Spontaneous Formation of Giant Bioactive Protein-Block Copolymer Vesicles in Water

A novel strategy for the formation, without the need for organic solvents, of stable giant proteopolymersomes from the highly water-soluble triblock copolymer poly(2,3-dihydroxypropyl methacrylate)-b-poly(propylene oxide)-b-poly(2,3-dihydroxypropyl methacrylate) and the protein assembly streptavidin (SAv)-biotin-bovine serum albumin is presented. The method yields bioactive polymersomes with sizes in the tens of micrometers range having an SAv-functionalized membrane, thus, offering binding sites for a broad range of biotin conjugates. The vesiculation mechanism and the distribution of polymer and proteins in the proteopolymersomes membrane are investigated by confocal laser scanning microscopy and supported by molecular dynamic simulations.