Protein-polymer hybrid amphiphiles

Abstract

Biohybrid amphiphiles composed of a protein head group and a hydrophobic polymer tail self-assemble in water in a similar way as low molecular weight surfactants. Owing to the presence of the protein, biohybrid amphiphiles, and their assemblies, however, hold the additional feature of a built-in (bio)functionality. These compounds therefore are promising building blocks for the synthesis of functional nanometer-sized materials. We discuss recent advances in the relatively young field of protein-polymer hybrid amphiphiles, which so far mainly involved exploratory and fundamental studies providing a conceptual basis for the development of more complex systems with interesting applications in the future. © 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.