title: Multi-responsive supramolecular hydrogels based on merocyanine-peptide conjugates.
abstract: Stimuli-responsive hydrogels are "smart" materials with diverse applications. We now report short peptide conjugates with merocyanine (MC) that are able to form stimuli-responsive hydrogels. Systematic investigation reveals that merocyanine is a highly effective promoter for the self-assembly of its oligopeptide conjugates. Hydrogels formed by MC-peptide conjugates showed responses towards light and heat, and their sol-gel phase transition could be manipulated by the reverse photochromism of the corresponding spiropyran moiety. Impressively, a MCI-RGD conjugate formed a supramolecular hydrogel with responses to multiple stimuli, including visible light irradiation, pH change and the presence of Ca(2+) ions. An erasable photo-lithograph on the MCI-RGD hydrogel was demonstrated using visible light to write and heat-and-cool treatment to erase for multiple rounds without significant loss of sensitivity.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, P. R. China. njuzy@nju.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Mengmeng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001578:Benzopyrans / Q000737:chemistry*; D002118:Calcium / Q000737:chemistry; D006358:Hot Temperature; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007211:Indoles / Q000737:chemistry*; D008027:Light; D009574:Nitro Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D044367:Phase Transition
chemical_list: D001578:Benzopyrans; D020100:Hydrogels; D007211:Indoles; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D010455:Peptides; C548873:merocyanine; C088184:spiropyran; D002118:Calcium