Regioselective Seeded Polymerization in Block Copolymer Nanoparticles: Post‐Assembly Control of Colloidal Features

Post‐assembly modifications are efficient tools to adjust colloidal features of block copolymer (BCP) particles. However, existing methods often address particle shape, morphology, and chemical functionality individually. For simultaneous control, we transferred the concept of seeded polymerization to phase separated BCP particles. Key to our approach is the regioselective polymerization of (functional) monomers inside specific BCP domains. This was demonstrated in striped PS‐b‐P2VP ellipsoids. Here, polymerization of styrene preferably occurs in PS domains and increases PS lamellar thickness up to 5‐fold. The resulting asymmetric lamellar morphology also changes the particle shape, i.e., increases the aspect ratio. Using 4‐vinylbenzyl azide as co‐monomer, azides as chemical functionalities can be added selectively to the PS domains. Overall, our simple and versatile method gives access to various multifunctional BCP colloids from a single batch of pre‐formed particles.

Diverse functional elements in RNA predicted transcriptome-wide by orthogonal RNA structure probing

RNA molecules can fold into complex structures and interact with trans-acting factors to control their biology. Recent methods have been focused on developing novel tools to measure RNA structure transcriptome-wide, but their utility to study and predict RNA-protein interactions or RNA processing has been limited thus far. Here, we extend these studies with the first transcriptome-wide mapping method for cataloging RNA solvent accessibility, icLASER. By combining solvent accessibility (icLASER) with RNA flexibility (icSHAPE) data, we efficiently predict RNA-protein interactions transcriptome-wide and catalog RNA polyadenylation sites by RNA structure alone. These studies showcase the power of designing novel chemical approaches to studying RNA biology. Further, our study exemplifies merging complementary methods to measure RNA structure inside cells and its utility for predicting transcriptome-wide interactions that are critical for control of and regulation by RNA structure. We envision such approaches can be applied to studying different cell types or cells under varying conditions, using RNA structure and footprinting to characterize cellular interactions and processing involving RNA.

"CHicable" and "Clickable" Copolymers for Network Formation and Surface Modification

In this study, we present the generation of novel, multifunctional polymer networks through a combination of C,H-insertion cross-linking (CHic) and click chemistry. To this, copolymers consisting of hydrophilic N,N-dimethylacrylamide as matrix component and repeat units containing azide moieties, as well as benzophenone or anthraquinone groups, are generated. The benzophenone or anthraquinone groups allow photo-cross-linking, surface attachment or covalent immobilization of adjacent (bio)molecules through CHic reactions. The azide moieties either can react with available alkynes through conventional click reactions or can be activated to form nitrenes, which can also undergo CHic reactions. By choosing appropriate reaction conditions, the same polymer can be used to follow very different reaction paths, opening up a plethora of choices for the generation of functional polymer networks. In the exemplary presented case ("CHic-Click"), irradiation of the copolymers with UV-A light (λ_irr = 365 nm) leads to cross-linking (network formation) and surface attachment simultaneously. The azide units remain intact during this cross-linking step, and alkyne-modified (bio)molecules can be bound through click reactions. Biofunctionalization of the polymer network with alkynylated streptavidin, followed by application of biotin-conjugated antibody and a model analyte, highlights the potential of these surface architectures as a toolbox which can be adapted for diverse bioanalytical applications.

Photo-crosslinked polymer cubosomes as a recyclable nanoreactor in organic solvents

Photo-crosslinked polymer cubosomes can work as robust nanoreactor under organic solvent condition without structural degradation.

Site-specific proximity ligation provides molecular insights into biologically relevant interfaces of protein-protein interaction

Dynamic protein-protein interactions (PPIs) are fundamental to spatiotemporal control of protein functions in biological systems. Dissecting binding interfaces in aqueous solution (i.e., biological interfaces) is of great importance for identifying molecular determinants that contribute to the affinity and specificity of PPIs. Herein, we describe a biochemical method, termed site-specific proximity ligation (SPL), that enables the identification and reconstruction of native binding interfaces distinct from those present in crystal structures and models from computational prediction. SPL involves the strategic incorporation of an aryl azide-containing unnatural amino acid (AZF) into residues of interest in a particular protein that forms a multiprotein complex. Depending on the interfacial role of a targeted residue, a photo-inducible highly reactive incorporated AZF moiety may react with neighboring functional groups to covalently capture an otherwise non-covalent or weak interaction with a specific partner protein, thereby revealing the landscape of biological interfaces. Using a heterotrimeric nuclear pore protein as a model, we show that the biological interfaces of the complex mapped by SPL provide new insight into dynamic molecular recognition that is missed by, or even in conflict with, static models.

Light and latex: advances in the photochemistry of polymer colloids

Unparalleled temporal and spatial control of colloidal chemical processes introduces immense potential for the manufacturing, modification, and manipulation of latex particles.

Two-in-One Device with Versatile Compatible Electrical Switching or Data Storage Functions Controlled by the Ferroelectricity of P(VDF-TrFE) via Photocrosslinking

Organic electronics demand new platforms that can make integrated circuits and undergo mass production while maintaining diverse functions with high performance. The field-effect transistor has great potential to be a multifunctional device capable of sensing, data processing, data storage, and display. Currently, transistor-based devices cannot be considered intrinsic multifunctional devices because all installed functions are mutually coupled. Such incompatibilities are a crucial barrier to developing an all-in-one multifunctional device capable of driving each function individually. In this study, we focus on the decoupling of electric switching and data storage functions in an organic ferroelectric memory transistor. To overcome the incompatibility of each function, the high permittivity needed for electrical switching and the ferroelectricity needed for data storage become compatible by restricting the motion of poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) via photocrosslinking with bis-perfluorobenzoazide. The two-in-one device consisting of a photocrosslinked ferroelectric layer exhibits reversible and individual dual-functional operation as a typical transistor with nonvolatile memory. Moreover, a p-MOS depletion load inverter composed of the two transistors with different threshold voltages is also demonstrated by simply changing only one of the threshold voltages by polarization switching. We believe that the two-in-one device will be considered a potential component of integrated organic logic circuits, including memory, in the future.

Facile Access to Completely Deuterated Single-Chain Nanoparticles Enabled by Intramolecular Azide Photodecomposition

Access to completely deuterated single-chain nanoparticles (dSCNPs) has remained an unresolved issue. Herein, the first facile and efficient procedure to produce dSCNPs is reported, which comprises: i) the use of commercially available perdeuterated cyclic ether monomers as starting reagents, ii) a ring-opening copolymerization process performed in bulk to produce a neat dSCNP precursor, iii) a standard azidation reaction to decorate this precursor with azide moieties, and iv) a facile intramolecular azide photodecomposition step carried out under UV irradiation at high dilution providing with highly valuable, completely deuterated soft nano-objects from the precursor. dSCNPs are used to investigate by means of neutron-scattering measurements the form factor (radius of gyration, scaling exponent) of polyethylene oxide (PEO) chains in nanocomposites with different amounts of dSCNPs. Moreover, to illustrate the possibilities offered by the synthetic route disclosed in this communication for potential applications, the significant reduction in viscosity observed in a pure melt of polyether-based single-chain nanoparticles when compared to a melt of the corresponding linear polymer chains is shown.

Shear-Assisted Fabrication of Block Copolymer Agglomerates with Various Morphologies in Viscous Medium

In this work, we have investigated the effect of laminar flow shearing on the formation of block copolymer agglomerates in viscous medium. Under a laminar flow shearing, the block copolymer solution droplets were spontaneously emulsified and were then elongated into protofibers, which in turn transformed into particles with various morphologies. Besides micro-/nanorods, which were previously reported for homopolymers, sphere and sheetlike structures were unexpectedly fabricated from block copolymers depending on the solvent quality, solvent exchange rates, and the entanglement of the polymer chains. In particular, the sheet structure, fabricated from poly(ethylene glycol)-b-polystyrene (PEG-b-PS), can be fixed by UV irradiation when photo-crosslinkable azide groups were introduced onto the polystyrene block. Surprisingly, we found that the fixed sheetlike structures show demulsification capability in tens of seconds, which may have great potential application in the separation of oil from emulsions.