Charged Polypeptide Vesicles with Controllable Diameter

We report the preparation and characterization of charged, amphiphilic block copolypeptides that form stable vesicles and micelles in aqueous solution. Specifically, we prepared and studied the aqueous self-assembly of a series of poly(l-lysine)-b-poly(l-leucine) block copolypeptides, KxLy, where x ranged from 20 to 80 and y ranged from 10 to 30 residues, as well as the poly(l-glutamatic acid)-b-poly(l-leucine) block copolypeptide, E60L20. Furthermore, the vesicular assemblies show dynamic properties, indicating a high degree of membrane fluidity. This characteristic provides stimuli-responsive properties to the vesicles and allows fine adjustment of vesicle size using liposome-based extrusion techniques. Vesicle extrusion also provides a straightforward means to trap solutes, making the vesicles promising biomimetic encapsulants.