| Summary: | Advances in recombinant DNA technology contributed to the development of genetically engineered polymers with exquisite control over monomer sequence and polymer length. Encoding at the genetic level and production of such recombinant polymers in organisms allow for precise order and accuracy of amino acid sequences and production of monodisperse polymers. The precision with which these polymers can be synthesized, allowing the creation of multifunctional complex polymers, has stimulated increasing demand for advanced materials with unique chemical, physical and biological characteristics. The silk-elastin-like class of genetically engineered protein polymers is composed of tandemly repeated silk-like (Gly-Ala-Gly-Ala-Gly-Ser) and elastin-like (Val-Pro-Gly-Val-Gly) amino acid blocks, combining the structural components of elastin and fibroin in a single molecule. This chapter summarizes progress made in the synthesis and characterization of silk-elastin-like-polymers, with special focus in processing techniques and mechanical properties. Finally, a general discussion about challenges and future directions is considered.
|
|---|