title: Phase behavior of mixed Langmuir monolayers from amphiphilic block copolymers and an antimicrobial peptide.
abstract: The behavior of binary monolayers from PMOXA-PDMS-PMOXA triblock copolymers and alamethicin, an antimicrobial peptide, was investigated in the context of formation of novel biocomposite nanostructured materials. The properties of mixed monolayers were studied by surface pressure-area isotherms and Brewster angle imaging. As reported previously, functionality of alamethicin relies on its aggregation properties in lipid mono- and bilayers. This is also the case in polymer matrixes, however, here the mixing properties differ from lipid-peptide systems due to the polymers' structural specificity. The peptide influence on the polymer films is provided in detail for the first time, and supported by the compressibility data to asses the elastic properties of such composite membranes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 80, 4056 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Haefele
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kita-Tokarczyk
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Meier
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D010455:Peptides; D011108:Polymers