Introduction: Recent advances in the field of poly (2-oxazolines) as bio-inspired synthetic pseudopeptides have proven their potential biomedical applications such as drug delivery and tissue engineering. Methods: In order to fabricate a biodegradable micellar nanoparticle of poly (2-ethyl 2-oxazoline)-b-poly (benzyl L-glutamate) or pEOx-b-pBLG, "grafting-from" synthesis approach was used invol...

The influence of conformational changes on the molecular electrostatic potential and the steric accessibility of the double stranded polynucleotide poly (dA-dT). poly (dA-dT) are investigated by calculating these properties for three different conformations : B-DNA, D-DNA and alternating-B DNA.

In contrast to simple salts or negatively charged macromolecules, positively charged proteins and peptides including cytochrome c (yeast) and poly-L-lysine are efficiently encapsulated while inducing the formation of polymersomes from polystyrene(140)-b-poly(acrylic acid)(48) (PS(140)-b-PAA(48)).

Poly(ethyleneglycol)-b-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PEG-b-P4VP) and zinc meso-5,10,15,20-tetrakis-(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin (ZnTPPS) form complex micelles based on electrostatic interactions. The complex micelles have a core-shell structure that can effectively prevent the demetallization and aggregation of ZnTPPS in acidic aqueous solutions (pH < 4.0).

Biofunctional block copolymers are becoming increasingly attractive materials as active components in biosensors and other nanoscale electronic devices. We have described two different classes of block copolymers with biofuctional properties. Biofunctionality for block copolymers is achieved through functionalization with appropriate biospecific ligands. We have synthesized block copolymers of ...

Poly d(G-C) d(G-C) in B-form, on one hand, and poly d(G-br5C). poly d(G-br5C) and poly d(G-m5C) . poly d(G-m5C) in Z-form, on another hand, were treated with N-AcO-[3H]AAF and the kinetics of these reactions were followed by radioactivity. Covalent binding of carcinogen to the polymers was evaluated after separation of the reacted polymers from non-reacted carcinogen by thin-layer chromatograph...

Spectroscopic studies on solutions of poly(dG-m5dC) over a wide range of salt concentration are presented. Low salt solutions [( Na+]) less than 2 mM) of poly(dG-m5dC) produce circular dichroism (CD) spectra typical of the left-handed, Z form at high salt [( Na+] = 1.75 M). Solutions of poly(dG-m5dC) at intermediate salt concentrations, e.g., 142 mM, yield CD spectra characteristic of the right...

Huntington's disease and several other neurological diseases are caused by expanded polyglutamine [poly(Gln)] tracts in different proteins. Mechanisms for expanded (>36 Gln residues) poly(Gln) toxicity include the formation of aggregates that recruit and sequester essential cellular proteins [Preisinger, E., Jordan, B. M., Kazantsev, A. & Housman, D. (1999) Phil. Trans. R. Soc. London B 354, 10...

Antibodies to native DNA and to polyadenylic acid (Poly A) occur spontaneously and undergo a regulated switch from IgM to IgG during the course of autoimmune disease in NZB/NZW F(1) (B/W) mice. B/W females have higher titers and earlier commitment to 7S antibodies to DNA and Poly A, whereas B/W males bind DNA and Poly A primarily by 19S antibodies. We have performed castration experiments to de...

Antibodies to polymerized human albumin (poly-HSA) could not be detected by using sensitive methods (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and radioimmunoprecipitation) in sera from chronic carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) or in serial bleedings from one chimpanzee infected with type A hepatitis virus and one infected with non-A, non-B hepatitis virus. By a solid-phase radioimmunoass...