bioplastics-2016_posters-accepted-abstracts

25 / 26

Page 81
Bioplastics 2016
November 10-11, 2016
Volume 7 Issue 6(Suppl) J Bioremediat Biodegrad
ISSN: 2155-6199 JBRBD, an open access journal
conferenceseries .com
November 10-11, 2016 Alicante, Spain
International Conference onSustainable Bioplastics
J Bioremediat Biodegrad 2016, 7:6(Suppl)
Polyhydroxybutyrate and inorganic polyphosphate are essential in structure/function relationship of a
cold/pain/steroid receptor TRPM8
Eleonora Zakharian
University of Illinois College of Medicine, USA
Protein post translational modifications, such as glycosylation, acetylation, or phosphorylation, are widespread phenomena
in cellular physiology. In our study, we focus on post translational modification (PTM) of a cold, pain, and newly
recognized testosterone receptor, TRPM8 by a polyester comprised of repeated units of R-3-hydroxybutyrate, which forms
a polymeric chain, poly-(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB). We term this modification PHBylation by analogy with the known
protein modifications. However, PHBylation stands out of other PTMs that it is a covalent and permanent attachment of a large
hydrophobic polymer that introduces significant conformational changes on the channel protein and therefore impacts its
function. Along with PHB, we discovered that TRPM8 is modified with inorganic polyphosphate (polyP), where both polymers
essentially contribute to the channel structure/function relationship. We found that PHB was critical for the temperature and
ligand-induced TRPM8 channel activity. Furthermore, PHB mediated ligand binding to the channel, while polyP contributed
to its voltage-sensitivity. These results indicate that TRPM8 functions in a form of supramolecular complexes with PHB and
polyP. The formation of such complexes offers a new concept for model of a mammalian ion channel. It proposes indispensable
roles of these PTMs, reflecting (a) temperature- or ligand-induced conformational changes that translate to channel gating; (b)
proper protein folding and localization to the plasma membrane; and (c) PHB-poly P-rendered structure of anion-conducting
core within the protein, which ensures ion selection and conduction along the uniform energy profile lining the internal cavity
between both polymers.
Building a sustainable future with bioplastics
Karen Laird
UBM Canon, Netherlands
It might be said that, in the beginning, bioplastics got off on the wrong foot and are still trying to make up for it. Back
when bioplastics first started to make their appearance in the market, the emphasis was not on the merits and properties
of these ‘new’ materials, but on the end of life. The idea that bioplastics could serve as a panacea, solving problems ranging
from the leaching of toxins into the environment to the plastic soup took hold in the minds of the public, an image that has
proven exceedingly difficult to dispel. When talking about bioplastics, the first important thing is to make completely clear
what they are, and – importantly – what they are not. Understanding this makes it possible to grasp the real reasons why
bioplastics are now finally emerging as real players in the industry. We are only at the start of their development, but as new
technologies and new materials emerge, it is clear that the potential is massive. To build a future where people, nature, and the
economy can all thrive, it is vital to change the way we interact with our resources. Sourcing materials responsibly to protect the
ecosystems that we rely on to survive is critical. Bioplastics can play a crucial role as one of the building blocks of a sustainable,
circular economy. Bioplastics can also offer a solid business opportunity in unlocking Europe’s potential for a resource efficient
economy - in which resource use is decoupled from growth. In this environment, bioplastics will be able to unfold their full
economic and environmental potential, in Europe and elsewhere.