TY - JOUR A1 - Aichmayer, B. A1 - Wiedemann-Bidlack, F. B. A1 - Gilow, C. A1 - Simmer, J.P. A1 - Yamakoshi, Y. A1 - Emmerling, Franziska A1 - Margolis, H.C. A1 - Fratzl, P. T1 - Amelogenin nanoparticles in suspension: Deviations from spherical shape and pH-dependent aggregation N2 - It is well-known that amelogenin self-assembles to form nanoparticles, usually referred to as amelogenin nanospheres, despite the fact that not much is known about their actual shape in solution. In the current paper, we combine SAXS and DLS to study the three-dimensional shape of the recombinant amelogenins rP172 and rM179. Our results show for the first time that amelogenins build oblate nanoparticles in suspension using experimental approaches that do not require the proteins to be in contact with a support material surface. The SAXS studies give evidence for the existence of isolated amelogenin nano-oblates with aspect ratios in the range of 0.45-0.5 at pH values higher than pH 7.2 and show an aggregation of these nano-oblates at lower pH values. The role of the observed oblate shape in the formation of chain-like structures at physiological conditions is discussed as a key factor in the biomineralization of dental enamel. KW - Enamel KW - Recombinant amelogenin KW - rP172 KW - rM179 KW - Self-assembly KW - SAXS KW - DLS KW - Shape KW - Nanospheres KW - Oblates KW - pH dependency PY - 2010 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/bm900983b SN - 1525-7797 VL - 11 IS - 2 SP - 369 EP - 376 PB - ACS Publ. CY - Washington, DC, USA AN - OPUS4-20939 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -