Marine-derived plastic-binding peptides

Nikkholgh, Nastaran; Ghanbarzadeh, Zohreh; Hemmati, Shiva

doi:10.30476/tips.2025.109390.1329

Marine-derived plastic-binding peptides

Document Type : Brief Report

Authors

¹ Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

² Biotechnology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

³ Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, I.R. Iran.

10.30476/tips.2025.109390.1329

Abstract

Peptides can be used as reagents in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), in which the sample is immobilized on a solid support, usually a polystyrene plate. Polystyrene-binding peptides allow site-specific immobilization of proteins or antibodies directly onto polystyrene (PS) plates with minimal conformational change. Additionally, micro- and nanoplastics pose a significant threat to all life forms in the environment, and the development of biosensors for their detection is considered a pressing need in the field. PS is also used as a support in solid-phase peptide synthesis. In this brief report, we analyzed 3505 marine-derived peptides using machine-learning algorithms to introduce novel and putative PS-binding peptides. Seven strong candidates, mainly derived from Conus species, were the most optimal PS-binders. PS-binder peptides were cationic or cationic amphipathic, composed of helical structures. π-π stacking, hydrophobic, and electrostatic interactions were involved in the attachment of peptides to plastics. Some PS-binding peptides were identified to be active against pathogenic bacteria, making them promising candidates as biomaterials to prevent medical device-related infections. Taken together, the novel identified peptides are suggested as a capturing reagent on PS surfaces for biomedical applications.

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