Elastin-like Polypeptide Diblock Copolymers Self-Assemble into Weak Micelles.

ABSTRACT: The self-assembly of synthetic diblock copolymers has been extensively studied experimentally and theoretically. In contrast, self-assembly of polypeptide diblock copolymers has so far been mostly studied experimentally. We discovered that the theory developed for synthetic diblock copolymer does not fully explain the self-assembly of elastin-like polypeptide diblock copolymers, leading us to generalize the theory to make it applicable for these polypeptides. We demonstrated that elastin-like polypeptide diblocks self-assemble into weak micelles with dense cores and almost unstretched coronas, a state not previously observed for synthetic diblock copolymers. Weak micelles form if the surface tension at the core-corona interface is low compared to that expected of a micelle with a dense cor

SUBMITTER: Hassouneh W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4822422 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature