{
  "abstract": "Although surfactant protein B (SP-B) is essential for pulmonary surfactant function, the experimental structure of mature SP-B remains undetermined, and the molecular basis of its function is unclear. Here, we characterize the structural and functional behavior of a recombinant SP-B construct (rSP-B) in DPC/SDS detergent micelles and DPPC/POPG lipid monolayers. Light scattering showed that dilute DPC/SDS (9:1, 0.2% w/v) is intrinsically heterogeneous, containing both micellar (~4 nm) and supramicellar structures (~68-400 nm), consistent with non-ideal surfactant mixing at low detergent concentration. Dialysis resulted in a dominant, reproducible mesoscale structure (~600 nm) in which rSP-B retained predominantly alpha-helical structure (~47%), whereas 200 nm filtration removed most of the protein and helical signal, suggesting that rSP-B is associated with the large assemblies, although the resulting complex sizes exceed the regime typically accessible to solution NMR. In separate detergent-only measurements, higher detergent concentrations (0.5-2% w/v) gave monomodal micelles (3.6-4.1 nm), suggesting that detergent concentration influences assembly size. In parallel, incorporation of rSP-B into DPPC/POPG monolayers stabilized the hysteretic response and attenuated cycling-induced area loss relative to protein-free films, with compressibility signatures consistent with out-of-plane deformation and reversible reorganization of collapsed material. These results inform strategies for optimizing detergent conditions for future structural studies and support a model in which rSP-B may promote retention and reversible reorganization of collapsed interfacial material, potentially through mechanically coupled reservoirs.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Independent Researcher"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 1,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "T. G. Asrat"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/e84qv4qzr9grz.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.09.04.743498",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.04.743498v1.full",
  "id": "e84qv4qzr9grz",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.04.743498v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "biophysics"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1605|Surfactants and Colloidal Systems"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7212026980",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.04.743498v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-04",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/e84qv4qzr9grz.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:25Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.09.04.743498",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.04.743498v2"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biochemistry",
      "origin": "biorxiv:biophysics",
      "subfield": "biophysics"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Assembly and Interfacial Behavior of Recombinant Surfactant Protein-B in Detergent Micelles and Lipid Monolayers.",
  "title_text": "Assembly and Interfacial Behavior of Recombinant Surfactant Protein-B in Detergent Micelles and Lipid Monolayers.",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:29:58Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/e84qv4qzr9grz",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}