@article {Rodr{\'\i}guezAmigo201589, title = {The complex of hypericin with β-lactoglobulin has antimicrobial activity with potential applications in dairy industry}, journal = {Journal of Dairy Science}, volume = {98}, number = {1}, year = {2015}, pages = {89 - 94}, abstract = {Abstract Using a combination of molecular modeling and spectroscopic experiments, the naturally occurring, pharmacologically active hypericin compound is shown to form a stable complex with the dimeric form of β-lactoglobulin (β-LG). Binding is predicted to occur at the narrowest cleft found at the interface between monomers in the dimeric β-LG. The complex is able to preserve the fluorescence and singlet oxygen photosensitizing properties of the dye. The equilibrium constant for hypericin binding has been determined as Ka\&$\#$xa0;=\&$\#$xa0;1.40\&$\#$xa0;{\textpm}\&$\#$xa0;0.07\&$\#$xa0;{\textmu}M-1, equivalent to a dissociation constant, Kd\&$\#$xa0;=\&$\#$xa0;0.71\&$\#$xa0;{\textpm}\&$\#$xa0;0.03\&$\#$xa0;{\textmu}M. The complex is active against Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. Overall, the results are encouraging for pursuing the potential application of the complex between hypericin and β-LG as a nanodevice with bactericidal properties for disinfection.}, keywords = {antimicrobial}, issn = {0022-0302}, doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.2014-8691}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030214007887}, author = {Beatriz Rodr{\'\i}guez-Amigo and Pietro Delcanale and Gabriel Rotger and Jordi Ju{\'a}rez-Jim{\'e}nez and Stefania Abbruzzetti and Andrea Summer and Montserrat Agut and F.Javier Luque and Santi Nonell and Cristiano Viappiani} }