Protein conformational changes induced by adsorption onto material surfaces: an important issue for biomedical applications of material science

Protein adsorption on solid surfaces is a widespread phenomenon of large biological and biotechnological significance. Conformational changes are likely to accompany protein adsorption, but are difficult to evidence directly. Nevertheless they have important consequences, since the partial unfolding of protein domains can expose hitherto hidden amino acids. This remodeling of the protein surface can trigger the activation of molecular complexes …