Tuning Polyacrylate Composition to Recognize and Modulate Fluorescent Proteins
Abstract
Abstract Molecular definition is usually regarded as a prerequisite to achieve protein recognition and functional modulation, particularly for macromolecular interactions. Herein, we report that polymers with specific combinations of monomers arranged into random sequences [random hetero oligomers (RHOs)] can selectively bind to a model protein. Using green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a target, polyacrylates were developed that bound with nanomolar affinity and enhanced fluorescence by >100%. Purification of the polymerization product revealed subpopulations of compositions with distinct affinities and selectivity for GFP over a competing protein. Experimental and computational binding analyses confirmed that there are distinct RHO–GFP interactions, which are influenced by RHO chemical composition. These findings show that sequence‐defined structures are not a prerequisite for selective protein recognition. Synthetic polymers can instead serve as scalable, tunable platforms for molecular recognition—representing a significant leap towards next‐generation sensing, therapeutic, responsive, and catalytic materials in domains previously dominated by biologics or complex peptide scaffolds.
Article Details
Authors (13)
Darwin C. Gomez
Macromolecules Innovation Institute and Department of Chemistry Virginia Tech Blacksburg Virginia 24061 USA
Swarnadeep Seth
Department of Chemical Engineering Virginia Tech Blacksburg Virginia 24061 USA
Ronnie Mondal
Macromolecules Innovation Institute and Department of Chemistry Virginia Tech Blacksburg Virginia 24061 USA
Stephen J. Koehler
Macromolecules Innovation Institute and Department of Chemistry Virginia Tech Blacksburg Virginia 24061 USA
Jared G. Baker
Macromolecules Innovation Institute and Department of Chemistry Virginia Tech Blacksburg Virginia 24061 USA
Charles Plate
Department of Chemical Engineering Virginia Tech Blacksburg Virginia 24061 USA
Ian C. Anderson
Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University
Mikayla R. Smith
Macromolecules Innovation Institute and Department of Chemistry Virginia Tech Blacksburg Virginia 24061 USA
Joey Gloriod
Macromolecules Innovation Institute and Department of Chemistry Virginia Tech Blacksburg Virginia 24061 USA
Morgan Gunter
Macromolecules Innovation Institute and Department of Chemistry Virginia Tech Blacksburg Virginia 24061 USA
Valerie V. Welborn
Macromolecules Innovation Institute and Department of Chemistry Virginia Tech Blacksburg Virginia 24061 USA
Sanket A. Deshmukh
Department of Chemical Engineering
C. Adrian Figg
Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States