Oxygen-tolerant, eosin Y mediated synthesis of protein–polymer biohybrids and protein-coated polymer nanoparticles

Abstract

To avoid metal catalysts that are commonly used in conventional approaches for the synthesis of protein–polymer conjugates, an eosin Y/TEMED mediated, photoinduced polymerization of vinyl monomers was optimized. This oxygen tolerant, photoinduced approach allowed the grafting of a series of hydrophobic, hydrophilic and responsive polymers with quantitative protein macroinitiator consumption. CALB bioconjugates were also synthesized and found to retain part of the parent protein activity for extended periods of time. Notably, when BSA was used in the absence of an initiator, protein-coated nanoparticles were shown to form during emulsion polymerization.