Self-assembled nanostructures of a biomimetic glycopolymer-polypeptide triblock copolymer

The self-assembling behavior of a biomimetic glycopolymer-polypeptide triblock copolymer in aqueous solution was described and characterized by employing the hydrophobic dye solubilization method and transmission electron microscopy. The large spherical micelles can be easily generated from the dissolution of triblock copolymer in water. The morphology changes from sphere to lamellae, then to worm-like micelle, can be conveniently transformed by initial copolymer concentration. The multivalent interaction of lectins with lactose-installed polymeric aggregates was preliminarily investigated by UN-Vis spectra. Notably, this kind of aggregates may be useful as artificial polyvalent ligands in the investigation of carbohydrate-protein recognition and for the design of site-specific drug delivery systems.