Bioinspired modular synthesis of elastin-mimic polymers to probe the mechanism of elastin elasticity

Bioinspired modular synthesis of elastin-mimic polymers (EMPs) is achieved via Cu-catalyzed alkyne-azide cyclization (CuAAC). By changing the module, EMPs with different secondary structures determined by circular dichroism (CD) spectra in trifluoroethanol (TFE) solution are obtained. The EMPs are characterized by measuring the lower critical solution temperatures (LSCTs) and the bulk mechanic properties under the conditions of both dry and hydrated forms. The unique molecular design enables us to probe mechanistic questions and assess the structure-property relationship of the EMPs. Our results indicate that, instead of a highly organized secondary structure, hydrophobic hydration is critical for the elasticity of EMPs.