Self-assembled structures of hydrophobins HFBI and HFBII

Hydrophobins are small proteins that function in the growth and development of fungi. The structures of class II hydrophobins HFBI and HFBII from Trichoderma reesei were studied using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction. HFBI was weakly ordered but HFBII formed a highly crystalline coating on water surface. Change from monoclinic to hexagonal structure was observed as the sample dried. The three-dimensional structures differed from the oblique two-dimensional structures observed in Langmuir-Blodgett monolayers of both HFBI and HFBII by atomic force microscopy.