Bovine serum albumin-poly(methyl methacrylate) nanoparticles: an example of frustrated phase separation.

A new protein-polymer conjugate made of denatured bovine serum albumin (BSA) covalently bonded to poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is synthesized by attaching PMMA to acryloylated BSA followed by nanoparticle precipitation. Depending on the BSA to PMMA ratio, these conjugates self-assemble into uniform spherical nanoparticles which show "island" growth on the surface of the nanoparticles. This growth is promoted or retarded by exposing the nanoparticles to different solvents, causing the two components to undergo incipient phase separation. Incipient phase separation of the BSA-PMMA conjugate two-component system was observed in single nanoparticles, resulting in "island" growth on the surface of the nanoparticles. Incipient phase separation of the BSA-PMMA conjugate two-component system was observed in single nanoparticles, resulting in "island" growth on the surface of the nanoparticles.