Polyproline is a unique polypeptide defined by its unusual conformational rigidity and physicochemical behavior. Addressing long-standing challenges in its synthesis and characterization, this mini-review highlights recent advances in the ring-opening polymerization of proline N-carboxyanhydride (NCA), enabling the controlled and scalable preparation of well-defined polyproline architectures. These developments have unlocked diverse applications in advanced materials, including systems that exploit intrinsic thermoresponsive behavior arising from conformational transitions, leading to Lower Critical Solution Temperature (LCST)-type phase separation with pronounced hysteresis. Emerging applications span smart 3D printed hydrogels, nanoparticles, membrane-active materials, and polyproline-based conjugates, where polyproline serves as a biocompatible alternative to poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). Collectively, these advances position polyproline as a promising platform in biomaterials, offering benefits such as enhanced stability, reduced immunogenicity, and expanded functional versatility.
Polypeptoids, or poly(N-substituted glycines), are highly programmable bioinspired polymers whose N-substituted backbone eliminates backbone chirality and hydrogen-bond donor functionality. Consequently, side-chain chemistry, backbone structure, and macromolecular topology are the primary determinants of conformation...
Polyproline exists in two forms, the all-cis right-handed polyproline helix (type I) and the all-trans left-handed polyproline helix (type II). While the former is favored in common organic solvents, the latter is favored in aqueous solutions. Taking advantage of the hydrophilicity of type II polyproline, we prepared p...
E. Tinajero-Díaz, Antxon Martínez de Ilarduya· ACS Macro Letters· 0 citations
Future advancement should pivot from function-driven material development towards the design of application-specific and quality-controlled PDAs, and a shift of this nature is required for the transformation of PDA from a solution material to a predictable, reproducible, and clinically translatable material.
Anurag Biswas, Amandeep Kaur Gill, Ankita Rangra et al.· International Journal of Nan...· 0 citations
Control over the morphology and function of self-assembling polymers remains a central challenge in engineering adaptive biomaterials and synthetic biological systems. Here, we establish that recombinant elastin-like polypeptide-resilin-like polypeptide diblocks can be programmed through incorporation of unnatural amin...
Daniela S. Strugach, Y. Pasternak, Oren Tiv et al.· Trends in Biotechnology· 0 citations
Polymer self-assembly represents a promising strategy to fabricate nanostructures with great potential for biomimetic applications. Nevertheless, the precise and controllable construction of cell-like multicompartment architectures still remains a challenge. Herein, we propose a facile, high-efficiency strategy to cons...
Cong-Ting Wei, Yu-Zhe Ma, Feng-Yi Cai et al.· ACS Macro Letters· 0 citations
Organic supramolecular gels formed through the self-assembly of π-conjugated molecules such as azobenzenes, coumarins, perylenes, and pyrenes have emerged as versatile materials with diverse functional applications. These gels rely on noncovalent interactions, including hydrogen bonding and π-π stacking, enabling tunab...
Mani Rajasekar· ACS Applied Bio Materials· 0 citations
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