Bioinspired Block Copolymers: Translating Structural Features from Proteins to Synthetic Polymers

In order to mimic a key functional feature of the transport protein serum albumin that disposes of several different simultaneous binding sites, new ternary linear block copolymers were synthesized. The block copolymers are made of one nonionic hydrophilic block based on derivatives of polyoligoethyleneglycol, and of two mutually immiscible hydrophobic polyacrylate blocks, based on hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon esters of acrylic acid, respectively. The polymers selforganize in aqueous solution to micellar aggregates, which undergo microphase separation within the hydrophobic micellar core. The different aggregate structures were imaged by transmission electron cryomicroscopy cryoTEM. Depending on the detailed polymer architecture, either coreshellcorona micelles, or micelles with a true multicompartment structure were formed, that are capable of selective solubilization.