title: Beaded nanofibers assembled from double-hydrophobic elastin-like block polypeptides: Effects of trifluoroethanol.
abstract: A "double-hydrophobic" elastin-like triblock polypeptide GPG has been constructed by mimicking the localization of proline- and glycine-rich hydrophobic domains of native elastin, a protein that provides elasticity and resilience to connective tissues. In this study, the effects of trifluoroethanol (TFE), an organic solvent that strongly affects secondary structures of polypeptides on self-assembly of GPG in aqueous solutions were systematically studied. Beaded nanofiber formation of GPG, where nanoparticles are initially formed by coacervation of the polypeptides followed by their connection into one-dimensional nanostructures, is accelerated by the addition of TFE at the concentrations up to 30% (v/v), whereas aggregates of nanoparticles are formed at 60% TFE. The concentration-dependent assembly pattern discussed is based on the influence of TFE on the secondary structures of GPG. Well-defined nanofibers whose diameter and secondary structures are controlled by TFE concentration may be ideal building blocks for constructing bioelastic materials in tissue engineering.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical System Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan.
authors.forename: Duc H T
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Le
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okubo
authors.forename: Ayae
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sugawara-Narutaki
mesh_terms: D004549:Elastin / Q000737:chemistry*; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry*; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D014270:Trifluoroethanol / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; D014270:Trifluoroethanol; D004549:Elastin
keywords: beaded nanofibers; double hydrophobicity; elastin-like polypeptides; self-assembly; trifluoroethanol