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Shear Stress‐Responsive Polymersome Nanoreactors Inspired by the Marine Bioluminescence of Dinoflagellates
Author(s) -
RifaieGraham Omar,
Galensowske Nikolas F. B.,
Dean Charlie,
Pollard Jonas,
Balog Sandor,
Gouveia Micael G.,
Chami Mohamed,
Vian Antoine,
Amstad Esther,
Lattuada Marco,
Bruns Nico
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.202010099
Subject(s) - polymersome , nanoreactor , amphiphile , semipermeable membrane , vesicle , chemistry , membrane , materials science , nanotechnology , biophysics , copolymer , chemical engineering , polymer , nanoparticle , organic chemistry , biology , biochemistry , engineering
Some marine plankton called dinoflagellates emit light in response to the movement of surrounding water, resulting in a phenomenon called milky seas or sea sparkle. The underlying concept, a shear‐stress induced permeabilisation of biocatalytic reaction compartments, is transferred to polymer‐based nanoreactors. Amphiphilic block copolymers that carry nucleobases in their hydrophobic block are self‐assembled into polymersomes. The membrane of the vesicles can be transiently switched between an impermeable and a semipermeable state by shear forces occurring in flow or during turbulent mixing of polymersome dispersions. Nucleobase pairs in the hydrophobic leaflet separate when mechanical force is applied, exposing their hydrogen bonding motifs and therefore making the membrane less hydrophobic and more permeable for water soluble compounds. This polarity switch is used to release payload of the polymersomes on demand, and to activate biocatalytic reactions in the interior of the polymersomes.