We report a simple and versatile method to functionalize anionic colloid particles and control particle solubility. Poly(lysine)-based copolymers (PLL) grafted with polyethylene oxide (PLL-g-PEG) or poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PLL-g-PNIPAM) spontaneously adsorb on bare beads dispersed in aqueous solutions of the copolymers. The final composition of the mixed ad-layers formed (i.e. PEG/PNIPAM ratio) was adjusted by the polymer concentrations in solutions. While the (PLL-g-PEG)-coated particles were stable in a wide range of temperature, the presence of PLL-g-PNIPAM in the outer layer provided a reversible temperature-triggered aggregation at 32 +/- 1 degrees C. In the range of PNIPAM fraction going from 100% (beads fully covered by PLL-g-PNIPAM) down to a threshold 20% weight ratio (with 80% PLL-g-PEG), the particles aggregated rapidly to form micrometer size clusters. Below 20% weight fraction of PLL-g-PNIPAM, the kinetic was drastically lowered. Using PLL derivatives provides a straightforward route allowing to control the fraction of a functional chain (here PNIPAM) deposited on PEGylated particles, and in turn to adjust surface interaction and here the rate of particle particle aggregation as a function of the density of functional chains. This approach can be generalized to many anionic surfaces onto which PLL is known to adhere tightly, such as glass or silica. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.