Synthesis and Single-Molecule Studies of a Well-Defined Biomimetic Modular Multidomain Polymer Using a Peptidomimetic β-Sheet Module

• Published in: Journal of the American Chemical Society Vol. 126; no. 44; pp. 14328 - 14329
• Main Authors: Roland, Jason T, Guan, Zhibin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: WASHINGTON American Chemical Society 10.11.2004; Amer Chemical Soc
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biomimetic Materials - chemical synthesis; Biomimetic Materials - chemistry; Chemistry; Chemistry, Multidisciplinary; Exact sciences and technology; Hydrogen Bonding; Kinetics; Microscopy, Atomic Force; Organic polymers; Peptides - chemistry; Physical Sciences; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polymers - chemical synthesis; Polymers - chemistry; Polymers with particular structures; Preparation, kinetics, thermodynamics, mechanism and catalysts; Protein Structure, Secondary; Pyrimidinones - chemical synthesis; Pyrimidinones - chemistry; Science & Technology; DESIGN; Metathesis polymerization; Biomimetic compound; Peptidomimetic compound; Mechanical properties; Isocyanate polymer; Complex catalyst polymerization; Polymer structure
• ISSN: 0002-7863; 1520-5126
• DOI: 10.1021/ja0448871

In the pursuit of advanced biomaterials with combined strength, toughness, and elasticity, a new class of well-defined modular polymers has been synthesized, and their nanomechanical properties have been studied using atomic force microscopy. These polymers are based on a peptidomimetic β-sheet-based double-closed loop (DCL) module, which was designed to overcome the limitation of the modular polymers we reported previously (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 2059). Single-molecule force-extension experiments revealed the sequential unfolding of these modules as the polymer is stretched, resulting in more regular sawtooth-patterned curves similar to those seen in titin and other biopolymers. The single-molecule data agreed well with computer modeling, which suggested that hydrogen bonding and π-stacking are both involved in the formation of small DCL clusters along the polymer chain.