PAAP

Objectives

STAGE 1 (03.01.2025-31.12.2025)

Study of protein denaturation / renaturation under different experimental conditions in the absence and presence of polyphenols (O1) and Investigation of polyphenol effect on protein thermal stability after incubation at different temperatures and time with emphasis on amyloid-like fibrils identification (O2 partial).

O1.A1.1 Protein thermal stability under different experimental conditions

O1.A1.2 The effect of varying concentration of polyphenol on protein thermal stability

O1.A1.3 Kinetic study of protein thermal denaturation and the influence of polyphenol concentration

O2.A2.1 Time dependence of protein stability at different temperatures, in the absence and presence of varying concentration of polyphenol

O2.A2.2 Thermal stability of protein aggregates after incubation, in the absence and presence of polyphenol

Executive summary, stage 1

Objective O1 aimed to study protein denaturation/renaturation under different experimental conditions, in the absence and in the presence of polyphenols. The calorimetric study (O1.A1.1) evaluated the thermal stability of 5 proteins (BSA, BHb, BLG, Lys, zein) under different experimental conditions. Activity O1.A1.2 highlighted the effect of varying the concentration of two polyphenols on the thermal stability of each protein under study. The mechanism of thermal denaturation of each of the five proteins, in the absence and in the presence of a polyphenol, was investigated in the kinetic study carried out in activity O1.A1.3. The polyphenol effect on the thermal stability of the protein after incubation at different temperatures and time intervals, aiming to identify amyloid-type fibrils, was the objective of objective O2 of the project. Activity O2.A2.1 involved the characterization of the thermal stability over time for the five proteins at different temperatures, in the absence and in the presence of different polyphenol concentrations. For the five proteins, the thermal stability of the aggregates obtained after incubation under specific conditions, in the absence and in the presence of two polyphenols, was investigated in activity O2.A2.2.

Deliverables, stage 1

2 ISI papers sent for publication [2/2]
2 conference presentations [7/2]
1 progress report [1/1]
1 website [1/1]
1 social media page for the project presentation [2/1]

All deliverables associated to stage 1 of the project were fully achieved. Two ISI articles were published in Q1 journals with impact factor higher than 5. The scientific data obtained in Stage 1 were disseminated at 3 international conferences through 7 presentations, as well as online (website, LinkedIn, Instagram).

STAGE 2 (01.01.2026-31.12.2026)

Investigation of polyphenol effect on protein thermal stability after incubation at different temperatures and time with emphasis on amyloid-like fibrils identification (continuation of O2) and Evaluation of the interaction between polyphenol and native protein and protein aggregates, with application in polyphenol–amyloid hydrogel formation (O3).

O2.A2.3 Identification and characterization of protein aggregates in the absence and presence of polyphenol after incubation

O3.A3.1 Characterization of the interaction between native protein and polyphenol

O3.A3.2 Characterization of the interaction between identified incubated species of protein and polyphenol

O3.A3.3 The effect of polyphenol concentration, incubation time and temperature on protein structure

O3.A3.4 Rheological investigation of sol-gel transition for protein amyloid like fibrils–polyphenol systems

O3.A3.5 The effect of polyphenol bound on protein aggregates/amyloid-like fibrils on bacterial growth

Deliverables, stage 2