1
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Bair NP, Zhu Q, Staynings BA, Tree DR, Paxton WF. Ready, Set, Grow: From Micelles to Giant Vesicles via Biocatalytic Activation. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:15293-15300. [PMID: 39007240 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c01925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Controlling physicochemical processes that drive changes in supramolecular aggregates is an important objective toward creating artificial soft micro- and nanomachines. Previous research explored the morphology control of membrane-based materials subjected to externally imposed chemical stimuli. Here, we modulate the microscale morphology of pH-responsive assemblies by using biocatalysis to internally generate changes in global pH. Catalytic reactions offer flexibility in the mechanism and rate at which stimuli are introduced to responsive assemblies, ultimately enabling precision and control over size and morphology. We observed, by dynamic light scattering and fluorescence microscopy, substantial microscale differences between assemblies subjected to manually titrated pH changes compared to biocatalytically activated pH changes, including the growth of giant vesicles from micelles. Coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations of these metastable self-assembled structures provided insight into the thermodynamics and kinetics of the preferred structures. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using biocatalytic reactions to modulate the size and morphology of supramolecular assemblies, from micelles to giant vesicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas P Bair
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602, United States
| | - Qinyu Zhu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602, United States
| | - Byron A Staynings
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602, United States
| | - Douglas R Tree
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602, United States
| | - Walter F Paxton
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602, United States
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2
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Maffeis V, Heuberger L, Nikoletić A, Schoenenberger C, Palivan CG. Synthetic Cells Revisited: Artificial Cells Construction Using Polymeric Building Blocks. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2305837. [PMID: 37984885 PMCID: PMC10885666 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202305837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
The exponential growth of research on artificial cells and organelles underscores their potential as tools to advance the understanding of fundamental biological processes. The bottom-up construction from a variety of building blocks at the micro- and nanoscale, in combination with biomolecules is key to developing artificial cells. In this review, artificial cells are focused upon based on compartments where polymers are the main constituent of the assembly. Polymers are of particular interest due to their incredible chemical variety and the advantage of tuning the properties and functionality of their assemblies. First, the architectures of micro- and nanoscale polymer assemblies are introduced and then their usage as building blocks is elaborated upon. Different membrane-bound and membrane-less compartments and supramolecular structures and how they combine into advanced synthetic cells are presented. Then, the functional aspects are explored, addressing how artificial organelles in giant compartments mimic cellular processes. Finally, how artificial cells communicate with their surrounding and each other such as to adapt to an ever-changing environment and achieve collective behavior as a steppingstone toward artificial tissues, is taken a look at. Engineering artificial cells with highly controllable and programmable features open new avenues for the development of sophisticated multifunctional systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviana Maffeis
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of BaselMattenstrasse 22BaselCH‐4002Switzerland
- NCCR‐Molecular Systems EngineeringBPR 1095, Mattenstrasse 24aBaselCH‐4058Switzerland
| | - Lukas Heuberger
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of BaselMattenstrasse 22BaselCH‐4002Switzerland
| | - Anamarija Nikoletić
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of BaselMattenstrasse 22BaselCH‐4002Switzerland
- Swiss Nanoscience InstituteUniversity of BaselKlingelbergstrasse 82BaselCH‐4056Switzerland
| | | | - Cornelia G. Palivan
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of BaselMattenstrasse 22BaselCH‐4002Switzerland
- NCCR‐Molecular Systems EngineeringBPR 1095, Mattenstrasse 24aBaselCH‐4058Switzerland
- Swiss Nanoscience InstituteUniversity of BaselKlingelbergstrasse 82BaselCH‐4056Switzerland
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3
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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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4
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Feng X, Yan N, Jin J, Jiang W. Disassembly of Amphiphilic AB Block Copolymer Vesicles in Selective Solvents: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study. Macromolecules 2023. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c02352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, P. R. China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, P. R. China
| | - Nan Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, P. R. China
| | - Jing Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, P. R. China
| | - Wei Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, P. R. China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, P. R. China
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5
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Gineste S, Mingotaud C. Double-hydrophilic block copolymer-metal ion associations: Structures, properties and applications. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 311:102808. [PMID: 36442323 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2022.102808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Hybrid polyionic complexes (HPICs), constructed from double-hydrophilic block copolymers and metal ions, have been largely developed with increasing interest in the past decade in the fields of catalysis, materials science and biological applications. The chemical natures of both blocks are very versatile, but one block should be able to interact with ions, and the second one should be neutral. Many metals have been used to form HPICs, which have, in their simplest architectural form, a core-shell structure of a few tens of nanometers in radius with an external shell made of the neutral block of the copolymer. In this review, we focus our discussion on the stability, shape, size and inner structure of these hybrid micelles. We then describe the most recent applications of HPICs, as reported in the literature, and point out the current challenges, missing structural information and future perspectives for this class of organized structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphane Gineste
- Laboratoire des IMRCP, CNRS UMR 5623, University of Toulouse, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, 118, route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse Cedex 9, France
| | - Christophe Mingotaud
- Laboratoire des IMRCP, CNRS UMR 5623, University of Toulouse, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, 118, route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
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6
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Antignano I, D’Acunzo F, Arena D, Casciardi S, Del Giudice A, Gentile F, Pelosi M, Masci G, Gentili P. Influence of Nanoaggregation Routes on the Structure and Thermal Behavior of Multiple-Stimuli-Responsive Micelles from Block Copolymers of Oligo(ethylene glycol) Methacrylate and the Weak Acid [2-(Hydroxyimino)aldehyde]butyl Methacrylate. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:14371-14386. [PMID: 36346681 PMCID: PMC9686140 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c02515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we compare nanoaggregation driven by pH-induced micellization (PIM) and by the standard solvent displacement (SD) method on a series of pH-, light-, and thermosensitive amphiphilic block copolymers. Specifically, we investigate poly(HIABMA)-b-poly(OEGMA) and poly(HIABMA)-b-poly(DEGMA-r-OEGMA), where HIABMA = [(hydroxyimino)aldehyde]butyl methacrylate, OEGMA = oligo(ethylene glycol)methyl ether methacrylate, and DEGMA = di(ethylene glycol)methyl ether methacrylate. The weakly acidic HIA group (pKa ≈ 8) imparts stability to micelles at neutral pH, unlike most of the pH-responsive copolymers investigated in the literature. With SD, only some of our copolymers yield polymeric micelles (34-59 nm), and their thermoresponsivity is either poor or altogether absent. In contrast, PIM affords thermoresponsive, smaller micelles (down to 24 nm), regardless of the polymer composition. In some cases, cloud points are remarkably well defined and exhibit limited hysteresis. By combining turbidimetric, dyamic light scattering, and small-angle X-ray scattering measurements, we show that SD yields loose micelles with POEGMA segments partly involved in the formation of the hydrophobic core, whereas PIM yields more compact core-shell micelles with a well-defined PHIABMA core. We conclude that pH-based nanoaggregation provides advantages over block-selective solvation to obtain compact micelles exhibiting well-defined responses to external stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Antignano
- Department
of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185Roma, Italy
| | - Francesca D’Acunzo
- Institute
of Biological Systems (ISB), Italian National Research Council (CNR),
Sezione Meccanismi di Reazione, c/o Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185Roma, Italy
| | - Davide Arena
- Department
of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185Roma, Italy
| | - Stefano Casciardi
- National
Institute for Insurance Against Accidents at Work (INAIL Research),
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Via Fontana Candida 1, 00078Monte Porzio Catone (Rome), Italy
| | | | - Francesca Gentile
- Department
of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185Roma, Italy
| | - Maria Pelosi
- Department
of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185Roma, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Masci
- Department
of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185Roma, Italy
| | - Patrizia Gentili
- Department
of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185Roma, Italy
- Institute
of Biological Systems (ISB), Italian National Research Council (CNR),
Sezione Meccanismi di Reazione, c/o Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185Roma, Italy
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7
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Weak Polyelectrolytes as Nanoarchitectonic Design Tools for Functional Materials: A Review of Recent Achievements. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27103263. [PMID: 35630741 PMCID: PMC9145934 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27103263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The ionization degree, charge density, and conformation of weak polyelectrolytes can be adjusted through adjusting the pH and ionic strength stimuli. Such polymers thus offer a range of reversible interactions, including electrostatic complexation, H-bonding, and hydrophobic interactions, which position weak polyelectrolytes as key nano-units for the design of dynamic systems with precise structures, compositions, and responses to stimuli. The purpose of this review article is to discuss recent examples of nanoarchitectonic systems and applications that use weak polyelectrolytes as smart components. Surface platforms (electrodeposited films, brushes), multilayers (coatings and capsules), processed polyelectrolyte complexes (gels and membranes), and pharmaceutical vectors from both synthetic or natural-type weak polyelectrolytes are discussed. Finally, the increasing significance of block copolymers with weak polyion blocks is discussed with respect to the design of nanovectors by micellization and film/membrane nanopatterning via phase separation.
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8
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Banno T, Sawada D, Toyota T. Construction of Supramolecular Systems That Achieve Lifelike Functions. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 15:2391. [PMID: 35407724 PMCID: PMC8999524 DOI: 10.3390/ma15072391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded in 1987 and 2016 for research in supramolecular chemistry on the "development and use of molecules with structure-specific interactions of high selectivity" and the "design and production of molecular machines", respectively. This confirmed the explosive development of supramolecular chemistry. In addition, attempts have been made in systems chemistry to embody the complex functions of living organisms as artificial non-equilibrium chemical systems, which have not received much attention in supramolecular chemistry. In this review, we explain recent developments in supramolecular chemistry through four categories: stimuli-responsiveness, time evolution, dissipative self-assembly, and hierarchical expression of functions. We discuss the development of non-equilibrium supramolecular systems, including the use of molecules with precisely designed properties, to achieve functions found in life as a hierarchical chemical system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taisuke Banno
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan; (T.B.); (D.S.)
| | - Daichi Sawada
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan; (T.B.); (D.S.)
| | - Taro Toyota
- Department of Basic Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
- Universal Biology Institute, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
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9
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Copp SM, Hamblin RL, Swingle K, Rai D, Urban VS, Ivanov SA, Montaño GA. Complex pH-Dependent Interactions between Weak Polyelectrolyte Block Copolymer Micelles and Molecular Fluorophores. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:2038-2045. [PMID: 35119286 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c02889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Amphiphilic block copolymers with weak polyelectrolyte blocks can assemble stimulus-responsive nanostructures and interfaces. Applications of these materials in drug delivery, biomimetics, and sensing largely rely on the well-understood swelling of polyelectrolyte chains upon deprotonation, often induced by changes in pH or ionic strength. This deprotonation can also tune interfacial interactions between the polyelectrolyte blocks and surrounding solution, an effect which is less studied than morphological swelling of polyelectrolytes but can be just as critical for intended function. Here, we investigate whether the pH-driven morphological response of polyelectrolyte-bearing nanostructures also affects the interactions of these nanostructures with molecules in solution, using micelles of a short-chain polybutadiene-block-poly(acrylic acid) (pBd-pAA) as a model system. We introduce a Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) approach to probe interactions between micelles and fluorescent molecular solutes as a function of solution pH. As expected, the pAA corona of these pBd-pAA micelles increases in thickness monotonically as a function of pH. However, FRET efficiency, which provides a metric of the spatial proximity of fluorescently labeled micelles and freely diffusing fluorophores, exhibits complex nonmonotonic behavior as a function of pH, indicating that the average separation of micelles and acceptor fluorophores is not strictly correlated with micelle swelling. Dialysis experiments quantify the affinity of fluorophores for micelles as a function of pH, confirming that changes in FRET are driven almost entirely by the pH-dependent affinity of the pAA block for the investigated molecular fluorophores, not simply by a shape change of the pAA corona. This study provides key insights into the interfacial interactions between weak-polyelectrolyte-bearing nanostructures and molecular solutes, of importance for the development of their stimulus-responsive applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacy M Copp
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-2585, United States
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-4575, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-2580, United States
| | - Ryan L Hamblin
- Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratories, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Kirstie Swingle
- Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratories, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Durgesh Rai
- Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Volker S Urban
- Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Sergei A Ivanov
- Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratories, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Gabriel A Montaño
- Department of Applied Physics and Materials Science, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona 86011, United States
- Center for Materials Interfaces in Research and Applications, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona 86011, United States
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10
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Nabiyan A, Max JB, Schacher FH. Double hydrophilic copolymers - synthetic approaches, architectural variety, and current application fields. Chem Soc Rev 2022; 51:995-1044. [PMID: 35005750 DOI: 10.1039/d1cs00086a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Solubility and functionality of polymeric materials are essential properties determining their role in any application. In that regard, double hydrophilic copolymers (DHC) are typically constructed from two chemically dissimilar but water-soluble building blocks. During the past decades, these materials have been intensely developed and utilised as, e.g., matrices for the design of multifunctional hybrid materials, in drug carriers and gene delivery, as nanoreactors, or as sensors. This is predominantly due to almost unlimited possibilities to precisely tune DHC composition and topology, their solution behavior, e.g., stimuli-response, and potential interactions with small molecules, ions and (nanoparticle) surfaces. In this contribution we want to highlight that this class of polymers has experienced tremendous progress regarding synthesis, architectural variety, and the possibility to combine response to different stimuli within one material. Especially the implementation of DHCs as versatile building blocks in hybrid materials expanded the range of water-based applications during the last two decades, which now includes also photocatalysis, sensing, and 3D inkjet printing of hydrogels, definitely going beyond already well-established utilisation in biomedicine or as templates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afshin Nabiyan
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich-Schiller University Jena, Lessingstraße 8, D-07743 Jena, Germany. .,Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, D-07743 Jena, Germany.,Center for Energy and Environmental Chemistry Jena (CEEC Jena), Philosophenweg 7a, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Johannes B Max
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich-Schiller University Jena, Lessingstraße 8, D-07743 Jena, Germany. .,Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, D-07743 Jena, Germany.,Center for Energy and Environmental Chemistry Jena (CEEC Jena), Philosophenweg 7a, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Felix H Schacher
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich-Schiller University Jena, Lessingstraße 8, D-07743 Jena, Germany. .,Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, D-07743 Jena, Germany.,Center for Energy and Environmental Chemistry Jena (CEEC Jena), Philosophenweg 7a, 07743 Jena, Germany
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11
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Biocatalytic self-assembled synthetic vesicles and coacervates: From single compartment to artificial cells. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2022; 299:102566. [PMID: 34864354 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2021.102566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Compartmentalization is an intrinsic feature of living cells that allows spatiotemporal control over the biochemical pathways expressed in them. Over the years, a library of compartmentalized systems has been generated, which includes nano to micrometer sized biomimetic vesicles derived from lipids, amphiphilic block copolymers, peptides, and nanoparticles. Biocatalytic vesicles have been developed using a simple bag containing enzyme design of liposomes to multienzymes immobilized multi-vesicular compartments for artificial cell generation. Additionally, enzymes were also entrapped in membrane-less coacervate droplets to mimic the cytoplasmic macromolecular crowding mechanisms. Here, we have discussed different types of single and multicompartment systems, emphasizing their recent developments as biocatalytic self-assembled structures using recent examples. Importantly, we have summarized the strategies in the development of the self-assembled structure to improvise their adaptivity and flexibility for enzyme immobilization. Finally, we have presented the use of biocatalytic assemblies in mimicking different aspects of living cells, which further carves the path for the engineering of a minimal cell.
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12
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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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13
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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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14
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CO2 and photo-controlled reversible conversion of supramolecular assemblies based on water soluble pillar[5]arene and coumarin-containing guest. CHINESE CHEM LETT 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cclet.2020.03.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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15
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Double hydrophilic block copolymers self-assemblies in biomedical applications. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2020; 283:102213. [PMID: 32739324 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2020.102213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Double-hydrophilic block copolymers (DHBCs), consisting of at least two different water-soluble blocks, are an alternative to the classical amphiphilic block copolymers and have gained increasing attention in the field of biomedical applications. Although the chemical nature of the two blocks can be diverse, most classical DHBCs consist of a bioeliminable non-ionic block to promote solubilization in water, like poly(ethylene glycol), and a second block that is more generally a pH-responsive block capable of interacting with another ionic polymer or substrate. This second block is generally non-degradable and the presence of side chain functional groups raises the question of its fate and toxicity, which is a limitation in the frame of biomedical applications. In this review, following a first part dedicated to recent examples of non-degradable DHBCs, we focus on the DHBCs that combine a biocompatible and bioeliminable non-ionic block with a degradable functional block including polysaccharides, polypeptides, polyesters and other miscellaneous polymers. Their use to design efficient drug delivery systems for various biomedical applications through stimuli-dependent self-assembly is discussed along with the current challenges and future perspectives for this class of copolymers.
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