Synthesis of poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate)-grafted chitosan under γ-ray irradiation for alamethicin assembly

• A biocompatible cell-mimicking material is reported for supporting membrane peptide.
• PSBMA is grafted onto chitosan by controlled polymerization under γ-ray irradiation.
• The graft copolymer can self-assemble into the micelles in distilled water.
• Alamethicin can self-assembly with CS-g-PSBMA micelles in aqueous solutions.
• Alamethicin penetrates into hydrophobic cores of micelles with secondary structures.

Interaction between peptide and lipid membrane plays a major role in biological activity of membrane-active peptide. We describe here a new biocompatible polymeric assembly to support membrane peptide. Specifically, chitosan-graft-poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) (CS-g-PSBMA) was synthesized for alamethicin assembly by controlled polymerization under γ-ray irradiation. The graft copolymer could self-assemble into micelles in distilled water for supporting alamethicin. The assembly of alamethicin with CS-g-PSBMA micelles in aqueous solutions was related with the ratio of alamethicin/CS-g-PSBMA: the more alamethicin, the smaller sizes of the hybrid complex. Moreover, alamethicin penetrated into the hydrophobic cores of CS-g-PSBMA micelles while displayed secondary helical conformation in the complex. The results indicate that CS-g-PSBMA assemblies can be used to support membrane peptide.

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