Design, Synthesis, Self-Assembly, and Dis-Assembly Studies of Monodisperse Protein-Dendron Conjugates

Abstract

The fundamental objective of this thesis is to introduce a methodology to design self-assembling, stimuli-responsive, protein-dendron conjugates. The research during my doctoral study was mainly focused on designing a chemical methodology to construct monodisperse, stimuli-responsive, facially amphiphilic protein-dendron conjugates and understand their self-assembly and dis-assembly behavior. In particular, this thesis mainly deals with the construction of protein-dendron assemblies, which respond to both extrinsic and intrinsic stimuli such as pH, light, and redox potential. Besides, accessibility for control over hydrodynamic radius (Dh), oligomeric state, and the molecular weight of the proteindendron complex has been addressed by re-engineering the components in the molecular design. The protein-dendron system presented in this thesis provides an opportunity to functionalize interior and exterior domains of assemblies with a variety of therapeutic agents. These opportunities could be used in devising antibody or ligand decorated particles with controlled densities, which we expect to find application in the area of vaccine design, targeted drug delivery.