Carnegie Mellon University

University of Pittsburgh

Chad S Cummings

Alan J Russell

Hironobu Murata

Richard R Koepsel

Embodiments of the invention provide at least one polymer covalently conjugated to an esterase. The at least one polymer includes a plurality of oxime functional groups.

Polymer engineered regenerating bioscavengers

Using a novel water-soluble, active ester amide-containing functionalized controlled radical polymerization initiator, stimuli responsive polymers have been grown from the surface of a protein, exemplified by chymotrypsin or any protein having surface amino acids that will covalently bind to the active ester amide-containing functionalized initiator. It is shown that changes in temperature or pH can change the conformation of the polymer surrounding the enzyme, which in turn enabled the rational tailoring of enzyme activity and stability. This method has afforded an increase in the activity and stability of the enzyme by an order of magnitude at pH's where the enzyme is usually inactive or unstable. Multimodal temperature responsive protein-block copolymer conjugates are described.

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Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America

Chad S Cummings