Protein Adsorption and Its Role in Bacterial Film Development
Abstract
Surfaces in seawater are quickly covered by complex organic films which greatly influence subsequent microbial colonization. We have focussed on one predominant component of the organic film, proteins. During this first year, we found that the mechanism of protein adsorption in seawater is similar to that observed in non-marine systems, but unlike non-marine systems, protein desorption can be substantial at high protein concentrations. We also found that the micron-scale distribution of adsorbed proteins varied with different surfaces. Finally, using an immunological assay, we measured dissolved concentrations of ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase (RuBPCase), which is the most abundant protein in nature. RuBPCase comprises about 2% of the total dissolved protein pool, a high percentage considering the large number of possible proteins in seawater. In addition, immunological approaches are being used to examine protein adsorption and degradation in natural microbial films. Keywords: Protein adsorption, Bacterial attachment, Fouling.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 24, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA196043
Entities
People
- David L. Kirchman
- Stephen C. Dexter
Organizations
- University of Delaware