# Controlled node growth on the surface of polymersomes

## TL;DR

Scientists used nucleobase pairing to control the growth of nodes on the surface of polymersomes, enabling the creation of complex nanomaterials.

## Contribution

A new method for directing node formation and growth on polymersomes using nucleobase pairing.

## Key findings

- Nucleobase pairing directed node formation on polymersomes.
- Node coverage and length were quantified using (cryo-)TEM.
- Steric crowding was relieved by node growth.

## Abstract

Incorporating nucleobases into synthetic polymers has proven to be a versatile method for controlling self-assembly. The formation of strong directional hydrogen bonds between complementary nucleobases provides a driving force that permits access to complex particle morphologies. Here, nucleobase pairing was used to direct the formation and lengthening of nodes on the outer surface of vesicles formed from polymers (polymersomes) functionalised with adenine in their membrane-forming domains. Insertion of a self-assembling short diblock copolymer containing thymine into the polymersome membranes caused an increase in steric crowding at the hydrophilic/hydrophobic interface, which was relieved by initial node formation and subsequent growth. Nano-objects were imaged by (cryo-)TEM, which permitted quantification of node coverage and length. The ability to control node growth on the surface of polymersomes provides a new platform to develop higher-order nanomaterials with tailorable properties.

Nucleobase pairing was used to direct the formation and lengthening of nodes on the outer surface of polymersomes.