Reversible Non-Stick Behaviour of a Bacterial Protein Polymer Provides a Tuneable Molecular Mimic for Cell and Tissue Engineering
Journal article published in 2014 by
Ana I. Roque,
Andrei Soliakov,
Mark A. Birch,
Sion R. Philips,
Deepan Sh H. Shah,
Jeremy H. Lakey 
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
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Abstract
Yersina pestis, the bubonic plague bacterium, is coated with a polymeric protein hydrogel for protection from host defences. The protein, which is robust and non-stick, resembles structures found in many eukaryotic extracellular matrix proteins. Cells grown on the natural polymer cannot adhere and grow poorly; however, when cell adhesion motifs are inserted into the protein, the cells proliferate.