Biopolymers, Bio-related polymer materials

Biopolymers, Bio-related polymer materials

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  The dawn of chiral material development using saccharide-based helical polymers

  The author has recently focused on exploring novel possibilities of cellulose and amylose, which exist in great abundance on earth. In this review, the author describes the functionalization of cellulose and amylose to give novel chiral functions other than that as chiral stationary phases and their use in applications, such as asymmetric organocatalysts, chiral auxiliaries and chiral fluorescent sensors. Furthermore, the application of a saccharide-containing helical polymer, which can be prepared through polymerization of a glucose-based monomer, to a circularly polarized luminescence material is also described.

  • Tomoyuki Ikai

  Focus Review18 Jan 2017 Polymer Journal
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  Rational design of stimuli-cleavable polyrotaxanes for therapeutic applications

  In this focus review, the basic principle of stimuli-cleavable polyrotaxane (PRX) comprising many cyclic molecules threaded onto a linear polymer chain capped with bulky stopper molecules via cleavable linkers are described. Additionally, recent progress in the use of β-cyclodextrin-threaded stimuli-cleavable PRXs as a therapeutic agent for Niemann–Pick-type C (NPC) disease is described. The lysosomal release of threaded β-cyclodextrins from PRXs leads to the formation of an inclusion complex with cholesterols accumulated in NPC disease, promoting extracellular excretion of cholesterols.

  • Atsushi Tamura
  • Nobuhiko Yui

  Focus Review29 Mar 2017 Polymer Journal
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  Filamentous virus-based soft materials based on controlled assembly through liquid crystalline formation

  This focus review describes the utilization of M13 phage, a filamentous virus, for the development of a novel class of materials. Recently, the preparation of ordered structures composed of M13 phages based on liquid crystal formation has generated great interest as a means of utilizing the outstanding properties of phages for the development of novel soft materials. The combination of genetic engineering-based functionalization and liquid crystal formation can be effectively used to develop structurally regular hybrid materials composed of M13 phages and inorganic or organic materials. M13 phages can be used for various functional soft materials.

  • Toshiki Sawada

  Focus Review19 Jul 2017 Polymer Journal
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  Preparation of biobased wrinkled surfaces via lignification-mimetic reactions and drying: a new approach for developing surface wrinkling

  Recently, we have developed a simple and green approach to surface wrinkling via lignification mimetic reaction and drying. A skin layer is synthesized on a chitosan film via immersion in a methanol solution containing a phenolic acid and subsequent surface reaction by horseradish peroxidase, mimicking wood lignification. A surface relief with micron-scale wrinkles is formed upon drying and as a result of inhomogeneous shrinkage. This focus review overviews this innovative approach and its detailed mechanism.

  • Hironori Izawa

  Focus Review13 Sep 2017 Polymer Journal
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  Metal nanoarchitecture fabrication using DNA as a biotemplate

  DNA has been focused as a key component for the fabrication of metal nanoarchitectures due to its intrinsic properties and advantages, such as a well-ordered structure, rich chemical functionality and programmable base-pairing interactions, as well as the availability of multiple enzymes for manipulations. In this focus review, various approaches for DNA-templated metal nanoarchitecture fabrication are introduced. The approaches include DNA-mediated metal nanoparticle formation, DNA-templated conductive nanowire fabrication by metal depositions, sequence-selective metal deposition onto DNA for elaborate nanowire fabrication and DNA brushes as templates for use on solid substrates.

  • Kuniharu Ijiro
  • Hideyuki Mitomo

  Focus Review11 Oct 2017 Polymer Journal
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  Over-1000 nm near-infrared fluorescent biodegradable polymer nanoparticles for deep tissue in vivo imaging in the second biological window

  Using the over-1000 nm near-infrared (OTN-NIR) dye IR-1061-loaded polymer micelles, IR-1061-loaded PEG-b-PCL micelles (OTN-PNPs) were successfully obtained using a simple one-pot preparation method. The OTN-PNPs showed strong OTN-NIR emission under physiological conditions. Furthermore, the OTN-PNPs were readily biodegradable; thus, it is anticipated that the renal clearance of the degraded material will occur after imaging experiments. Moreover, in vivo imaging of a live mouse was successfully performed. The blood vessels of a live mouse could be clearly illuminated using the OTN-NIR emission of OTN-PNPs. Therefore, the OTN-PNPs are promising candidates for NIR imaging probes.

  • Masao Kamimura
  • Shoko Takahiro
  • Kohei Soga

  Rapid CommunicationOpen Access27 Sep 2017 Polymer Journal
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  Antimicrobial cationic polymers: from structural design to functional control

  Antimicrobial cationic polymers mainly contain two functional components: the cationic groups and the hydrophobic groups. The antimicrobial activity is influenced by the type, amount, location and distribution of these two components. This review summarizes the structural designs of antimicrobial cationic polymers from primary to secondary structures, from covalent to noncovalent syntheses and from bulk to surface. It will provide some guidelines for developing molecular engineering of antimicrobial cationic polymers with tailor-made structures and functions.

  • Yuchong Yang
  • Zhengguo Cai
  • Xi Zhang

  Review1 Nov 2017 Polymer Journal
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  Polyion complex micelle formation from double-hydrophilic block copolymers composed of charged and non-charged segments in aqueous media

  This review focuses on the physicochemical characterization of polyion complex (PIC) micelles, particularly addressing the critical molecular factors to determine the self-assembly scheme of double-hydrophilic block copolymers composed of charged and non-charged segments into micelle structures. The process of PIC micelle formation provides new insights on the block copolymer self-assembly in thermodynamically equilibrium condition in aqueous medium, such as chain length recognition and transition from uPIC, which is the PIC of smallest neutralizing unit, to PIC micelle structures.

  • Atsushi Harada
  • Kazunori Kataoka

  Focus Review25 Oct 2017 Polymer Journal
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  Microanalysis using surface modification and biphasic droplets

  Intracellular structures and function are tightly interwoven. Recapitulation of such intracellular microenvironments may enable novel biomimetic material synthesis and bioanalysis. Cell-inspired microanalysis platforms can be constructed by combined top-down microfabrication and bottom-up molecular self-assembly. Microcompartments of phase-separated aqueous solutions also play a critical role in biological processes. The biphasic microdroplets provide a unique analytical platform that conventional homogeneous bulk environments fail to achieve.

  • Taisuke Kojima
  • Shuichi Takayama

  Focus Review25 Apr 2018 Polymer Journal
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  Design and development of a robust photo-responsive block copolymer framework for tunable nucleic acid delivery and efficient gene silencing

  A new nucleic acid delivery framework, predicated on a photo-responsive cationic block copolymer (BCP), was used to precisely tune nucleic acid binding and provide spatiotemporal control over gene expression. This innovative platform leveraged a macromolecular design in which the polymer moieties directly responsible for nucleic acid complexation were cleaved from the polymer upon photo-stimulation, significantly enhancing nucleic acid release. Temporal control over polyplex disassembly facilitated development of a potentially universal, kinetic modeling scheme for gene silencing. Furthermore, this versatile BCP-based framework easily accommodated anionic excipients and quantum dot imaging constructs.

  • Thomas H. Epps III
  • Thu Vi
  • Millicent O. Sullivan

  Focus Review11 Jun 2018 Polymer Journal
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  Highly sensitive and rapid biosensing on a three-dimensional polymer platform

  Highly sensitive and rapid biosensing on a three-dimensional polymer platform. Increasing sensitivity and decreasing assay time are two of the most crucial goals in the development of biosensing devices. We have developed three-dimensional (3D) nanospherical and microfiber structure for biosensing devices aimed at highly sensitive and rapid immunoassays. The system having polystyrene microfiber of 3D structure paired with vacuum pump pressurization to induce bulk flow enables an efficient and rapid immunoassay. Because it takes advantage of the increased amount of immobilized antibody on 3D structure and of the accelerated propagation of antigens by flowing through the microfiber.

  • Madoka Takai

  Focus Review20 Apr 2018 Polymer Journal
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  Study of active self-assembly using biomolecular motors

  Recent advances in the study of active self-assembly utilizing biomolecular motors are reviewed. Various methodologies developed for demonstrating active self-assembly of biomolecular motors are discussed in detail with an emphasis on the morphological variations of the self-assembled structures.

  • Arif Md. Rashedul Kabir
  • Akira Kakugo

  Focus Review7 Sep 2018 Polymer Journal