Atom transfer radical polymerization under biologically compatible conditions
AssigneeCarnegie Mellon University
InventorsKrzysztof Matyjaszewski, Saadyah E. Averick, Antonina Simakova
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Abstract
Methods for conducting controlled grafting-from radical polymerizations from biomolecules under conditions that are biologically compatible are described. The methods provide biomolecule-polymer conjugates with highly controlled structures and narrow polydispersities under aqueous reaction conditions and biological temperatures. Biomolecules, such as proteins and nucleotides can be conjugated to polymers with high levels of control.
Claims30
A process for forming a conjugate between a bioresponsive molecule and at least one polymer chain, the process comprising:
- polymerizing radically polymerizable monomers at a temperature of between about 4° C. and about 50° C. in the presence of an aqueous system comprising:
- a bioresponsive molecule having at least one site specific functional initiator comprising a radically transferable atom or group;
- a transition metal that participates in a reversible reduction-oxidation cycle with at least one of the site specific functional initiator and a dormant polymer chain having a radically transferable atom or group, wherein the mole fraction of transition metal in a lower, activator oxidation state to transition metal in an higher, deactivator oxidation state is less than 20%;
- and
- a ligand that forms a stable complex with the transition metal catalyst,
- wherein the aqueous system comprises less than 30% by weight of organic solvent and monomer concentration and the total bioresponsive molecule concentration is less than about 3 mg/mL;
- and
- forming a conjugate between the bioresponsive molecule and the at least one polymer chain, wherein the at least one polymer chain has a molecular weight distribution of less than 1.35.
A conjugate between a bioresponsive molecule and one or more polymeric chains, wherein the one or more polymeric chains each have a molecular weight distribution of less than 1.20.
A conjugate, comprising:
- a bioresponsive molecule and one or more polymeric chains,
- wherein the one or more polymeric chains each have a molecular weight distribution of less than 1.20;
- wherein the one or more polymeric chains have a structure resulting from a controlled radical polymerization process;
- and
- wherein the bioresponsive molecule is a molecule selected from the group consisting of a protein, an enzyme, a polypeptide, a peptide, a nucleic acid, a polynucleotide, a carbohydrate, a biologically active macromolecule, and combinations of any thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.