Shear Stress-Responsive Polymersome Nanoreactors Inspired by the Marine Bioluminescence of Dinoflagellates

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2021 Jan 11;60(2):904-909. doi: 10.1002/anie.202010099. Epub 2020 Nov 12.

Abstract

Some marine plankton called dinoflagellates emit light in response to the movement of surrounding water, resulting in a phenomenon called milky seas or sea sparkle. The underlying concept, a shear-stress induced permeabilisation of biocatalytic reaction compartments, is transferred to polymer-based nanoreactors. Amphiphilic block copolymers that carry nucleobases in their hydrophobic block are self-assembled into polymersomes. The membrane of the vesicles can be transiently switched between an impermeable and a semipermeable state by shear forces occurring in flow or during turbulent mixing of polymersome dispersions. Nucleobase pairs in the hydrophobic leaflet separate when mechanical force is applied, exposing their hydrogen bonding motifs and therefore making the membrane less hydrophobic and more permeable for water soluble compounds. This polarity switch is used to release payload of the polymersomes on demand, and to activate biocatalytic reactions in the interior of the polymersomes.

Keywords: biocatalysis; bioinspired materials; block copolymers; mechanoresponsive materials; vesicles.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biocatalysis
  • Dinoflagellida / enzymology
  • Dinoflagellida / metabolism*
  • Fluorescein / chemistry
  • Fluorescein / metabolism
  • Horseradish Peroxidase / chemistry
  • Horseradish Peroxidase / metabolism
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Shear Strength
  • Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
  • Temperature

Substances

  • Polymers
  • Horseradish Peroxidase
  • Fluorescein