Self-assembling macromolecular chimeras: controlling fibrillization of a beta-sheet forming peptide by polymer conjugation

Water soluble poly(hydroxyethyl acrylate) [P(HEA)] polymers were successfully conjugated to an azide functionalized beta-sheet forming peptide (P-11-2) to form macromolecular chimeras using Cu(I) catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition ('click') chemistry. We found that the beta-sheet formation and hence fibrillization tendency of P-11-2 was severely diminished by P(HEA) conjugation. Moreover chimeras were observed to inhibit fibrillization when added to a pure b-sheet forming peptide.