1
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Fielden SDP. Kinetically Controlled and Nonequilibrium Assembly of Block Copolymers in Solution. J Am Chem Soc 2024. [PMID: 38967256 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c03314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Covalent polymers are versatile macromolecules that have found widespread use in society. Contemporary methods of polymerization have made it possible to construct sequence polymers, including block copolymers, with high precision. Such copolymers assemble in solution when the blocks have differing solubilities. This produces nano- and microparticles of various shapes and sizes. While it is straightforward to draw an analogy between such amphiphilic block copolymers and phospholipids, these two classes of molecules show quite different assembly characteristics. In particular, block copolymers often assemble under kinetic control, thus producing nonequilibrium structures. This leads to a rich variety of behaviors being observed in block copolymer assembly, such as pathway dependence (e.g., thermal history), nonergodicity and responsiveness. The dynamics of polymer assemblies can be readily controlled using changes in environmental conditions and/or integrating functional groups situated on polymers with external chemical reactions. This perspective highlights that kinetic control is both pervasive and a useful attribute in the mechanics of block copolymer assembly. Recent examples are highlighted in order to show that toggling between static and dynamic behavior can be used to generate, manipulate and dismantle nonequilibrium states. New methods to control the kinetics of block copolymer assembly will provide endless unanticipated applications in materials science, biomimicry and medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen D P Fielden
- School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
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2
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Toujani C, Padilla LA, Alhraki N, Hur SM, Ramírez-Hernández A. Self-assembly of rod-coil-rod block copolymers in a coil-selective solvent: coarse-grained simulation results. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:3131-3142. [PMID: 38497125 DOI: 10.1039/d4sm00251b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
The solution self-assembly of amphiphilic polymers provides a versatile approach to design novel nanostructured materials. Multiblock polymers, particularly those composed of liquid crystalline and coil blocks, are of significant interest due to the potential display of nematic ordering in liquid crystalline domains, offering intriguing optical and mechanical properties. In this study, dissipative particle dynamics is used to investigate the solution self-assembly of rod-coil-rod copolymers in a coil-selective solvent. Extensive molecular simulations were conducted to elucidate the impact of polymer composition, concentration and flexibility on the self-assembly behavior. A quantitative analysis was performed to investigate how polymer conformations varied with changes in composition, concentration, and rigidity. Simulation results show that, at small rod compositions, rod-coil-rod polymers self-assemble into micelles at low concentrations, transitioning to network formation as concentration increases. An increase in rod composition leads to the formation of larger aggregates, resulting in cylindrical micelles and membranes. The results reported here also offer insights into the role of flexibility in shaping the self-assembly behavior of rod-coil-rod triblocks in selective solvents, thus, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of the factors governing the formation of diverse structures in the solution self-assembly of triblock copolymers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiraz Toujani
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249, USA
| | - Luis A Padilla
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249, USA
| | - Nour Alhraki
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249, USA
| | - Su-Mi Hur
- Department of Polymer Engineering, Graduate School, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, South Korea
| | - Abelardo Ramírez-Hernández
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249, USA.
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3
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Salinas-Soto CA, Choe Y, Hur SM, Ramírez-Hernández A. Exploring conformations of comb-like polymers with varying grafting density in dilute solutions. J Chem Phys 2023; 159:114901. [PMID: 37712792 DOI: 10.1063/5.0160824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Comb-like polymers have shown potential as advanced materials for a diverse palette of applications due to the tunability of their polymer architecture. To date, however, it still remains a challenge to understand how the conformational properties of these polymers arise from the interplay of their architectural parameters. In this work, extensive simulations were performed using dissipative particle dynamics to investigate the effect of grafting density, backbone length, and sidechain length on the conformations of comb-like polymers immersed in a good solvent. To quantify the effect of these architectural parameters on polymer conformations, we computed the asphericity, radius of gyration, and backbone and sidechain end-to-end distances. Bond-bond correlation functions and effective Kuhn lengths were computed to quantify the topological stiffness induced by sidechain-sidechain interactions. Simulation results reveal that the effective Kuhn length increases as grafting density and sidechain length increase, in agreement with previous experimental and theoretical studies. This increase in stiffness results in comb-like polymers adopting extended conformations as grafting density and sidechain length increase. Simulation results regarding the radius of gyration of comb-like polymers as a function of grafting density are compared with scaling theory predictions based on a free energy proposed by Morozova and Lodge [ACS Macro Lett. 6, 1274-1279 (2017)] and scaling arguments by Tang et al. [Macromolecules 55, 8668-8675 (2022)].
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos A Salinas-Soto
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249, USA
| | - Yeojin Choe
- Department of Polymer Engineering, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea
| | - Su-Mi Hur
- Department of Polymer Engineering, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea
| | - Abelardo Ramírez-Hernández
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249, USA
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4
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Kim TY, Hur SM, Ramírez-Hernández A. Effect of Block Sequence on the Solution Self-Assembly of Symmetric ABCBA Pentablock Polymers in a Selective Solvent. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:2575-2586. [PMID: 36917777 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c07930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/15/2023]
Abstract
Solution self-assembly of multiblock polymers offers a platform to create complex functional self-assembled nanostructures. However, a complete understanding of the effect of the different single-molecule-level parameters and solution conditions on the self-assembled morphology is still lacking. In this work, we have used dissipative particle dynamics to investigate the solution self-assembly of symmetric ABCBA linear pentablock polymers in a selective solvent and examined the effect of the block sequence, composition, and polymer concentration on the final morphology and polymer conformations. We confirmed that block sequence has an effect on the self-assembled morphologies, and it has a strong influence on polymer conformations that give place to physical gels for the sequence where the solvophilic block is located in the middle of the macromolecule. Our results are summarized in terms of morphology diagrams in the composition-concentration parameter space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae-Yi Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249, United States
- Department of Polymer Engineering, Graduate School, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, South Korea
| | - Su-Mi Hur
- Department of Polymer Engineering, Graduate School, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, South Korea
| | - Abelardo Ramírez-Hernández
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249, United States
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249, United States
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5
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Zhu Q, Tree DR. Simulations of morphology control of self‐assembled amphiphilic surfactants. JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/pol.20220771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Qinyu Zhu
- Department of Chemical Engineering Brigham Young University Provo Utah USA
| | - Douglas R. Tree
- Department of Chemical Engineering Brigham Young University Provo Utah USA
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6
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Allen BP, Wright ZM, Taylor HF, Oweida TJ, Kader-Pinky S, Patteson EF, Bucci KM, Cox CA, Senthilvel AS, Yingling YG, Knight AS. Mapping the Morphological Landscape of Oligomeric Di-block Peptide-Polymer Amphiphiles. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202115547. [PMID: 35037351 PMCID: PMC8957712 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202115547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Peptide-polymer amphiphiles (PPAs) are tunable hybrid materials that achieve complex assembly landscapes by combining the sequence-dependent properties of peptides with the structural diversity of polymers. Despite their promise as biomimetic materials, determining how polymer and peptide properties simultaneously affect PPA self-assembly remains challenging. We herein present a systematic study of PPA structure-assembly relationships. PPAs containing oligo(ethyl acrylate) and random-coil peptides were used to determine the role of oligomer molecular weight, dispersity, peptide length, and charge density on self-assembly. We observed that PPAs predominantly formed spheres rather than anisotropic particles. Oligomer molecular weight and peptide hydrophilicity dictated morphology, while dispersity and peptide charge affected particle size. These key benchmarks will facilitate the rational design of PPAs that expand the scope of biomimetic functionality within assembled soft materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin P Allen
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Zoe M Wright
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Hailey F Taylor
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Thomas J Oweida
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Sabila Kader-Pinky
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Emily F Patteson
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Kara M Bucci
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Caleb A Cox
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Abishec Sundar Senthilvel
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Yaroslava G Yingling
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Abigail S Knight
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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7
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Trigilio A, Marien Y, Edeleva M, Van Steenberge P, D'hooge D. Optimal search methods for selecting distributed species in Gillespie-based kinetic Monte Carlo. Comput Chem Eng 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.compchemeng.2021.107580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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8
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Procházka K, Limpouchová Z, Štěpánek M, Šindelka K, Lísal M. DPD Modelling of the Self- and Co-Assembly of Polymers and Polyelectrolytes in Aqueous Media: Impact on Polymer Science. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14030404. [PMID: 35160394 PMCID: PMC8838752 DOI: 10.3390/polym14030404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
This review article is addressed to a broad community of polymer scientists. We outline and analyse the fundamentals of the dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulation method from the point of view of polymer physics and review the articles on polymer systems published in approximately the last two decades, focusing on their impact on macromolecular science. Special attention is devoted to polymer and polyelectrolyte self- and co-assembly and self-organisation and to the problems connected with the implementation of explicit electrostatics in DPD numerical machinery. Critical analysis of the results of a number of successful DPD studies of complex polymer systems published recently documents the importance and suitability of this coarse-grained method for studying polymer systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karel Procházka
- Department of Physical and Macromolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Hlavova 8, 128 43 Prague, Czech Republic; (Z.L.); (M.Š.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Zuzana Limpouchová
- Department of Physical and Macromolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Hlavova 8, 128 43 Prague, Czech Republic; (Z.L.); (M.Š.)
| | - Miroslav Štěpánek
- Department of Physical and Macromolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Hlavova 8, 128 43 Prague, Czech Republic; (Z.L.); (M.Š.)
| | - Karel Šindelka
- Department of Molecular and Mesoscopic Modelling, Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals, Czech Academy of Sciences, Rozvojová 135, 165 02 Prague, Czech Republic; (K.Š.); (M.L.)
| | - Martin Lísal
- Department of Molecular and Mesoscopic Modelling, Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals, Czech Academy of Sciences, Rozvojová 135, 165 02 Prague, Czech Republic; (K.Š.); (M.L.)
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem, Pasteurova 3632, 400 96 Ústí n. Labem, Czech Republic
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9
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Allen BP, Wright ZM, Taylor HF, Oweida TJ, Kader-Pinky S, Patteson EF, Bucci KM, Cox CA, Senthilvel AS, Yingling YG, Knight AS. Mapping the Morphological Landscape of Oligomeric Di‐block Peptide‐Polymer Amphiphiles. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202115547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin P. Allen
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill College of Arts and Sciences Chemistry UNITED STATES
| | - Zoe M. Wright
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill College of Arts and Sciences Chemistry UNITED STATES
| | - Hailey F. Taylor
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill College of Arts and Sciences Chemistry UNITED STATES
| | - Thomas J. Oweida
- North Carolina State University at Raleigh: NC State University Materials Science and Engineering UNITED STATES
| | - Sabila Kader-Pinky
- North Carolina State University at Raleigh: NC State University Materials Science and Engineering UNITED STATES
| | - Emily F. Patteson
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Kenan Science Library: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chemistry UNITED STATES
| | - Kara M. Bucci
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill College of Arts and Sciences Chemistry UNITED STATES
| | - Caleb A. Cox
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill College of Arts and Sciences Chemistry UNITED STATES
| | - Abishec Sundar Senthilvel
- North Carolina State University at Raleigh: NC State University Materials Science and Engineering UNITED STATES
| | | | - Abigail S. Knight
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chemistry 319 CaudillUNC-Chapel Hill 27599 Chapel Hill UNITED STATES
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10
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Paruchuri BC, Gopal V, Sarupria S, Larsen J. Toward enzyme-responsive polymersome drug delivery. Nanomedicine (Lond) 2021; 16:2679-2693. [PMID: 34870451 DOI: 10.2217/nnm-2021-0194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In drug delivery, enzyme-responsive drug carriers are becoming increasingly relevant because of the growing association of disease pathology with enzyme overexpression. Polymersomes are of interest to such applications because of their tunable properties. While polymersomes open up a wide range of chemical and physical properties to explore, they also present a challenge in developing generalized rules for the synthesis of novel systems. Motivated by this issue, in this perspective, we summarize the existing knowledge on enzyme-responsive polymersomes and outline the main design choices. Then, we propose heuristics to guide the design of novel systems. Finally, we discuss the potential of an integrated approach using computer simulations and experimental studies to streamline this design process and close the existing knowledge gaps.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Varun Gopal
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29631, USA.,Department of Chemical Engineering & Material Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Sapna Sarupria
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29631, USA.,Center for Optical Materials Science & Engineering Technologies (COMSET), Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29670, USA.,Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Jessica Larsen
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29631, USA.,Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29631, USA
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11
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Playing construction with the monomer toy box for the synthesis of multi‐stimuli responsive copolymers by reversible deactivation radical polymerization protocols. JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/pol.20210590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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12
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Rizvi A, Mulvey JT, Carpenter BP, Talosig R, Patterson JP. A Close Look at Molecular Self-Assembly with the Transmission Electron Microscope. Chem Rev 2021; 121:14232-14280. [PMID: 34329552 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Molecular self-assembly is pervasive in the formation of living and synthetic materials. Knowledge gained from research into the principles of molecular self-assembly drives innovation in the biological, chemical, and materials sciences. Self-assembly processes span a wide range of temporal and spatial domains and are often unintuitive and complex. Studying such complex processes requires an arsenal of analytical and computational tools. Within this arsenal, the transmission electron microscope stands out for its unique ability to visualize and quantify self-assembly structures and processes. This review describes the contribution that the transmission electron microscope has made to the field of molecular self-assembly. An emphasis is placed on which TEM methods are applicable to different structures and processes and how TEM can be used in combination with other experimental or computational methods. Finally, we provide an outlook on the current challenges to, and opportunities for, increasing the impact that the transmission electron microscope can have on molecular self-assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aoon Rizvi
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-2025, United States
| | - Justin T Mulvey
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-2025, United States
| | - Brooke P Carpenter
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-2025, United States
| | - Rain Talosig
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-2025, United States
| | - Joseph P Patterson
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-2025, United States
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13
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Martin J, Desfoux A, Martinez J, Amblard M, Mehdi A, Vezenkov L, Subra G. Bottom-up strategies for the synthesis of peptide-based polymers. Prog Polym Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2021.101377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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14
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Barbee MH, Wright ZM, Allen BP, Taylor HF, Patteson EF, Knight AS. Protein-Mimetic Self-Assembly with Synthetic Macromolecules. Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c02826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Meredith H. Barbee
- Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Zoe M. Wright
- Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Benjamin P. Allen
- Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Hailey F. Taylor
- Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Emily F. Patteson
- Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Abigail S. Knight
- Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
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15
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Zhu Q, Scott TR, Tree DR. Using reactive dissipative particle dynamics to understand local shape manipulation of polymer vesicles. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:24-39. [PMID: 33179711 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm01654c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Biological cells have long been of interest to researchers due to their capacity to actively control their shape. Accordingly, there is significant interest in generating simplified synthetic protocells that can alter their shape based on an externally or internally generated stimulus. To date, most progress has been made towards controlling the global shape of a protocell, whereas less is known about generating a local shape change. Here, we seek to better understand the possible mechanisms for producing local morphological changes in a popular protocell system, the block copolymer vesicle. Accordingly, we have combined Dissipative Particle Dynamics (DPD) and the Split Reactive Brownian Dynamics algorithm (SRBD) to produce a simulation tool that is capable of modeling the dynamics of self-assembled polymer structures as they undergo chemical reactions. Using this Reactive DPD or RDPD method, we investigate local morphological change driven by either the microinjection of a stimulus or an enzymatically-produced stimulus. We find that sub-vesicle-scale morphological change can be induced by either a solvent stimulus that swells the vesicle membrane, or by a reactant stimulus that alters the chemistry of the block polymer in the membrane corona. Notably, the latter method results in a more persistent local deformation than the former, which we attribute to the slower diffusion of polymer chains relative to the solvent. We quantify this deformation and show that it can be modulated by altering the interaction parameter of the parts of the polymer chain that are affected by the stimulus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinyu Zhu
- Chemical Engineering Department, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA.
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16
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Zeng H, Roberts DA. Recent Progress in Stimuli-Induced Morphology Transformations of Block Copolymer Assemblies. Aust J Chem 2021. [DOI: 10.1071/ch21200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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17
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Abstract
Enzymatic reactions and noncovalent (i.e., supramolecular) interactions are two fundamental nongenetic attributes of life. Enzymatic noncovalent synthesis (ENS) refers to a process where enzymatic reactions control intermolecular noncovalent interactions for spatial organization of higher-order molecular assemblies that exhibit emergent properties and functions. Like enzymatic covalent synthesis (ECS), in which an enzyme catalyzes the formation of covalent bonds to generate individual molecules, ENS is a unifying theme for understanding the functions, morphologies, and locations of molecular ensembles in cellular environments. This review intends to provide a summary of the works of ENS within the past decade and emphasize ENS for functions. After comparing ECS and ENS, we describe a few representative examples where nature uses ENS, as a rule of life, to create the ensembles of biomacromolecules for emergent properties/functions in a myriad of cellular processes. Then, we focus on ENS of man-made (synthetic) molecules in cell-free conditions, classified by the types of enzymes. After that, we introduce the exploration of ENS of man-made molecules in the context of cells by discussing intercellular, peri/intracellular, and subcellular ENS for cell morphogenesis, molecular imaging, cancer therapy, and other applications. Finally, we provide a perspective on the promises of ENS for developing molecular assemblies/processes for functions. This review aims to be an updated introduction for researchers who are interested in exploring noncovalent synthesis for developing molecular science and technologies to address societal needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjian He
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
| | - Weiyi Tan
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
| | - Jiaqi Guo
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
| | - Meihui Yi
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
| | - Adrianna N Shy
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
| | - Bing Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, United States
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18
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Gumus B, Herrera-Alonso M, Ramírez-Hernández A. Kinetically-arrested single-polymer nanostructures from amphiphilic mikto-grafted bottlebrushes in solution: a simulation study. SOFT MATTER 2020; 16:4969-4979. [PMID: 32432304 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm00771d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Solution self-assembly of molecular bottlebrushes offers a rich platform to create complex functional organic nanostructures. Recently, it has become evident that kinetics, not just thermodynamics, plays an important role in defining the self-assembled structures that can be formed. In this work, we present results from extensive molecular dynamics simulations that explore the self-assembly behavior of mikto-grafted bottlebrushes when the solvent quality for one of the side blocks is changed by a rapid quench. We have performed a systematic study of the effect of different structural parameters and the degree of incompatibility between side chains on the final self-assembled nanostructures in the low concentration limit. We found that kinetically-trapped complex nanostructures are prevalent as the number of macromonomers increases. We performed a quantitative analysis of the self-assembled morphologies by computing the radius of gyration tensor and relative shape anisotropy as the different relevant parameters were varied. Our results are summarized in terms of non-equilibrium morphology diagrams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bahar Gumus
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas San Antonio, TX 78249, USA.
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19
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Callmann CE, Thompson MP, Gianneschi NC. Poly(peptide): Synthesis, Structure, and Function of Peptide-Polymer Amphiphiles and Protein-like Polymers. Acc Chem Res 2020; 53:400-413. [PMID: 31967781 PMCID: PMC11042489 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.9b00518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
In this Account, we describe the organization of functional peptides as densely arrayed side chains on polymer scaffolds which we introduce as a new class of material called poly(peptide). We describe two general classes of poly(peptide): (1) Peptide-Polymer Amphiphiles (PPAs), which consist of block copolymers with a dense grouping of peptides arrayed as the side chains of the hydrophilic block and connected to a hydrophobic block that drives micelle assembly, and (2) Protein-like Polymers (PLPs), wherein peptide-brush polymers are composed from monomers, each containing a peptide side chain. Peptides organized in this manner imbue polymers or polymeric nanoparticles with a range of functional qualities inherent to their specific sequence. Therefore, polymers or nanoparticles otherwise lacking bioactivity or responsiveness to stimuli, once linked to a peptide of choice, can now bind proteins, enter cells and tissues, have controlled and switchable biodistribution patterns, and be enzyme substrates (e.g., for kinases, phosphatases, proteases). Indeed, where peptide substrates are incorporated, kinetically or thermodynamically driven morphological transitions can be enzymatically induced in the polymeric material. Synergistically, the polymer enforces changes in peptide activity and function by virtue of packing and constraining the peptide. The scaffold can protect peptides from proteolysis, change the pharmacokinetic profile of an intravenously injected peptide, increase the cellular uptake of an otherwise cell impermeable therapeutic peptide, or change peptide substrate activity entirely. Moreover, in addition to the sequence-controlled peptides (generated by solid phase synthesis), the polymer can carry its own sequence-dependent information, especially through living polymerization strategies allowing well-defined blocks and terminal labels (e.g., dyes, contrast agents, charged moieties). Hence, the two elements, peptide and polymer, cooperate to yield materials with unique function and properties quite apart from each alone. Herein, we describe the development of synthetic strategies for accessing these classes of biomolecule polymer conjugates. We discuss the utility of poly(peptide)-based materials in a range of biomedical applications, including imaging of diseased tissues (myocardial infarction and cancer), delivering small molecule drugs to tumors with high specificity, imparting cell permeability to otherwise impermeable peptides, protecting bioactive peptides from proteolysis in harsh conditions (e.g., stomach acid and whole blood), and transporting proteins into traditionally difficult-to-transfect cell types, including stem cells. Poly(peptide) materials offer new properties to both the constituent peptides and to the polymers, which can be tuned by the design of the oligopeptide sequence, degree of polymerization, peptide arrangement on the polymer backbone, and polymer backbone chemistry. These properties establish this approach as valuable for the development of peptides as medicines and materials in a range of settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra E. Callmann
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Departments of Chemistry, Materials Science & Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, and Pharmacology, International Institute of Nanotechnology, Simpson Querrey Institute, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Lurie Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Matthew P. Thompson
- Departments of Chemistry, Materials Science & Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, and Pharmacology, International Institute of Nanotechnology, Simpson Querrey Institute, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Lurie Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Nathan C. Gianneschi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Departments of Chemistry, Materials Science & Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, and Pharmacology, International Institute of Nanotechnology, Simpson Querrey Institute, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Lurie Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
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