Photocontrol of Micellar Structure of an Azobenzene Containing Amphiphilic Sequential Polypeptide

Abstract Photo-induced structural changes were observed for an aggregate composed of amphiphilic sequential polypeptides with an azobenzene moiety in the main chain. The polypeptides associated with each other and formed micelle in aqueous solution in the dark. Photo-isomerization of the azobenzene moiety of the polypeptides induced a deaggregation of the micelle, via the bending structure formation of the polypeptide at the azobenzene moiety.