often limited due to steric hindrance between each bound long polymer molecules and subsequent polymer chains that could modify the protein.
In addition, the specific polymer chain attachment site to the biomolecule is often unknown when using the “grafting to” approach.
Conversely, in the “grafting from” approach, protein molecules themselves serve as the initiating site forcontrolled radical polymerization (CRP) reactions [9].
Several different CRP reactions, such as atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) or reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer(RAFT) [10], can be used when synthesizing polymer conjugates using the “grafting from” approach.
Previously our group utilized “grafting from” and ATRP to synthesize well defined chymotrypsin(CT)-polymer conjugates [11].
Using this method we were able to grow polymer from multiple ATRP initiating sites on the surface of each protein molecule but it was not possible to achieve a high density of polymer chains around each individual biomolecule because the efficiency of the protein-initiator reaction was low.
In addition, one can vary ATRP reaction conditions and initial monomer-initiator concentration ratios in the “grafting from” approach to tune the desired chain length or molecular weight and the number of polymer chains per protein molecule.
Lastly, it is relatively facile to control ATRP and thus to generate bioconjugates with a low polymer polydispersity index (PDI) and high uniformity.
Previous studies have described syntheses of pDMAPS and pNIPAmbioconjugates using various proteins [12e14].
These studies did not address the effects of the polymer on enzyme kinetics, stability,
and substrate affinity or they utilized the “grafting to” approach.
Recently, greater efforts have been applied toward developing aqueous based “grafting from” approaches to limit potential protein denaturation in organic solvents during conjugation.
Averick et al.[15] described the synthesis of bovine serumalbumin-oligo(ethyleneoxide) methacrylate (BSA-OEOMA) conjugates in biologically relevant conditions. More recently, we have reported ([16]) on the synthesis of a novelwater-soluble ATRP initiatormolecule thatwas used to synthesize CT-poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (CTpDMAEMA) conjugates with pH-dependent enzyme kinetics and stability.
This initiator enabled very high density growth of polymers from proteins that increased the molecular weight of conjugates by more than an order of magnitude.
In the study described herein, chymotrypsin (CT) was chosen as a model protein to modify with polymers that exhibit temperaturedependent changes in conformation.
CT is a serine protease enzyme found in the small intestine that aids in digestion.
CT can degrade itself via autolysis (self-digestion). The mechanism and kinetics of CT have been studied exhaustively over a wide temperature and pH range [17,18].
The goal of the study described herein was to predictably manipulate the kinetics and stability of CT-pDMAPS and CT-pNIPAm bioconjugates using temperature as the trigger for a change in enzyme function.
Both pNIPAm and pDMAPS were chosen in order to examine changes in relative enzyme activity and stability at stimuli responsive temperatures both above and below room temperature.
The contrasting temperature responsive behavior of the UCST and LCST bioconjugates provided an attractive approach to examine howpolymer chain collapse at varying temperatures affects
enzyme bioactivity, stability, and substrate affinity.