Abstract

The self-assembly of nanostructures from elastin-like (poly)peptide (ELP) containing block copolymers has been a subject of intense investigation over decades. However, short synthetic ELPs have rarely been used due to their high inverse transition temperature; the use of short ELPs has largely been limited to polymer conjugates. Motivated by our previous work which successfully overcame this barrier by simply conjugating short ELPs with a triple-helix-forming collagen-like peptide, in this study, we further extend the ELP library to a series of ELPs equipped with aromatic residues and having sequences as short as four pentapeptide motifs. The resulting elastin-like peptide-collagen-like peptide (ELP-CLP) bioconjugates unexpectedly self-assembled into nanosized platelets likely by forming a bilayer structure. Given the previously demonstrated ability of many other CLP conjugates to target collagens and the potential for encapsulation of hydrophobic drugs in collapsed ELPs, these ELP-CLP nanoplatelets may offer similar opportunities for targeted delivery in biomedical and other arenas.

Full Text
Paper version not known

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.