PEG in Research
Polyethlene glycol (PEG), is also known as polyethylene oxide (PEO) or polyoxyethylene (POE), depending on its molecular weight. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) compounds contain a polyether unit, commonly expressed as R1-(O-CH2-CH2)n-O-R2. They are generally biocompatible, non-toxic and stable in both organic and aqueous solutions, and so are extensively used in biological research, as well as nanotechnology and materials research. Proteins with PEG chain modifications and compounds encapsulated in PEG liposomes exhibit a longer half-life in vivo than their non-PEGylated counterparts, a phenomenon known as PEG shielding. Functionalised PEG lipids and phospholipids can be used for protein-PEG conjugation. In biological research, PEGs have can have many other applications, including the bioconjugation of cells into hybridomas for antibody production, vaccine or nanoparticle delivery, drug formulation and fluorescent labelling.
Advantages of PEGS:
- High solubility.
- Neutral pH.
- Non-toxic.
- Low/no immunogenicity.
- Non-specific interactions with biochemicals.
- Highly flexible and mobile.
PEG abbreviation table
| Abbreviation | Full Name | Abbreviation | Full Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| OH | Hydroxyl/alcohol | SH | Thiol |
| NH2 | Amine | CHO/Ald | Aldehyde |
| N3 | Azide | MA | Methacrylate |
| AC/Acrl | Acrylate | ACA | Acrylamide |
| GA | Glutaric Acid | SA | Succinic Acid |
| GAA | Glutaramide Acid | SAA | Succinamide Acid |
| AA | Acetic Acid | PA | Propionic Acid |
| COOH | Cardroxy/Acid | OtBu | t-butyl ester |
| EPO | Epoxide | Ald-PH | Benzaldehyde |
| IA | Iodoacetate | HZ | Hydrazide |
| Mal | Maleimide | NHS/SC | Succinimidyl ester |
| SCM | Succinimidyl Carboxy Methyl ester | SPA | Succinimidyl Propionate |
| SBA | Succinimidyl Butanoate | SGA | Succinimidyl Glutaramide |
| SG | Succinimidyl Glutarate ester | SS | Succinimidyl Succinate ester |
| GAS | Glutaramide Succinimidyl ester | SAS | Succinamide Succinimidyl ester |
| SVA | Succinimidyl valerate | Tr | Trityl |
| TBA | Tert-Butoxycarbonyl | TFA | Trifluoroacetic acid |
| LA | Lipoic acid | DBCO | Dibenzocycolctyne |
| RB | Rhodamine B | Ts/Tos | Tosylate |
| NPC | 4-nitrophenyl carbonate | Dansyl | 5-(dimethylamino)naphthalene-1-sulfonyl |
| FITC | Fluorescein | OPSS | Ortho-Pyridyl disulfide |
| GLC2 | di-Glutamic Acid | GLC3 | tri-Glutamic Acid |
| DA | Dopamine | DF | 4-Formyl-benzamide |
| CDI | Carbonyl Imidazole | FA | Folic acid |
| DSPE | 1,2-Distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylethanolamine | DMPE | 1,2-Dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine |
| DPPE | 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine | DLPE | 1,2-didodecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine |
| DOPE | 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine | Gluc | Glucose |
| Gala | Galactose | CLS | Cholesterol |
| PCL | Polycaprolactone | PLGA | Poly(lactic-co-glycoclic acid) |
| PI | Polyimide | PEI | Polyetherimide |
| RGD | ARG-GLY-ASP | RGDS | ARG-GLY-ASP-SER |
| PLA | Polylactic acid | CH3 | Methyl |
