Research Projects

Recent studies suggest that encapsulation of oral probiotics improves their efficacy, as unprotected probiotic cells cannot survive passage through gastrointestinal harsh conditions. Encapsulation and encapsulation of orally delivered probiotics improve viability, bioavailability, and increase the chances of colonization. However, industrial adaptation is still a challenge due to safety issues with synthetic materials and the process's unsuitability for scaleup. The proposed study aims to develop a natural protein nanofiber-based nano-encapsulation and immobilization support material for oral delivery of probiotics. The SaSuhB protein from Staphylococcal aureus (SaSuhB) self-assembles and has a nanofibrous structure with a diameter smaller than 100 nm. These nanofibers are structurally superior for adsorption or adhesion due to their high surface-to-volume ratio. The SaSuhB nanofiber has a natural affinity for bacterial cells, as the fiber is associated with biofilm formation, and no additional chemical agent is required for cell immobilization. The SaSuhB nanofibers immobilize and encapsulate bacterial cells inside its multi-layered assembly, and are resistant to heat, acid, and protease treatment. The study aims to assess the effectiveness of SaSuhB nanofiber as a bacterial encapsulation matrix in the simulated gastrointestinal environment, quantify the stability and resistance properties of the nanofibers, and modify the sequence of SaSuhB protein to improve the properties of the nanofibers.