Bioinspired Block Copolymers: Translating Structural Features from Proteins to Synthetic Polymers

Abstract

In order to mimic a key functional feature of the transport protein serum albumin that disposes of several different simultaneous binding sites, new ternary linear block copolymers were synthesized. The block copolymers are made of one non‐ionic hydrophilic block based on derivatives of poly(oligoethyleneglycol), and of two mutually immiscible hydrophobic poly(acrylate) blocks, based on hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon esters of acrylic acid, respectively. The polymers self‐organize in aqueous solution to micellar aggregates, which undergo microphase separation within the hydrophobic micellar core. The different aggregate structures were imaged by transmission electron cryo‐microscopy (cryo‐TEM). Depending on the detailed polymer architecture, either core‐shell‐corona micelles, or micelles with a true multicompartment structure were formed, that are capable of selective solubilization.magnified image

Polyphilicity—An Extension of the Concept of Amphiphilicity in Polymers

“…Furthermore, when a hydrophilic–lipophilic polymer is supplied with a third structural element, it expands the possibilities for the development of self-assembled multi-compartment macromolecules [92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99,100,101,102,103,104]. It often has remarkable effects on the catalytic behavior [92,105,106], the interaction with biological membranes [107,108,109,110], or the transport of active substances [103,109,111,112].…”

Star block-copolymers: enzyme-inspired catalysts for oxidation of alcohols in water

“…Rational design of linear polymers with protein-like tertiary or quaternary structures and catalytic function remains an elusive (but tantalizing) goal. 5 Materials with branched topologies are amenable to structural engineering, at the cost of greater synthetic complexity (dendrimers) or increased heterogeneity (star polymers).…”

Makromolekulare Chemie 2010

“…Inspiriert von der Struktur des Transportproteins Serumalbumin, das in der globulären Form mehrere hydrophobe Taschen für den Transport von Gastmolekülen besitzt, haben Laschewski und Mitarbeiter ternäre lineare Block‐Copolymere synthetisiert, die aus PEO als hydrophilem Block und zwei nicht mischbaren hydrophoben Blöcken bestehen. Nach Optimierung der Polymerarchitektur ergaben sich in Wasser mizellare Aggregate mit echter Mehrkernstruktur 33. Kim und Mitarbeiter stellten Polymerkapseln direkt, ohne Template her (Abbildung 2).…”