Precise Manipulation of Virus-like Nanoparticles by Glucose-Promoted Self-Assembly

Abstract

Viruses typically possess spike-like surface structures that play pivotal roles in their biological functions, including host cell invasion and signal transduction. Despite the structural advantages of virus-like architectures, the controlled fabrication of artificial virus-like nanoparticles (VNPs) remains a significant challenge. Herein, a series of amphiphilic glycopolymers are designed and synthesized to self-assemble into VNPs with controlled tentacles on their surfaces. As the initial concentration increases, the morphology of the assemblies gradually evolves from spherical nanoparticles to virus-like nanostructures with an increased number and length of the tentacles. The existence of glucose moieties is crucial for driving this morphological transformation owing to their strong hydrogen-bonding interactions and ultrahydrophilicity. Monitoring the formation process of the VNPs, we found that spherical nanoparticles were formed at the early stage of self-assembly. With an increasing water content, the nanoparticles gradually deform and develop surface wrinkles, followed by the emergence and elongation of tentacles upon further water addition, leading to the formation of VNPs, which exhibit morphology-promoted and glucose transporter 1-mediated endocytosis. These findings highlight the significance of glycosyl groups in promoting the formation of VNPs and provide fresh insights into the controlled preparation of artificial biomimetic nanomaterials with precise structures and tailored functionalities.