Fluorescently labeled protein-polymer bioconjugates using protein-derived macroinitiators from living radical polymerization

Abstract

Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) and lysozyme have been chemically transformed into macroinitiators for the synthesis of fluorescent bioconjugates by living radical polymerization. A new fluorescent monomer based on rhodamine B has been synthesized and incorporated into the polymer backbone of the bioconjugate by copolymerization. This provides a new strategy for the synthesis of fluorescent bioconjugates with improved traceability in biological environments, during biomedical assays.