Wrap-and-Strip Technology of Protein-Polyelectrolyte Complex for Biomedical Application

Curr Med Chem. 2016;23(3):276-89. doi: 10.2174/0929867323666151127201126.

Abstract

A polyelectrolyte is a polymer composed of repeating units of an electrolyte group that enables reversible complex formation with proteins in aqueous solutions. This review introduces "wrap-and-strip" technology of protein-polyelectrolyte complex (PPC) by noncovalent interaction. Storage: protein is stabilized against physical and chemical stresses. Enrichment: precipitation through PPC can be used as an enrichment method without irreversible unfolding. Catalytic activity switch: a complementary charged pair of polyelectrolytes functions as a reversible enzyme activity switch. Hyperactivation: a specific combination of a polyelectrolyte and substrate enhances enzyme activity by one order of magnitude compared with an enzyme alone. Stabilization: PPC increases protein stability against chemical and physical stresses, such as covalently modified polyethylene glycosylated protein. Simple PPC-based technology can expand the applicable fields of soluble proteins in aqueous solutions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies / chemistry
  • Antibodies / metabolism
  • Biocatalysis
  • Chemistry, Pharmaceutical
  • Electrolytes / chemistry*
  • Enzymes / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Polymers / chemistry
  • Proteins / chemistry*
  • Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Electrolytes
  • Enzymes
  • Polymers
  • Proteins