title: A polymeric domain that promotes cellular internalization.
abstract: Polymers have emerged as powerful biological tools; however, their ability to gain access to the intracellular environment is limited. To expand the biological utility of polymer scaffolds, we have synthesized an internalization domain using the ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). A polymer functionalized with guanidinium groups is effectively internalized by cells and localized in both vesicles and the cytoplasm. Because the synthesis of such materials is modular, we anticipate that compounds of this type can be fashioned that facilitate the delivery of cargo via end-cap derivatization or block copolymer synthesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA.
authors.forename: Erin M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Kolonko
authors.forename: Laura L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Kiessling
mesh_terms: D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D022162:Cytoplasmic Vesicles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D019791:Guanidine / Q000737:chemistry*; D006367:HeLa Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D010539:Permeability; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D009842:Oligopeptides; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D019791:Guanidine