Kubra SOLAK
@atauni.edu.tr
Scopus Publications
- A New Strategy of Alternating Current Magnetic Field-Assisted Three-Phase Partitioning (ACMF-TPP) for the Concentration and Partial Purification of Recombinant Prepromelittin Produced by Komagataella phaffii
Seyda Yildiz Arslan, Fatma Turhan, Kubra Solak, Hacer Karabulut, Melda Sisecioglu, Yagmur Unver
Biotechnology and Applied Biochemistry, 2026
The industrial‐scale manufacturing and purification of melittin are of great interest due to its significant antibacterial and anticancer properties. Here, for the first time, prepromelittin (ppMEL), the precursor of melittin—a key component of bee venom—was extracellularly produced by Komagataella phaffii , and an alternating current magnetic field‐assisted three‐phase partitioning (ACMF‐TPP) method was used to concentrate and partially purify the recombinant ppMEL (rppMEL). ACMF‐TPP, a novel variation of the traditional TPP method widely used for biomolecular purification, was employed to purify recombinant protein from culture liquid more rapidly and in larger quantities. First, the amplified ppMEL gene was inserted into pPICZαA. So, the obtained pPICZαA‐ppMEL was cloned into E. coli . Then, K. phaffii cells were transformed with linearized recombinant DNA, and a yeast clone was cultivated for extracellular rppMEL production. The optimal conditions of ACMF‐TPP for the purification and concentration of rppMEL were the following parameters: pH 6.7, 70% w/v ammonium sulfate concentration, a 1:1 ratio of culture liquid to 2‐propanol, 100% power, a 10‐minute magnetic field duration, and a 70% duty cycle. As a result, it was observed that rppMEL primarily precipitated at the interface and that the difference in recovery efficiency (32.5% for TPP and 66.1% for ACMF‐TPP, respectively) was statistically significant. The ACMF‐TPP approach exhibited more efficacy than the TPP, demonstrating superior potential for separating and purifying other biomolecules. Moreover, this approach offers a cost‐effective and scalable solution for the precise isolation, purification, and concentration of mixture components. - Magnetic hyperthermic and anticancer properties of hydrothermally synthesized magnetic nanoparticles using Gypsophila arrostii
Hatice Rabia Aksoy, Kübra Solak, Hayrunnisa Nadaroğlu, Ahmet Mavi
Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials, 2025 - Enhanced antitumor effects of interferon-stimulating DNA and magnetic hyperthermia in a breast cancer rat model
Kübra Solak, Ahmet Mavi, Ali Taghizadehghalehjoughi, Serkan Yildirim, Sıdıka Genc, Ahmet Hacimuftuoglu
Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, 2025 - Methanol-Free Protein Expression in Komagataella phaffii With Magnetic or Non-Magnetic Heating
Ibrahim Dagci, Seyda Yildiz Arslan, Kubra Solak, Melek Acar, Yagmur Unver, Ahmet Mavi
Microbial Biotechnology, 2025
Komagataella phaffii is among the most widely used expression systems, with methanol‐inducible promoters being preferred for protein expression due to their stringent regulation and exceptional strength. However, the applicability of this system, particularly in food and pharmaceutical products, is limited by methanol's toxic and pro‐inflammatory properties. Therefore, obtaining a novel methanol‐free expression system is necessary. In this study, we obtained a novel expression plasmid, pHSPαA, carrying the HSP70 promoter (PHSP70) to regulate heterologous expression through heat induction. The extracellular expression of azurin was achieved using this methanol‐free system under the control of PHSP70, induced by either magnetic or non‐magnetic heating. To enhance heat‐induced expression, recombinant cells were immobilised with Fe3O4@PEI25 kDa nanoparticles, which facilitated heat release under an AC magnetic field, thereby increasing cell permeability and protein secretion. A time‐dependent increase in protein expression was observed in non‐magnetic heating but not under magnetic heating. However, immobilised cells exhibited a higher protein secretion capacity compared to non‐immobilised cells. These findings suggest that the novel methanol‐free expression system represents a promising alternative for heterologous gene expression, particularly for the production of therapeutically relevant and food‐grade recombinant proteins. - Combination of magnetic hyperthermia and gene therapy for breast cancer
Kubra Solak, Seyda Yildiz Arslan, Melek Acar, Fatma Turhan, Yagmur Unver, Ahmet Mavi
Apoptosis, 2025 - Metal Nanoparticles for Simultaneous Use in AC Magnetic Field Hyperthermia and Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Kübra Solak, Mustafa Atiş, Ahmet Emre Kasapoğlu, Adem Karaman, Ahmet Mavi
Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 2025
Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are produced for both diagnosis and treatment due to their simultaneous availability in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic hyperthermia (MHT). Extensive investigations focus on developing MNPs for individual MHT or MRI applications, but the development of MNPs for theragnostic applications has received very little attention. In this study, through efficient examination of synthesis conditions such as metal precursors, reaction parameters, and solvent choices, we aimed to optimize MNP production for effective utilization for MHT and MRI simultaneously. MNPs were synthesized by thermal decomposition under 17 different conditions and deeply characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), x‐ray diffraction (XRD), and x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The heating efficiency of MNPs under an alternating current (AC) magnetic field was quantified, while MRI performance was evaluated through agar phantom experiments. Our findings highlight the crucial role of benzyl ether in metal ion reduction and size control. Metal‐doped iron oxide MNPs displayed promise for MHT, whereas Mn‐doped iron oxide MNPs exhibited enhanced MRI capabilities. Consequently, five engineered MNPs were considered potential candidates for further studies, demonstrating their dual ability in MRI and MHT. - Machine Learning-Assisted SERS Reveals the Biochemical Signature of Enhanced Protein Secretion from Surface-Modified Magnetic Nanoparticles
Ibrahim Dagci, Kubra Solak, Nazli Oncer, Seyda Yildiz Arslan, Yagmur Unver, Mehmet Yilmaz, Ahmet Mavi
ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 2024
This study introduces a novel investigation of the interaction between Komagataella phaffii cells and iron oxide-based magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4 MNPs) via protein secretion and machine learning (ML)-assisted surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). For the first time, we produced Fe3O4, Fe3O4@PEG, Fe3O4@PEI10kDa, and Fe3O4@PEI25kDa MNPs by a one-pot coprecipitation reaction. The addition of polymers to the reaction conditions significantly affected the shape, surface charge, size, and size distribution of the MNPs. The surface modification of MNPs is effectively accomplished using polyethylenimine (PEI), and the ζ-potential values of the MNPs exceed +25 mV under the NH4OH control. The homogeneity of MNPs synthesized with NH4OH is more pronounced according to transmission electron microscopy (TEM) pictures. All MNPs exhibited excellent immobilization efficiency (>92%) when we used 250 ppm Fe-containing MNP solutions. Smaller MNPs uniformly encapsulated the surface of K. phaffii cells, whereas larger MNPs exhibited irregular accumulation. K. phaffii cells exhibited excellent viability in all MNP solutions at up to 1000 ppm of Fe concentrations. Finally, the highest recombinant azurin protein secretion rate was obtained in Fe3O4@PEI10kDa MNP-immobilized cells (about 1.3 times). The ML-assisted SERS analysis revealed that MNP interactions with K. phaffii cells were mediated by proteins such as mannoproteins and membrane transporter proteins as well as N-acetylglucosamine (i.e., chitin). These findings revealed the effect of the size and surface properties of MNPs on the immobilization of K. phaffii cells and the enormous potential of magnetic immobilization for protein secretion. - Heterologous Expression of Codon-Optimized Azurin Transferred by Magnetofection Method in MCF-10A Cells
Saadet Kalakenger, Seyda Yildiz Arslan, Fatma Turhan, Melek Acar, Kubra Solak, Ahmet Mavi, Yagmur Unver
Molecular Biotechnology, 2024 - Design, physicochemical confirmation, single crystal structures as well as exploration of antibacterial and anticancer potential of organotin(IV) carboxylates
Roshni Gul, Niaz Muhammad, Muhammad Sirajuddin, Awal Noor, Nikolay Tumanov, Johan Wouters, Abdelbasset Chafik, Kübra Solak, Ahmet Mavi, Shaukat Shujah, Saqib Ali, Gul Shahzada Khan, Sadaf Qayyum
Journal of Molecular Structure, 2024 - Sulfanilamide Modified Magnetic Nanoparticles for Purification of Carbonic Anhydrase from Bovine Blood
Safinur Yıldırım Çelik, Kübra Solak, Ahmet Mavi
Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 2023 - Comparative heating efficiency and cytotoxicity of magnetic silica nanoparticles for magnetic hyperthermia treatment on human breast cancer cells
Melek Acar, Kubra Solak, Seyda Yildiz, Yagmur Unver, Ahmet Mavi
3 Biotech, 2022 - Electrically controlled mRNA delivery using a polypyrrole-graphene oxide hybrid film to promote osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells
Huijung Kim, Kübra Solak, Yoojoong Han, Yeon-Woo Cho, Kyeong-Mo Koo, Chang-Dae Kim, Zhengtang Luo, Hyungbin Son, Hyung-Ryong Kim, Ahmet Mavi, Tae-Hyung Kim
Nano Research, 2022 - Synthesis, Characterization, Biological Activity and Molecular Docking Studies of Novel Organotin(IV) Carboxylates
Niaz Muhammad, Mukhtar Ahmad, Muhammad Sirajuddin, Zafar Ali, Nikolay Tumanov, Johan Wouters, Abdelbasset Chafik, Kübra Solak, Ahmet Mavi, Shabbir Muhammad, Shaukat Shujah, Saqib Ali, Abdullah G. Al-Sehemi
Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2022 - Magnetic nanoparticle mediated-gene delivery for simpler and more effective transformation ofPichia pastoris
Seyda Yildiz, Kubra Solak, Melek Acar, Ahmet Mavi, Yagmur Unver
Nanoscale Advances, 2021 - Disulfiram-loaded functionalized magnetic nanoparticles combined with copper and sodium nitroprusside in breast cancer cells
Kübra Solak, Ahmet Mavi, Bilal Yılmaz
Materials Science and Engineering C, 2021 - Characterization of an interesting selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase (Se-GPx) protecting cells against environmental stress: The Camelus dromedarius erythrocytes Se-GPx
Abdelbasset Chafik, Abdelkhalid Essamadi, Safinur Yildirim Çelik, Kübra Solak, Ahmet Mavi
Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology, 2019 - Plasma polymerized linalool (ppLin): An antimicrobial and biocompatible coating
Kenan ÇAKMAK, Özkan BAYRAM, Kübra SOLAK, Güzin KABAN, Önder ŞİMŞEK, Ahmet MAVİ
Turkish Journal of Chemistry, 2019 - Plasma polymerized linalool (ppLin): An antimicrobial and biocompatible coating
Kenan ÇAKMAK, Özkan BAYRAM, Kübra SOLAK, Güzin KABAN, Önder ŞİMŞEK, Ahmet MAVİ
Turkish Journal of Chemistry, 2019 - Curcumin on the “flying carpets” to modulate different signal transduction cascades in cancers: Next-generation approach to bridge translational gaps
Hulya Celik, Tuba Aydin, Kubra Solak, Sumbul Khalid, Ammad A. Farooqi
Journal of Cellular Biochemistry, 2018 - Partial Purification and Some Interesting Properties of Glutathione Peroxidase from Liver of Camel (Camelus dromedarius)
Abdelbasset Chafik, Abdelkhalid Essamadi, Safinur Yildirim Çelik, Kübra Solak, Ahmet Mavi
Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry, 2018 - Nanomaterials and the microbial sphere
Kübra Solak, Ahmet Mavi, Tülay Ergon, Alev Sezen, Ömer Faruk Algur
Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Letters, 2017
