Stimuli responsive fibrous hydrogels from hierarchical self-assembly of a triblock copolypeptide

Soft Matter. 2015 Jan 14;11(2):331-42. doi: 10.1039/c4sm02092h.

Abstract

In this work, the self-assembly behavior and pH responsiveness of a triblock copolypeptide in aqueous media are demonstrated. The copolypeptide was composed of a central pH responsive poly(l-glutamic acid) (PGA), flanked by two hydrophobic poly(l-alanine) blocks (PAla) (PAla5-PGA11-PAla5). This system showed a pH-responsive transition from short tapes to spherical aggregates by increasing the pH, as a result of deprotonation of the PGA block and a conformational change from α-helix to random coil. Increasing the ionic strength to physiological conditions (0.15 M) has triggered fibrillar self-assembly through intermolecular hydrogen bonding of PAla end-blocks that form β-sheet nanostructures, in conjunction with charge screening of the central random coil PGA segments. At elevated concentrations a thermo-responsive free supporting hydrogel was obtained, consisting of rigid β-sheet based twisted superfibers, resulting from hierarchical self-assembly of the copolypeptide. Yet, morphological transformation of this nanostructure was observed upon switching the pH from physiological conditions to pH 4. An unexpected morphology constituted of α-helix-based giant nanobelts was observed as a consequence of the secondary peptide transitions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alanine / chemistry
  • Glutamic Acid / chemistry
  • Hydrogels / chemistry
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
  • Osmolar Concentration
  • Peptides / chemistry*
  • Protein Structure, Secondary

Substances

  • Hydrogels
  • Peptides
  • Glutamic Acid
  • Alanine