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Çakmak E, Koc-Bilican B, Avila-Poveda OH, Karaduman T, Cansaran-Duman D, Williams ST, Kaya M. Discovery of protein-based natural hydrogel from the girdle of the 'sea cockroach' Chiton articulatus (Chitonida: Chitonidae). PeerJ 2022; 10:e13386. [PMID: 35573172 PMCID: PMC9097651 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Hydrogels are widely used materials in biomedical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and agricultural fields. However, these hydrogels are usually formed synthetically via a long and complicated process involving crosslinking natural polymers. Herein, we describe a natural hydrogel isolated using a 'gentle' acid treatment from the girdle of a chiton species (Chiton articulatus). This novel hydrogel is shown to have a proliferative effect on mouse fibroblast cells (cell line, L929). The swelling capacity of this natural hydrogel was recorded as approximately 1,200% in distilled water, which is within desired levels for hydrogels. Detailed characterizations reveal that the hydrogel consists predominantly (83.93%) of protein. Considering its non-toxicity, proliferative effect and swelling properties, this natural hydrogel is an important discovery for material sciences, with potential for further applications in industry. Whether the girdle has some hydrogel activity in the living animal is unknown, but we speculate that it may enable the animal to better survive extreme environmental conditions by preventing desiccation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emel Çakmak
- Vegetable and Animal Production, Güzelyurt Vocational School, Aksaray University, Aksaray, Turkey,Science and Technology Application and Research Center, ASUBTAM - Aksaray University, Aksaray, Turkey
| | - Behlül Koc-Bilican
- Science and Technology Application and Research Center, ASUBTAM - Aksaray University, Aksaray, Turkey,Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science and Letters, Aksaray University, Aksaray, Turkey
| | - Omar Hernando Avila-Poveda
- Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, Mazatlán, Sinaloa, México,Programa Investigadoras e Investigadores por Mexico, Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, Ciudad de México, México,Proyecto Quitón del Pacífico Tropical Mexicano, Mazatlán, Sinaloa, México
| | - Tuğçe Karaduman
- Science and Technology Application and Research Center, ASUBTAM - Aksaray University, Aksaray, Turkey,Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science and Letters, Aksaray University, Aksaray, Turkey
| | | | - Suzanne T. Williams
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, Cromwell Road, United Kingdom
| | - Murat Kaya
- Science and Technology Application and Research Center, ASUBTAM - Aksaray University, Aksaray, Turkey,Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science and Letters, Aksaray University, Aksaray, Turkey
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Mietchen D, Penev L, Georgiev T, Ovcharova B, Kostadinova I. Open science in practice: 300 published research ideas and outcomes illustrate how RIO Journal facilitates engagement with the research process. RESEARCH IDEAS AND OUTCOMES 2021. [DOI: 10.3897/rio.7.e68595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Since Research Ideas and Outcomes was launched in late 2015, it has stimulated experimentation around the publication of and engagement with research processes, especially those with a strong open science component. Here, we zoom in on the first 300 RIO articles that have been published and elucidate how they relate to the different stages and variants of the research cycle, how they help address societal challenges and what forms of engagement have evolved around these resources, most of which have a nature and scope that would prevent them from entering the scholarly record via more traditional journals. Building on these observations, we describe some changes we recently introduced in the policies and peer review process at RIO to further facilitate engagement with the research process, including the establishment of an article collections feature that allows us to bring together research ideas and outcomes from within one research cycle or across multiple ones, irrespective of where they have been published.
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