Enzymatic activity at the surface of biomaterials via supramolecular anchoring of peptides : the effect of material processing

Supramolecular polymers allow for a modular approach to bioactive biomaterials. Here the effect of processing on the bioactivation of supramolecular biomaterials using a RNase S assay is investigated. Incorporation of S-peptides into supramolecular polymers by solvent casting shows a clear organic-solvent dependency. Although a significant release of the S-peptides is observed, RNase S activity can be measured indicating successful S-peptide surface immobilization. Additionally, the effect of electrospinning on the biomaterial's bioactivity is studied, showing that the fibrous meshes developed were bioactive. The results show the importance of solvent choice, and illustrate the potency of rendering supramolecular biomaterial films and meshes bioactive via a modular approach.