Published Journal Articles
Germline Mutagenesis of Nasonia Vitripennis Through Ovarian Delivery of CRISPR-Cas9 Ribonucleoprotein
Abstract: CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing is a powerful technology to study the genetics of rising model organisms, such as the jewel wasp Nasonia vitripennis. However, current methods involving embryonic microinjection of CRISPR reagents are challenging. Delivery of Cas9...
Continue ReadingBiodegradable Drug-Delivery Peptide Nanocapsules
Abstract: Branched amphiphilic peptide capsules (BAPCs) are an efficient transport system that can deliver nucleic acids, small proteins, and solutes. The ability of BAPCs to break down is essential to their adoption as a delivery vehicle...
Continue ReadingBranched Amphiphilic Peptide Capsule Uptake by Aspergillus Nidulans
Abstract: The ability of branched amphipathic peptide capsules (BAPC) to encapsulate and transport payloads into cells offers new approaches to deliver active ingredients (AIs). Until now, we have found that the BAPC were completely inert in...
Continue ReadingSynthesis and Characterization of Multifunctional Branched Amphiphilic Peptide Bilayer Conjugated Gold Nanoparticles
Abstract: We provide strong chemical and biophysical evidence that documents that branched amphiphilic peptides, BAPs, known to assemble into spherical nanoassemblies in solution, do assemble as peptide-bilayer-delimited capsules. These nanoassemblies are termed branched amphiphilic peptide capsules...
Continue ReadingDelivery of Lethal dsRNAs in Insect Diets by Branched Amphiphilic Peptide Capsules
Abstract: Development of new and specific insect pest management methods is critical for overcoming pesticide resistance and collateral off-target killings. Gene silencing by feeding dsRNA to insects shows promise in this area. Here we described the...
Continue ReadingBranched Amphipathic Peptide Capsules: Different Ratios of the Two Constituent Peptides Direct Distinct Bilayer Structures, Sizes, and DNA Transfection Efficiency
Abstract: Branched amphipathic peptide capsules (BAPCs) are biologically derived, bilayer delimited, nanovesicles capable of being coated by or encapsulating a wide variety of solutes. The vesicles and their cargos are readily taken up by cells and...
Continue ReadingOrganization and Structure of Branched Amphipathic Oligopeptide Bilayers
Abstract: A class of self-assembling branched amphiphilic peptide capsules (BAPCs) was recently developed that could serve as a new drug delivery vehicle. BAPCs can encapsulate solutes up to ∼12 kDa during assembly, are unusually stable, and...
Continue ReadingGene Delivery and Immunomodulatory Effects of Plasmid DNA Associated with Branched Amphiphilic Peptide Capsules
Abstract: We recently reported on a new class of branched amphiphilic peptides that associate with double stranded DNA and promote in vitro transfection of eukaryotic cells. In the present study, we tested a different formulation in...
Continue ReadingA Review of Solute Encapsulating Nanoparticles used as Delivery Systems with Emphasis on Branched Amphipathic Peptide Capsules
Abstract: Various strategies are being developed to improve delivery and increase the biological half-lives of pharmacological agents. To address these issues, drug delivery technologies rely on different nano-sized molecules including: lipid vesicles, viral capsids and nano-particles....
Continue ReadingThermally Induced Conformational Transitions in Nascent Branched Amphiphilic Peptide Capsules
Abstract: Branched amphiphilic peptide capsules (BAPCs) are biocompatible, bilayer delimited polycationic nanospheres that spontaneously form at room temperature through the coassembly of two amphiphilic branched peptides: bis(FLIVI)-K-K4 and bis(FLIVIGSII)-K-K4. BAPCs are readily taken up by cells...
Continue ReadingBranched Amphiphilic Cationic Oligopeptides Form Peptiplexes with DNA: A Study of Their Biophysical Properties and Transfection Efficiency
Abstract: Over the past decade, peptides have emerged as a new family of potential carriers in gene therapy. Peptides are easy to synthesize and quite stable. Additionally, sequences shared by the host proteome are not expected...
Continue ReadingSynthetic In Vitro Delivery Systems for Plasmid DNA in Eukaryotes
Abstract: Success for gene therapy clinical protocols depends on the design of safe and efficient gene carriers. Nature had already designed efficient DNA or RNA delivery devices, namely virus particles. However, they have a propensity to...
Continue ReadingBranched Amphiphilic Peptide Capsules: Cellular Uptake and Retention of Encapsulated Solutes
Abstract: Branched amphiphilic peptide capsules (BAPCs) are peptide nano-spheres comprised of equimolar proportions of two branched peptide sequences bis(FLIVI)-K-KKKK and bis(FLIVIGSII)-K-KKKK that self-assemble to form bilayer delimited capsules. In two recent publications we described the lipid...
Continue ReadingBranched Oligopeptides Form Nanocapsules with Lipid Vesicle Characteristics
Abstract: In a recent article (Gudlur et al. PLOS ONE, 2012, 7 (9) e45374), we described the special properties of a mixed branched peptide assembly in which equimolar bis(FLIVI)-K-KKKK and bis(FLIVIGSII)-K-KKKK self-associate to form bilayer delimited...
Continue ReadingPeptide Nanovesicles Formed by the Self-Assembly of Branched Amphiphilic Peptides
Abstract: Peptide-based packaging systems show great potential as safer drug delivery systems. They overcome problems associated with lipid-based or viral delivery systems, vis-a-vis stability, specificity, inflammation, antigenicity, and tune-ability. Here, we describe a set of 15...
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