Macromolecules, Vol.48, No.13, 4607-4619, 2015
From 1D Rods to 3D Networks: A Biohybrid Topological Diversity Investigated by Asymmetrical Flow Field-Flow Fractionation
Biohybrid structures formed by noncovalent interaction between avidin as a bridging unit and biotinylated glycodendrimers based on poly(propyleneimine) (GD-B) have potential for biomedical application. Therefore, an exact knowledge about molar mass, dispersity, size, shape, and molecular structure is required. Asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) was applied to separate pure and assembled macromolecules according to their diffusion coefficients. The complex biohybrid structures consist of single components (avidin, differently valent GD-B) and nanostructures. These nanostructures were systematically studied depending on the degree of biotinylation and ligand-receptor stoichiometry by AF4 in combination with dynamic and static light scattering detection. This enables the quantification of composition and calculation of molar masses and radii, which were used to analyze scaling properties and apparent density of the formed structures. These data are compared to hydrodynamic radii obtained by applying the retention theory to the AF4 data. It is shown that depending on their architecture the molecular shape of biohybrid structures is changed from rod-like to spherical toward network-like behavior.