Self-assembly of globular proteins with intrinsically disordered protein polyelectrolytes and block copolymers
Intrinsically disordered polypeptides are a versatile class of materials, combining the biocompatibility of peptides with the disordered structure and diverse phase behaviors of synthetic polymers. Synthetic polyelectrolytes are capable of complex phase behavior when mixed with oppositely charged po...
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Published in | Soft matter Vol. 18; no. 31; pp. 5759 - 5769 |
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Main Authors | , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
England
Royal Society of Chemistry
10.08.2022
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Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Intrinsically disordered polypeptides are a versatile class of materials, combining the biocompatibility of peptides with the disordered structure and diverse phase behaviors of synthetic polymers. Synthetic polyelectrolytes are capable of complex phase behavior when mixed with oppositely charged polyelectrolytes, facilitating nanoparticle formation and bulk phase separation. However, there has been limited exploration of intrinsically disordered protein polyelectrolytes as potential bio-based replacements for synthetic polyelectrolytes. Here, we produce negatively charged, intrinsically disordered polypeptides, capable of high-yield expression in
E. coli
and use this intrinsically disordered peptide to produce entirely protein-based polyelectrolyte complexes. The complexes display rich phase behavior, showing sensitivity to charge density, salt concentration, temperature, and charge fraction. We characterize this behavior through a combination of turbidity assays, dynamic light scattering, and transmission electron microscopy. The robust expression profile and stimuli-responsive phase behavior of the intrinsically disordered peptides demonstrates their potential as easily producible, biocompatible substitutes for synthetic polyelectrolytes.
Intrinsically disordered polypeptides are a versatile class of materials, combining the biocompatibility of peptides with the disordered structure and diverse phase behaviors of synthetic polymers. |
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Bibliography: | https://doi.org/10.1039/d2sm00415a Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: This PDF includes information on general materials and methods, experimental procedures, and supplemental experimental data. See DOI ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 |
ISSN: | 1744-683X 1744-6848 1744-6848 |
DOI: | 10.1039/d2sm00415a |