Thermosensitive polymers enable externally controllable biomolecular interactions but hysteresis effects hamper the reversibility and repeated use of these materials. To quantify the temperature‐dependent interactions and hysteresis effects, an optical adhesion assay based on poly(ethylene glycol) microgels (soft colloidal probes, SCPs) with mannose binding concanavalin A surfaces is used. A series of thermoresponsive glycopolymers is synthesized varying the carbohydrate type, their density, and linker type, and then grafted to the SCPs. The carbohydrate‐mediated adhesion is influenced by the density of sugar ligands and increased above the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the glycopolymer. Importantly, a strong hysteresis is observed, i.e., cooling back below the LCST does not reduce the adhesion back to the initial value before heating. The hysteresis is stronger for hydrophobic linkers and for low carbohydrate functionalization degrees suggesting insufficient reswelling of the polymers due to hydrophobic interactions. The results are confirmed by studying the adhesion of Escherichia coli to the SCPs, where an enhanced capture of the bacteria is observed above the LCST while the detachment upon cooling is not possible. Overall, the quantitative data on the switchable adhesion of specifically binding polymers may provide potential avenues for the design of the next‐generation interactive biomaterials.

中文翻译：

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通过软胶体探针粘附研究量化热可切换碳水化合物介导的相互作用。

热敏聚合物能够实现外部可控的生物分子相互作用，但滞后效应阻碍了这些材料的可逆性和重复使用。为了量化温度依赖性相互作用和滞后效应，使用了基于聚（乙二醇）微凝胶（软胶体探针，SCPs）与甘露糖结合伴刀豆球蛋白 A 表面的光学粘附测定。一系列热响应性糖聚合物被合成，改变碳水化合物类型、密度和接头类型，然后接枝到 SCP。碳水化合物介导的粘附受糖配体密度的影响，并在糖聚合物的下临界溶解温度 (LCST) 以上增加。重要的是，观察到强烈的滞后现象，即，冷却回低于 LCST 不会将附着力降低回加热前的初始值。疏水性接头和低碳水化合物官能化程度的滞后性更强，表明由于疏水性相互作用聚合物的再溶胀不足。研究结果证实了大肠杆菌到 SCP，在 LCST 上方观察到细菌的增强捕获，而冷却时分离是不可能的。总的来说，关于特异性结合聚合物的可切换粘附的定量数据可能为下一代交互式生物材料的设计提供潜在的途径。