A5024057100- Advanced Polymer Synthesis and Characterization
- Supramolecular Self-Assembly in Materials
- Luminescence and Fluorescent Materials
- Chemical Synthesis and Analysis
- Silk-based biomaterials and applications
- Advanced biosensing and bioanalysis techniques
- Dendrimers and Hyperbranched Polymers
- Supramolecular Chemistry and Complexes
- biodegradable polymer synthesis and properties
- Advancements in Battery Materials
- RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
- Synthesis and Properties of Aromatic Compounds
- Vibrio bacteria research studies
- Polydiacetylene-based materials and applications
- Advanced Battery Materials and Technologies
- Phytochemical compounds biological activities
- DNA and Nucleic Acid Chemistry
- Photochromic and Fluorescence Chemistry
- Organic Electronics and Photovoltaics
- Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics
- Polymer crystallization and properties
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria
- Crystallization and Solubility Studies
- Click Chemistry and Applications
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
2019-2024
Boston Children's Hospital
2024
Harvard University
2024
Urbana University
2021
Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry
2018
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
2018
Chinese Academy of Sciences
2018
Wuhan University
2016
Instituto de Estudos Avançados da Universidade de São Paulo
2016
Significance Biomacromolecules are synthesized in cells with high precision, although the cellular environment contains numerous molecules and species other than building blocks. In contrast, even state-of-the-art chemical synthesis of macromolecules is exclusively carried out under a specific condition containing only clean, essential starting materials to minimize side reactions. Inspired by ribozyme-catalyzed protein synthesis, we report here controlled polypeptide nonpurified N...
Abstract The recent advances in accelerated polymerization of N -carboxyanhydrides (NCAs) enriched the toolbox to prepare well-defined polypeptide materials. Herein we report use crown ether (CE) catalyze NCA initiated by conventional primary amine initiators solvents with low polarity and hydrogen-bonding ability. cyclic structure CE played a crucial role catalysis, 18-crown-6 enabling fastest kinetics. fast kinetics outpaced common side reactions, preparation polypeptides using an...
High electron mobility derived from dense molecular packing induced by the dipolar moment of azulene units.
Infections by intracellular pathogens are difficult to treat because of the poor accessibility antibiotics encased host cell membranes. As such, a strategy that can improve membrane permeability would significantly increase their efficiency against pathogens. Here, we report design an adaptive, metaphilic cell-penetrating polypeptide (CPP)–antibiotic conjugate (VPP-G) effectively eradicate bacteria both in vitro and vivo. VPP-G was synthesized attaching vancomycin highly membrane-penetrative...
The biological significance of self-assembled protein filament networks and their unique mechanical properties have sparked interest in the development synthetic that mimic these attributes. Building on recent advancement autoaccelerated ring-opening polymerization amino acid N-carboxyanhydrides (NCAs), this study strategically explores a series random copolymers comprising multiple acids, aiming to elucidate core principles governing gelation pathways purpose-designed copolypeptides....
Abstract Depot‐type drug delivery systems are designed to deliver drugs at an effective rate over extended period. Minimizing initial “burst” can also be important, especially with causing systemic toxicity. Both goals challenging small hydrophilic molecules. The of molecules such as the ultrapotent local anesthetic tetrodotoxin (TTX) exemplifies both challenges. Toxicity mitigated by conjugating TTX polymers ester bonds, but slow hydrolysis result in subtherapeutic release. Here, we...
Nature's fibrous proteins, such as α-keratin, achieve remarkable mechanical properties by undergoing strain-induced α-to-β conformational transitions. Inspired these materials, we report a strategy for designing synthetic polypeptides that undergo similar transformations at elevated temperatures far exceeding keratin's operational range. By employing helix-confined ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of N-carboxyanhydrides (NCAs) initiated short poly(γ-benzyl-l-glutamate) (PBLG) precursor,...
Depot-type drug delivery systems are designed to deliver drugs at an effective rate over extended period. Minimizing initial "burst" can also be important, especially with causing systemic toxicity. Both goals challenging small hydrophilic molecules. The of molecules such as the ultrapotent local anesthetic tetrodotoxin (TTX) exemplifies both challenges. Toxicity mitigated by conjugating TTX polymers ester bonds, but slow hydrolysis result in subtherapeutic release. Here, we developed a...
Multiblock copolypeptides have attracted broad interests because their potential to form ordered structures and possess protein-mimetic functions. Controlled synthesis of multiblock through the sequential addition N-carboxyanhydrides (NCAs), especially with block number higher than five, however, is challenging rarely reported due competing side reactions during polymerization process. Herein, we report unprecedented up 20 blocks, enabled by ultrafast polypeptide chain propagation in a...
Herein, we report two distinct G-quadruplex conformations of the same G-rich oligonucleotide, regulated by a small molecule and potassium.
The application of synthetic polypeptides is greatly limited by the difficulty purification and polymerization N-carboxyanhydrides (NCAs). Here, we report a streamlined, controlled synthesis directly from amino acids, avoiding NCA purification, adding small-molecular amine scavengers (AS) in situ to efficiently eliminate remaining organic impurities emulsion system. Such process enables PEG-containing, homo, block, random highly consistent manner under open-air condition, acid derivatives...
Representative antimicrobial delivery platforms and strategies for the eradication of intracellular bacterial pathogens.
This study revisits the material properties of solid "liquid crystalline" films made from synthetic helical polypeptides and explores their structure–property relationships. Poly(γ-benzyl-l-glutamate) (PBLG) with various molecular weights architectures (linear, comb-, brush-like) were transformed into through mechanical hot pressing. The resulting materials are composed PBLGs arranged in a near-hexagonal lattice, similar to those formed by casting concentrated solution 1,2-dichloroethane...
Spider silk, known for its exceptional tensile strength, extensibility, and toughness, continues to inspire advancements in polymer materials science. Despite extensive research, synthesizing that encompass all these properties remains a significant challenge. This study addresses this challenge by developing high molecular-weight multiblock synthetic copolypeptides mimic the hierarchical structure mechanical of spider silk. Using autoaccelerated ring-opening polymerization
Ring-opening polymerization of N-carboxyanhydrides (NCAs) bearing pendant groups creates functional polypeptides. In this paper, we report the design, synthesis and tetraphenylethylene (TPE)-modified NCA, which is used to incorporate aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active segments into Specifically, attempted amphiphilic methoxy poly(ethyleneglycol)-block-poly(γ-benzyl-l-glutamate)-block-poly(γ-4-(1,2,2-triphenylvinyl)benzyl-l-glutamate) (PEG-PBLG-PTPELG), had well-controlled molecular...
In cells, actin and tubulin polymerization is regulated by nucleation factors, which promote the subsequent growth of protein filaments in a controlled manner. Mimicking this natural mechanism to control supramolecular macromolecular monomers artificially created factors remains largely unmet challenge. Biological act as molecular scaffolds boost local concentrations facilitate required conformational changes accelerate polymerization. An accelerated assembly synthetic poly(l-glutamic acid)...
We controllably polymerized non-purified OEG-NCAs using a biphasic SIMPLE polymerization strategy. The resulting OEG-functionalized amphiphilic copolypeptides could self-assemble into nanoparticles.