Light-Driven Proton Transfer for Cyclic and Temporal Switching of Enzymatic Nanoreactors

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Silvia Moreno - , Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (Author)
  • Priyanka Sharan - , Chair of Physical Chemistry, Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (Author)
  • Johanna Engelke - , Chair of Organic Chemistry of Polymers, Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (Author)
  • Hannes Gumz - , Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden (cfaed), Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (Author)
  • Susanne Boye - , Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (Author)
  • Ulrich Oertel - , Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (Author)
  • Peng Wang - , Chair of Organic Chemistry of Polymers, Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (Author)
  • Susanta Banerjee - , Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (Author)
  • Rafal Klajn - , Weizmann Institute of Science (Author)
  • Brigitte Voit - , Chair of Organic Chemistry of Polymers, Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden (cfaed), Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (Author)
  • Albena Lederer - , Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, TUD Dresden University of Technology, University of Stellenbosch (Author)
  • Dietmar Appelhans - , Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (Author)

Abstract

Temporal activation of biological processes by visible light and subsequent return to an inactive state in the absence of light is an essential characteristic of photoreceptor cells. Inspired by these phenomena, light-responsive materials are very attractive due to the high spatiotemporal control of light irradiation, with light being able to precisely orchestrate processes repeatedly over many cycles. Herein, it is reported that light-driven proton transfer triggered by a merocyanine-based photoacid can be used to modulate the permeability of pH-responsive polymersomes through cyclic, temporally controlled protonation and deprotonation of the polymersome membrane. The membranes can undergo repeated light-driven swelling-contraction cycles without losing functional effectiveness. When applied to enzyme loaded-nanoreactors, this membrane responsiveness is used for the reversible control of enzymatic reactions. This combination of the merocyanine-based photoacid and pH-switchable nanoreactors results in rapidly responding and versatile supramolecular systems successfully used to switch enzymatic reactions ON and OFF on demand.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number2002135
Number of pages11
JournalSmall
Volume16
Issue number37
Early online date11 Aug 2020
Publication statusPublished - 17 Sept 2020
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 32783385
Scopus 85089258227
ORCID /0000-0002-4531-691X/work/194254552

Keywords

Keywords

  • ON-OFF systems, Light-driven proton transfer, Out-of-equilibrium systems, Photoacids, Polymersomes