Peptide Modified Electrospun Glycopolymer Fibers

Oligo(Glu₇₀ -co-Leu₃₀ ), a peptide synthesized by protease catalysis, is functionalized at the N-terminus with a 4-pentenoyl unit and grafted to polyLSL[6'Ac,6″Ac], a glycopolymer prepared by ring-opening metathesis polymerization of lactonic sophorolipid diacetate. First, polyLSL[6'Ac,6"Ac] fiber mats are fabricated by electrospinning. Oxidation of the fiber mats and subsequent reaction with cysteamine lead to thiol-functionalized fiber mats with no significant morphology changes. Grafting of the alkene-modified oligopeptide to thiol-functionalized polyLSL[6'Ac,6″Ac] fiber mats is achieved via "thiol-ene" click reaction. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis to characterize peptide grafting reveals that about 50 mol% of polyLSL[6'Ac,6''Ac] repeat units at fiber surfaces are decorated with a peptide moiety, out of which about 1/3 of the oligo(Glu₇₀ -co-Leu₃₀ ) units are physically adsorbed to polyLSL[6'Ac,6''Ac]. The results of this work pave the way to precise engineering of polyLSL fiber mats that can be decorated with a potentially wide range of molecules that tailor surface chemistry and biological properties.