title: Cysteine-reactive polymers synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization for conjugation to proteins.
abstract: In this communication we report a strategy for the synthesis of semitelechelic polymers reactive to cysteines. An initiator modified with a pyridyl disulfide was prepared and used for the CuBr/2,2'-bipyridine-mediated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate. Polydispersity indices (M(w)/M(n)) of the polymers with different molecular weights were 1.25 or less. The pyridyl disulfide end group was preserved during the polymerization and allowed direct conjugation of the polymer to cysteine residues of bovine serum albumin. The described method provides a general way for the preparation of protein-polymer conjugates through a reversible disulfide bond without the need for postsynthesis modification of the polymers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry & California Nanosystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1569, USA.
authors.forename: Debora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bontempo
authors.forename: Karina L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Heredia
authors.forename: Benjamin A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Fish
authors.forename: Heather D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Maynard
mesh_terms: D003545:Cysteine / Q000737:chemistry*; D004220:Disulfides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D004229:Dithiothreitol / Q000737:chemistry; D007700:Kinetics; D011073:Polyamines / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D011102:Polyhydroxyethyl Methacrylate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004220:Disulfides; D011073:Polyamines; C056971:poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-polyamine graft copolymer; D011102:Polyhydroxyethyl Methacrylate; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine; D003545:Cysteine; D004229:Dithiothreitol