The synthesis and characterization of new thermoresponsive pegylated poly-L-glutamate (poly-L-EG(x)Glu) are described. The obtained polypeptides display low critical solution temperature (LCST) behaviors in water, and the LCST can be tuned via copolymerization of different amino acid monomers at varied molar ratio. This is the first example of thermoresponsive polypeptide made from ring-opening polymerization of α-amino acid N-carboxyanhydrides (NCAs). Circular dichroism characterizations reveal that the secondary structure of poly-L-EG(x)Glu depended on the chain length of the side chain.

We review the recent developments in the growing field of platinum-based, coordination-driven self-assembly, and bringing together the key results.

Synthetic polypeptides from the ring-opening polymerization of N-carboxyanhydrides (NCAs) are one of the most important biomaterials. The unique features of these synthetic polypeptides, including their chemical diversity of side chains and their ability to form secondary structures, enable their broad applications in the field of gene delivery, drug delivery, bio-imaging, tissue engineering, and antimicrobials. In this review article, we summarize the recent advances in the design of polypeptide-based supramolecular structures, including complexes with nucleic acids, micelles, vesicles, hybrid nanoparticles, and hydrogels. We also highlight the progress in the chemical design of functional polypeptides, which plays a crucial role to manipulate their assembly behaviours and optimize their biomedical performances. Finally, we conclude the review by discussing the future opportunities in this field, including further studies on the secondary structures and cost-effective synthesis of polypeptide materials.