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US 12,195,620 B2Granted
Controlled entrapment and release of molecular cargo
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsFaik Akif Tezcan, Ling Zhang, Youjeong Na, Kenneth Han
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed are reversibly-expandable polymer-integrated crystals (PIX) materials, devices, and methods for controllably encapsulating and releasing molecular cargo. The disclosed PIX materials are engineered crystalline materials with large pores that can entrap macromolecules, such as proteins and nanoparticles. The material expands and contracts reversibly, allowing controlled encapsulation and release of guest/cargo molecules.
Claims30
A reversibly-expandable polymer-integrated crystal (PIX) material for controllably entrapping and releasing a molecular cargo, comprising:
- a crystal comprising ferritin molecules organized in a crystal lattice, wherein the ferritin molecules are conjugated with a reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) agent;
- and
- a polymer matrix comprising polyacrylate formed within the crystal lattice of the crystal such that the polymer matrix encompasses the ferritin molecules,
- wherein the polymer matrix is configured to cause the crystal lattice to expand in response to a first stimulus and configured to cause the crystal lattice to contract, when the crystal lattice is expanded, in response to a second stimulus which is different from the first stimulus,
- wherein the PIX material is operable to capture the molecular cargo by loading molecules of the molecular cargo within the crystal lattice of the PIX material when the crystal lattice is expanded and is operable to entrap the molecules of the molecular cargo within the PIX material by contracting the crystal lattice with the loaded molecules of the molecular cargo contained within the crystal lattice, and
- wherein the PIX material is operable to release the molecules of the molecular cargo, comprising re-expanding the crystal lattice after entrapment of the molecules of the molecular cargo within the PIX material.
3 more elements
A method of controllably entrapping a molecular cargo within a material, comprising:
- providing a reversibly-expandable polymer-integrated crystal (PIX) material in an environment containing molecules of the molecular cargo that includes a protein, a DNA, an RNA, or a nanoparticle, the reversibly-expandable polymer-integrated crystal (PIX) material, comprising:
- a crystal comprising ferritin molecules organized in a crystal lattice, wherein the ferritin molecules are conjugated with a reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) agent;
- and
- a polymer matrix comprising polyacrylate formed within the crystal lattice of the crystal such that the polymer matrix encompasses the ferritin molecules;
- triggering an expansion of the PIX material by applying a first stimulus to the environment to cause the crystal lattice of the PIX material to expand;
- loading the molecules of the molecular cargo within the expanded crystal lattice of the PIX material;
- and
- entrapping the molecular cargo within the PIX material by triggering a contraction of the PIX material by applying a second stimulus to the environment to cause the crystal lattice of the PIX material to contract with the loaded molecules of the molecular cargo contained within the crystal lattice.
5 more elements
A method of controllably entrapping a charged molecular cargo in a material, comprising:
- providing a polymer-integrated crystal (PIX) material in an environment containing charged molecules of a molecular cargo that includes a protein, a DNA, an RNA, or a nanoparticle, the polymer-integrated crystal (PIX) material, comprising:
- a crystal comprising ferritin molecules organized in a crystal lattice, wherein the ferritin molecules are conjugated with a reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) agent;
- and
- a polymer matrix comprising polyacrylate formed within the crystal lattice of the crystal such that the polymer matrix encompasses the ferritin molecules,
- wherein each molecule from the charged molecules has a first electric charge, and wherein the polymer matrix of the PIX material has a second electric charge having a sign opposite to a sign of the first electric charge;
- keeping the PIX material in an environment for an amount of time without expanding the crystal lattice of the crystal of the PIX material;
- and
- removing, without expanding the crystal lattice of the crystal of the PIX material, the PIX material from the environment immediately after said keeping the PIX material in the environment for the amount of time.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.