POLY 582 |
| Traditional methods for polymer synthesis rely on conventional polymerization chemistries that lead to products that are polydisperse. Nature, on the other hand, has been able to generate biopolymers in the form of proteins with varied monomer units that are highly sequence specific and monodisperse. Here we offer an alternative to synthetic polymer synthesis by exploiting nature's biosynthetic mechanisms to generate protein polymers that may serve as biodegradable materials. We have designed genetically engineered artificial protein co-polymers based on natural extracellular matrix proteins: elastin and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein. We will discuss the synthesis and characterization of the various engineered co-polymers. |
|
Biocatalysis in Polymer Science
8:30 AM-11:45 AM, Wednesday, 13 September 2006 San Francisco Marriott -- Salon 12/13, Oral
Division of Polymer Chemistry |