Compositions, methods, and applications of a synthetic surfactant

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a synthetic Túngara frog foam composition. The synthetic Túngara frog foam composition comprises six synthetically synthesized ranaspumin proteins (RSN-1 to RSN-6) wherein only the active segments of the RSN proteins are synthesized and six synthetically synthesized polysaccharides comprising four tetrasaccharides, a heptasaccharide and a nonasaccharide. Multiple novel applications of the foam are described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A synthetic Túngara frog foam comprising:
 synthetically synthesized ranaspumin proteins (RSN), wherein only active segments of the RSN proteins are synthesized and signal peptides, if present, are effectively removed, and 
 a sugar backbone, 
 wherein synthesis of only the active segments of the RSN proteins results in proper folding of the protein and allows surfactant capabilities to be retained in the synthetic foam, 
 wherein the synthetic foam maintains stability for greater than 10 days without any dehydration or loss of foam structure due to surface tension effects. 
 
     
     
         2 . The synthetic Túngara frog foam composition of  claim 1  wherein the ranaspumin proteins (RSN) comprise six synthetically synthesized ranaspumin proteins, wherein the ranaspumin (RSN) proteins include—
 ranaspumin-1 (RSN-1) comprising synthetic amino acid sequence no. 1; 
 ranaspumin-2 (RSN-2) comprising synthetic amino acid sequence no. 2; 
 ranaspumin-3 (RSN-3) comprising synthetic amino acid sequence no. 3; 
 ranaspumin-4 (RSN-4) comprising synthetic amino acid sequence no. 4; 
 ranaspumin-5 (RSN-5) comprising synthetic amino acid sequence no. 5; and, 
 ranaspumin-6 (RSN-6) comprising synthetic amino acid sequence no. 6. 
 
     
     
         3 . The synthetic Túngara frog foam composition of  claim 2 , wherein the sugar backbone comprises six synthetically synthesized polysaccharides wherein the polysaccharides comprise 4 tetrasaccharides, a heptasaccharide and a nonasaccharide, further wherein the polysaccharides all comprise at least one free hydroxyl group to bind to RSN proteins via a serine or threonine amino acid. 
     
     
         4 . The synthetic Túngara frog foam composition of  claim 3 , wherein the ranaspumin proteins are fucolectin type proteins comprising one or more of serine or threonine which bind to the hydroxyl group at the 1 position of one of the polysaccharides. 
     
     
         5 . The synthetic Túngara frog foam composition of  claim 4 , wherein the polysaccharides all comprise at least one free hydroxyl group which binds to the ranaspumin proteins via a serine or a threonine amino acid. 
     
     
         6 . The synthetic Túngara frog foam composition of  claim 5 , wherein ranaspumin protein 2 (RSN-2) is used as a stabilizer for liposomes encapsulating cannabidiol (CBD). 
     
     
         7 . The synthetic Túngara frog foam composition of  claim 3 , wherein the molecular weights of the RSN proteins with no histidine tags attached are as follows:
 11.38 kDa for RSN-1, 
 11.11 kDa for RSN-2, 
 18.85 kDa for RSN-3, 
 19.26 kDa for RSN-4, 
 18.73 kDa for RSN-5, and 
 25.69 kDa for RSN-6. 
 
     
     
         8 . The synthetic Túngara frog foam composition of  claim 7 , wherein the frog foam is 85 angstroms thick. 
     
     
         9 . The synthetic Túngara frog foam composition of  claim 1 , wherein the RSN protein is expressed by  E. coli  vectors containing a LacO gene promoter upstream of a subcloned RSN gene upon induction with isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside, wherein the subcloned RSN gene contains an ampicillin resistant gene. 
     
     
         10 . The synthetic Túngara frog foam composition of  claim 1 , wherein the RSN protein comprises a histidine tag for extraction by nickel affinity column purification. 
     
     
         11 . A pulmonary drug delivery composition comprising the synthetic Túngara frog foam composition of  claim 3  as a surfactant. 
     
     
         12 . A fracking foam comprising the synthetic Túngara frog foam composition of  claim 3  as a surfactant wherein the RSN proteins extract aromatic compounds and carbon chain aliphatics. 
     
     
         13 . A pesticide/insecticide comprising the synthetic Túngara frog foam composition of  claim 3  as a surfactant. 
     
     
         14 . The pesticide of  claim 13  comprising bifenazate. 
     
     
         15 . The pesticide of  claim 14 , wherein the concentration of pesticide on a leaf including synthetic Túngara frog foam as a component of the pesticide is 3.6 times the amount of pesticide on a leaf which does not include synthetic Túngara frog foam 5 days after treatment and wherein the concentration of pesticide on a leaf including synthetic Túngara frog foam as a component of the pesticide is 1.2 times the amount of pesticide on a leaf which does not include synthetic Túngara frog foam 10 days after treatment. 
     
     
         16 . An antibacterial comprising the synthetic Túngara frog foam composition of  claim 3  as a surfactant. 
     
     
         17 . The antibacterial of  claim 16 , wherein the antibacterial is used to protect and maintain living tissue for transportation. 
     
     
         18 . An antimicrobial comprising the synthetic Túngara frog foam composition of  claim 1 , wherein the synthetic ranaspumin proteins are ranaspumin-2 (RSN-2) comprising synthetic amino acid sequence no. 2 and ranaspumin-5 (RSN-5) comprising synthetic amino acid sequence no. 5. 
     
     
         19 . A foam composition for food storage and transport comprising the synthetic Túngara frog foam composition of  claim 3  as a surfactant, a gas, and an aqueous carrier. 
     
     
         20 . The foam composition of  claim 19 , wherein the composition is applied to live crustaceans for transport. 
     
     
         21 . A method for storing and transporting fresh food, the method comprising:
 a) placing fresh food in a receptacle suitable for storing and transporting fresh food;   b) providing a synthetic foam composition according to  claim 1  comprising a food grade synthetic surfactant selected from the list of ranaspumin-1, ranaspumin-2, ranaspumin-3, ranaspumin-4, ranaspumin-5, or ranaspumin-6; and   c) at least partially covering the fresh food with the foam composition.