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Polymers

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The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the...

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Updated: Mar 1, 2026

OaAEP1-Mediated Enzymatic Synthesis and Immobilization of Polymerized Protein for Single-Molecule Force Spectroscopy

OaAEP1-Mediated Enzymatic Synthesis and Immobilization of Polymerized Protein for Single-Molecule Force Spectroscopy

Published on: February 5, 2020

Artificially Engineered Protein Polymers.

Yun Jung Yang¹, Angela L Holmberg¹, Bradley D Olsen¹

¹Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139;

Annual Review of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

|June 9, 2017

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Scientists are engineering artificial protein polymers with precise control over structure and function. This approach, inspired by nature, enables advanced materials for diverse applications and scalable commercialization.

Keywords:

biomimetic materials commercialization natural building blocks protein polymers recombinant technology repeat proteins

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Synthesis of an Intein-mediated Artificial Protein Hydrogel

Synthesis of an Intein-mediated Artificial Protein Hydrogel

Published on: January 27, 2014

Area of Science:

Polymer Science
Biomaterials Engineering
Synthetic Biology

Background:

Modern polymer science demands precise control over macromolecular structure for advanced materials.
Biological processes offer a pathway to synthesize artificial protein polymers with high tunability.
Natural materials inspire the design of modular building blocks for protein polymer engineering.

Purpose of the Study:

To review natural proteins that inspire protein polymer building blocks.
To discuss the function of these building blocks in material design.
To assess the prospects and progress for scalable commercialization of protein polymers.

Main Methods:

Review of natural protein structures and functions.
Analysis of protein engineering toolboxes for polymer synthesis.
Evaluation of material applications and commercialization strategies.

Main Results:

Development of protein polymers with dispersities of ~1.0 and monomer-level sequence control.
Creation of modular building blocks replicating natural system functions.
Systematic development of functional polymeric materials for adhesives, responsive systems, and medical applications.

Conclusions:

Protein polymer engineering provides precise control over macromolecular design.
Inspired by nature, these polymers offer advanced functionalities for materials science.
Scalable commercialization presents opportunities and technological needs for protein polymers.