Block copolymer micelles with enzyme molecules at the interfaces

This research provides an efficient method for the fabrication of hybrid micelles with enzyme molecules at the interfaces. Amphiphilic block copolymer is synthesized by reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, and thiol-modified porcine pancreatic lipase (PPL-SH) is obtained by treatment of native PPL with Traut's reagent. PPL-SH is conjugated to the block copolymer chains by thiol-disulfide exchange reaction. In phosphate buffered saline, the bioconjugate self-assembles into micelles with enzyme molecules at the interfaces between hydrophobic cores and hydrophilic coronae. The bioactivity of the enzyme molecules on the micelles are compared with the native enzyme. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017