ABSTRACT

This chapter summarizes advances in the synthesis of well-defined block and statistical copolypeptides that can be assembled into stable membrane structures. Polymerization chemistries are briefly discussed that allow precision copolypeptide synthesis with good control over chain length, chain length distribution, and chain-end functionality. Using these methods, well-defined copolypeptides of controlled dimensions (including molecular weight, sequence, composition, and molecular weight distribution) can now be prepared, which can be assembled into vesicles composed of polypeptide membranes. Many of these membrane assemblies have been found to possess unique properties that are derived from the amino acid building blocks and ordered conformations of the polypeptide segments.