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Sun H, Qiao B, Choi W, Hampu N, McCallum NC, Thompson MP, Oktawiec J, Weigand S, Ebrahim OM, de la Cruz MO, Gianneschi NC. Origin of Proteolytic Stability of Peptide-Brush Polymers as Globular Proteomimetics. ACS Cent Sci 2021; 7:2063-2072. [PMID: 34963898 PMCID: PMC8704038 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.1c01149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Peptide-brush polymers (PBPs), wherein every side-chain of the polymers is peptidic, represent a new class of proteomimetic with unusually high proteolytic resistance while maintaining bioactivity. Here, we sought to determine the origin of this behavior and to assess its generality via a combined theory and experimental approach. A series of PBPs with various polymer backbone structures were prepared and examined for their proteolytic stability and bioactivity. We discovered that an increase in the hydrophobicity of the polymer backbones is predictive of an elevation in proteolytic stability of the side-chain peptides. Computer simulations, together with small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) analysis, revealed globular morphologies for these polymers, in which pendant peptides condense around hydrophobic synthetic polymer backbones driven by the hydrophobic effect. As the hydrophobicity of the polymer backbones increases, the extent of solvent exposure of peptide cleavage sites decreases, reducing their accessibility to proteolytic enzymes. This study provides insight into the important factors driving PBP aqueous-phase structures to behave as globular, synthetic polymer-based proteomimetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Sun
- Department
of Chemistry, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical & Biomedical Engineering, University of New Haven, West Haven, Connecticut 06516, United States
| | - Baofu Qiao
- Department
of Materials Science & Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Wonmin Choi
- Department
of Chemistry, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Nicholas Hampu
- Department
of Chemistry, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Naneki C. McCallum
- Department
of Chemistry, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Matthew P. Thompson
- Department
of Chemistry, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Julia Oktawiec
- Department
of Chemistry, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Steven Weigand
- Dupont-Northwestern-Dow
Collaborative Access Team (DND-CAT) Synchrotron Research Center, Northwestern University, Argonne, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Omar M. Ebrahim
- Department
of Chemistry, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Monica Olvera de la Cruz
- Department
of Chemistry, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Department
of Materials Science & Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Department
of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Nathan C. Gianneschi
- Department
of Chemistry, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Department
of Materials Science & Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Pharmacology, Chemistry of
Life Processes Institute, Simpson Querrey Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
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Stevens SL, Phung AC, Gonzalez A, Shao Y, Moully EH, Nguyen VT, Martin JL, Mao C, Saebi A, Mosallaei D, Kirollos M, Chong P, Umanzor A, Qian K, Marin G, Ebrahim OM, Pathuri RS, Hopp M, Ramachandran R, Waddington MA, Spokoyny AM. Narratives of Undergraduate Research, Mentorship, and Teaching at UCLA. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 93:207-221. [PMID: 33935303 DOI: 10.1515/pac-2020-1007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
This work describes select narratives pertaining to undergraduate teaching and mentorship at UCLA Chemistry and Biochemistry by Alex Spokoyny and his junior colleagues. Specifically, we discuss how individual undergraduate researchers contributed and jump-started multiple research themes since the conception of our research laboratory. This work also describes several recent innovations in the inorganic and general chemistry courses taught by Spokoyny at UCLA with a focus of nurturing appreciation for research and creative process in sciences including the use of social media platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone L Stevens
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Alice C Phung
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Alejandra Gonzalez
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Yanwu Shao
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Elamar Hakim Moully
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Vinh T Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Joshua L Martin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Chantel Mao
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Azin Saebi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Daniel Mosallaei
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Monica Kirollos
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Paul Chong
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Alexander Umanzor
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Kevin Qian
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Gustavo Marin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Omar M Ebrahim
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Ramya S Pathuri
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Morgan Hopp
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Roshini Ramachandran
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States.,UCLA Center for the Advancement of Teaching, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Mary A Waddington
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Alexander M Spokoyny
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States.,California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI), University of California, Los Angeles, 570 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
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