coexists with the free protein-surfactant complexes in the nanoparticle-protein-surfactant system. There is rearrangement of micelles in adsorbed protein-surfactant complex on nanoparticles in leading to their (nanoparticle) aggregation. On the other hand, the unfolding of protein in free protein-surfactant complex is found to be significantly enhanced in presence of nanoparticles.