Coacervate Phase Evolution and Membrane Formation in Natural Seawater.
J Am Chem Soc
; 146(3): 2219-2226, 2024 01 24.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38207218
ABSTRACT
Marine organisms produce biological materials through the complex self-assembly of protein condensates in seawater, but our understanding of the mechanisms of microstructure evolution and maturation remains incomplete. Here, we show that critical processing attributes of mussel holdfast proteins can be captured by the design of an amphiphilic, fluorescent polymer (PECHIA) consisting of a polyepichlorohydrin backbone grafted with 1-imidazolium acetonitrile. Aqueous solutions of PECHIA were extruded into seawater, wherein the charge repulsion of PECHIA is screened by high salinity, facilitating interfacial condensation via enhanced "cation-dipole" interactions. Diffusion of seawater into the PECHIA solution caused droplets to form immiscibly within the PECHIA phase (i.e., inverse coacervation). Simultaneously, weakly alkaline seawater catalyzes nitrile cyclization and time-dependent solidification of the PECHIA phase, leading to hierarchically porous membranes analogous to porous architectures in mussel plaques. In contrast to conventional polymer processing technologies, processing of this biomimetic polymer required neither organic solvents nor heating and enabled the template-free production of hollow spheres and fibers over a wide range of salinities.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Proteínas
/
Bivalves
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Am Chem Soc
Ano de publicação:
2024
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
China