Carnegie Mellon University

University of Pittsburgh

Nanosembly, LLC

Richard R Koepsel

Alan J Russell

Hironobu Murata

Chad S Cummings

Sang Beom Lee

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.

Polymer-based protein engineering methods to rationally tune enzyme activity, pH-dependence and stability

The present invention provides amphiphilic diacetylene compounds, and compositions and self-assembled nanotubes containing the same. Also provided are methods of producing the compounds, compositions, and nanotubes of the invention, and methods of destroying or inhibiting the growth or proliferation of microorganisms using the nanotubes of the present invention.

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Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America

Richard R Koepsel