Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chloe Grazon, Elisabeth Garanger, Pierre Lalanne, Emmanuel Ibarboure, James E. Galagan, Mark W. Grinstaff, Sebastien Lecommandoux
Summary: Polymeric micelles based on natural diblocks, such as elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) and oligonucleotide (ON), have advantageous properties in terms of molecular recognition, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. This study reports a straightforward synthesis of ON-b-ELP diblock bioconjugates through copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition. The resulting micelles self-assemble above their critical micelle temperature (CMT) to form stable structures, and they retain their stability and temperature sensitivity when binding with proteins.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Yifeng Zhang, Song Gao, Xianghui Qi, Song Zhu, Shumin Xu, Yaokun Liang, Fanshu Kong, Shuai Yang, Rui Wang, Yiting Wang, Yingfeng An
Summary: A versatile fusion tag composed of His-tag, intein, and elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) tag was prepared and successfully used for nonchromatographic purification of SacB. CaHPO4-HEIS-HH prepared by biomimetic mineralization showed good reusability, excellent storage stability, and significantly improved levan yield. The mechanism of biomimetic mineralization was analyzed, and the approach was proven valuable for efficient production of prebiotic polysaccharides.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jan Pille, Antonio Aloi, Duc H. T. Le, Ilia Vialshin, Nathalie van de Laar, Kirsten Kevenaar, Maarten Merkx, Ilja K. Voets, Jan C. M. van Hest
Summary: This study introduces a novel pathway-dependent assembly method based on stimulus-responsive polymers, which can form monodisperse and stable polymeric particles under specific heating conditions. This method shows high efficiency in encapsulating cargo, such as fluorescent proteins and bioluminescent enzymes, and maintaining their function within cells.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Vusala Ibrahimova, Hang Zhao, Emmanuel Ibarboure, Elisabeth Garanger, Sebastien Lecommandoux
Summary: A new class of hybrid lipoprotein mimics was designed using chemical post-modification reactions, allowing the formation of biomimetic vesicles with controlled permeability, correlated to the temperature-responsiveness of ELPs.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Laura Colomina-Alfaro, Silvia Marchesan, Artemis Stamboulis, Antonella Bandiera
Summary: This review provides an updated overview of the production of antimicrobial peptides fused or conjugated with elastin-like carriers, highlighting their biomedical applications. The flexibility and unique properties of elastin-like biopolymers allow for customization of the antimicrobial domain to enhance production while minimizing toxic effects. The increasing interest in this field is evidenced by the growing number of publications, although the variability of recombinant fusion proteins is still limited.
BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jolinde van Strien, Oscar Escalona-Rayo, Wim Jiskoot, Bram Slutter, Alexander Kros
Summary: ELP-based nanomaterials, particularly micelles assembled from amphiphilic ELP diblock copolymers, show great potential as drug delivery systems due to their biodegradability and the ability to control particle design. The cargo can be shielded inside the micelle core or reside in the corona through site-specific attachment to the hydrophobic or hydrophilic block of the ELP. Various types of cargo, including protein, peptide, and small molecule drugs, can be loaded onto or entrapped inside the micelles.
JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zhongwei Guo, Yuanyuan Xu, Lina Dong, Malav S. Desai, Jingjing Xia, Mujiao Liang, Seung-Wuk Lee, Shengli Mi, Wei Sun
Summary: In this study, we designed and synthesized genetically encoded materials called elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs) that can undergo temperature-induced phase transition and photo-crosslinking due to modification with methacrylate groups. The degree of methacrylate functionalization can be controlled by adjusting the reactant ratio. By combining hydrogel fabrication strategy, the methacrylated ELPs (ELP-MA) can be engineered into different physical forms such as coacervates and hydrogels, functioning as light transmittance regulators and elastic adhesives. The physical properties of the hydrogels can be controlled by the degree of methacrylation and ELP-MA concentration. The resulting ELP-MA hydrogels showed good biocompatibility when implanted subcutaneously in mice.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Review
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Lubinda Mbundi, Miguel Gonzalez-Perez, Fernando Gonzalez-Perez, Diana Juanes-Gusano, Jose Carlos Rodriguez-Cabello
Summary: Porous biomaterials are crucial for biomedical applications, enabling nutrient diffusion, waste removal, and the development of complex structures. Tailoring the physicochemical characteristics of biomaterials is necessary for optimal customized applications. Elastin-like polypeptides play an increasing role in developing porous biomaterials for various tissue applications.
FRONTIERS IN MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Michele Dai, Evangelos Georgilis, Guillaume Goudounet, Bertrand Garbay, Jan Pille, Jan C. M. van Hest, Xavier Schultze, Elisabeth Garanger, Sebastien Lecommandoux
Summary: This study reports the design and study of an ELP diblock library based on ELP-[M1V3-i]-[I-j], which showed a thermal phase transition with three distinct regimes by selectively oxidizing methionines of ELP-[M1V3-i] within the different diblocks structures.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Robbert J. de Haas, Ketan A. Ganar, Siddharth Deshpande, Renko de Vries
Summary: Biomolecular condensates are macromolecular complexes formed by liquid-liquid phase separation that regulate key biological functions. Designing stimuli-responsive synthetic condensates is crucial for engineering compartmentalized synthetic cells that can mimic spatiotemporal control over biochemical reactions.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Daniela S. Strugach, Dagan Hadar, Miriam Amiram
Summary: This study found a photoswitch with suitable light-responsive properties that can be incorporated into proteins, enabling light-responsive behavior. The method allows for multisite incorporation of the photoswitch at the polypeptide level, providing a general approach for designing proteins and polymers with robust light-responsive behavior.
ACS SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zihang Su, ChulOong Kim, Julie N. Renner
Summary: In this study, short elastin-like peptides (ELPs) with varying hydrophobicity and sequence length were designed for gold attachment, and a quantitative model was developed to describe the relationship between ELP effective surface coverage and mean hydrophobicity and mass loading. The results showed that precise control of surface properties can be achieved by tuning the ELP sequence, which is useful for designing surface-bound ELP sequences with desired effective surface coverage for electrochemical and biomaterial applications.
BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Laura Mihaela Stefan, Andreea Iosageanu, Daniela Ilie, Ana-Maria Stanciuc, Cristian Matei, Daniela Berger, Oana Craciunescu
Summary: The novel hybrid COL-CS-EL-nAg membranes designed in this study showed good cytocompatibility and promoted cell proliferation, with enhanced wound healing and antimicrobial capabilities, making them promising candidates for bioengineering of skin tissue.
BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Review
Engineering, Biomedical
Irene C. Jenkins, Joshua J. Milligan, Ashutosh Chilkoti
Summary: Elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs) are thermally responsive biopolymers that can be harnessed to produce stimuli-responsive biomaterials, such as nanoparticles or injectable drug delivery depots. ELPs can be loaded with drugs to create controlled, intelligent drug delivery systems. ELPs are biodegradable, nonimmunogenic, and tolerant of therapeutic additives.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jing Qu, Devin Guillory, Pohlee Cheah, Bin Tian, Jie Zheng, Yongjian Liu, Courtney Cates, Amol V. Janorkar, Yongfeng Zhao
Summary: The study prepared pH-responsive melanin-like nanoparticles for T-1-weighted MRI and photothermal therapy, showing significant signal enhancement in response to acidic solutions and high photothermal conversion efficiency. The multifunctional nanoparticles integrate both diagnosis and therapeutic functionalities, indicating potential for theranostic applications.