Self-assembled nanofibers and hydrogels of double-hydrophobic elastin-like polypeptides formed via coacervation
Ayae Sugawara‐Narutaki
Abstract
Abstract The soluble precursors of elastin protein and elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs) are polymers that typically undergo liquid‒liquid phase separation to form coacervates. In addition to their fundamental importance in biology, the dynamic nature of coacervates makes them attractive platforms as innovative materials in bioengineering and nanomedicine. This focus review presents the latest research on the requirements of elastin-like polypeptide sequences for phase separation and the dynamics of coacervates. Research attempting to control the phase-transition behavior of ELPs in living cells is also presented. In addition, a molecular design strategy for ELPs to obtain anisotropic nanofibers by coacervation, their functionalization for biomaterial applications, and the unique viscoelastic properties of hydrogels composed of nanofibers are discussed. These research trends indicate that the molecular design of ELPs enables control of the dynamics and morphology of coacervates. This fundamental knowledge will be useful for the dynamic functional design of drug delivery systems and scaffolds for regenerative medicine.