Amino Acid Polymers?

[SaxonViolence]

What would you call a Synthetic Polymer that contained one or more Amino Acids in its Structure? Something that was both a Plastic and a Protein?

 

Has there been much (any) work done with such compounds?

 

While we're talking: Has anyone heard of any work on Synthetic Proteins (or Plastics, for that matter) containing fairly high amounts of Metals in their structure?

 

(Obviously, with a way to Synthesize Proteins containing Metals that are ordinarily Toxic--Or toxic levels of relatively Benign Metals--there is the possibility of creating Protein/Polymers that would never occur in Nature, but had useful properties nonetheless)

 

Saxon Violence

[7DSUSYstrings]

While we're talking: Has anyone heard of any work on Synthetic Proteins (or Plastics, for that matter) containing fairly high amounts of Metals in their structure?

 

 

When I first started reading the technical aspects of your post it reminded me of porphyrins, red blood has iron in the center of each molecule or plant having Magnesium. Then you ask this. :)

[HydrogenBond]

One form of plastic with high metal content are ion exchange resins, like cation exchange resins. The polymer will contain negatively charged side groups, along the main chain, with cations like sodium ions attached via charge attraction. When you pass water through it, other cations are traded for the sodium ion, altering the metal ion composition. One can get specialty compositions of metals cations by passing different composition metal ion solutions through the resin, in series. You might then dehydrate the polymer to get a unique metal-polymer material.

 

As far as polymer and protein blends, this is possible in two ways; polymer blends (physical blend of plastic and protein) or via direction animo acid monomer substitutions into a polymer plastic. Polymers, as macro materials (plastics) are held together with secondary bonding forces such as van der Walls, ionic, hydrogen bonding, etc, The properties are dependent on the secondary bonding in terms of composition, number and efficiency of these bonds.

 

If we add amino acids into the chains, since these form hydrogen bonds these will form first due to hydrogen bonding strength. This could have an impact on the efficiency of the weaker van der Waals forces that most polymers use, unless one can also precisely control monomer placement. I could see this being a useful way to create some plastics which can decompose easier, because soil bacteria will recognize the animo acid snack along the chains. But the plastics may become weaker in the process.

[SaxonViolence]

I was envisioning something that could contract strongly with the proper stimulation--be at least as strong as a Vertebrate Muscle--But much tougher and harder to tear; much more resistant to the elements; not terribly vulnerable to being eaten--whether by Animals, Insects, Molds, Bacteria, or Fungi.....

 

And it wouldn't need "food" (fuel) unless it was in use; because it wasn't alive--but when infused with the proper chemicals, might tend to repair itself--at least micro-tears.

 

Or a skin-like, self repairing plastic.....

 

Or Polycarbonate Support Elements (Bone Analogs) with a composite composition that made them stronger per pound than steel, and some ability to mend themselves.

 

I could go on--But I was thinking about trying to create a whole class of "Semi-Live" substances.

 

Saxon Violence

[hardy5]

Good work

[Bolitoglossa]

Some people work with proteins attached to synthetic polymers. The terms are "Protein-Polymer hybrid" and "Protein-Polymer conjugates". To make them, you either have to get an "initiator" into a protein (that is, a moiety from which you can begin a polymerization reaction) and grow a polymer from it, or you can attach a pre-made polymer to it. These can be used to purify proteins, to form encapsulating polymer gels for drug delivery, for attachment, and other uses. One of the projects in the lab I work at involves regulating the function of the protein by growing a polymer that responds to the environment close to the active site, but we haven't gotten it to work yet.