Ionic Combisomes: A New Class of Biomimetic Vesicles to Fuse with Life.

ABSTRACT: The construction of biomembranes that faithfully capture the properties and dynamic functions of cell membranes remains a challenge in the development of synthetic cells and their application. Here a new concept for synthetic cell membranes based on the self-assembly of amphiphilic comb polymers into vesicles, termed ionic combisomes (i-combisomes) is introduced. These combs consist of a polyzwitterionic backbone to which hydrophobic tails are linked by electrostatic interactions. Using a range of microscopies and molecular simulations, the self-assembly of a library of combs in water is screened. It is discovered that the hydrophobic tails form the membrane's core and force the backbone into a rod conformation with nematic-like ordering confined to the interface with water. This particula

SUBMITTER: Wagner AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9189634 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature