Structural and interaction parameters of thermosensitive native α-elastin biohybrid microgel

Abstract The structural and water interaction parameters for native, α-elastin biohybrid microgel crosslinked with hydrophilic and hydrophobic crosslinkers are obtained from the volume phase transition temperature behaviour, 1 H high-resolution magic-angle sample spinning transverse magnetization relaxation NMR, and modified Flory–Rehner swelling theory. Firstly, considering a homogeneous morphology the number of subchains in the biohybrid microgel, the residual water in deswollen state as a function of crosslink density and the temperature dependence of the Flory biopolymer–water interaction parameters are reported for the biohybrid microgels prepared with hydrophilic (PEG-DGE) and hydrophobic (BS3) crosslinkers. The Flory–Rehner classical approach is subsequently modified taking into account the heterogeneities observed by NMR transverse relaxation measurements. Two differently mobile regions are determined, a hydrophobic domain and a crosslinking domain with relative reduced mobility. For the first time, the influence of chain mobility on the Flory interaction parameter is investigated through a modified Flory state equation. The contributions of amino-acids located in the hydrophobic and crosslinking domains in the polypeptide sequence are separated while analyzing the biopolymer–water interaction.