Effect of ionic strength on the self-assembly, morphology and gelation of pH responsive β-sheet tape-forming peptides

Molecular self-assembly is an intrinsic property of proteins central to their biological functionality. One important industrially interesting property is the ability to control and switch on and off self-assembly using a variety of external chemical and physical triggers. Model peptides have been developed with significantly reduced chemical and structural complexity compared to biological proteins. These are ideal systems for exposing the fundamental principles that drive protein-like self-assembly, as well as for establishing in a quantitative manner their structure-function relationship. We investigate simple, short model peptides that adopt a purely β-strand conformation, align in an antiparallel manner and self-assemble in one dimension in solution into long β-sheet nanotapes and higher order aggregates with no other conformation (i.e., helices, turns or random coils) present in the aggregates. These micrometre-long nanostructures gel in solutions at concentrations as low as 0.2% v/v. Their gel-fluid transition has been previously shown to be controlled by pH, temperature, or by mixing with complementary peptides. Here we show the dramatic effect of another chemical trigger, that of physiological-like salt concentration, on the self-assembly, morphology and gelation of a series of systematically designed charged self-assembling tape-forming peptides, each 11 amino acid residues in length, in the pH range of 2-14. This study provides a detailed understanding of the self-assembly of this class of peptides in aqueous solutions of biologically relevant pH and ionic strength. This insight has led to the development of injectable self-assembling peptide lubricants as potential therapeutics for the treatment of early stage knee joint osteoarthritis.     

Internal molecular disorder in the nematic and smectic phases of thermotropic liquid crystals studied by NMR SPDE experiments

The recently developed NMR SPDE experiment is shown to provide a new and particularly convenient technique for probing the conformational dynamics of mesogens in thermotropic liquid crystals. Measurements have been made in the nematic and smectic phases of the 4,4′-di-n-alkoxyazoxybenzenes. It is shown for the first time that the internal disorder of the alkyl end chains is intimately related to the molecular organization of these mesophases.     

Intramolecular disorder and its relation to mesophase structure in lyotropic liquid crystals

NMR SPDE measurements are reported for the lamellar (dispersions and multibilayer stacks) and hexagonal phases of sodium octanoate/octanol/D₂O mixtures. In the lamellar L_β and L_γ (gel) phases the octyl chains are rigid and perfectly ordered, while in the lamellar L_α and hexagonal phases they are flexible and disordered. In particular, the measurements show that in the fluid lamellar L_α phase, there is a marked discontinuity in the octyl chain flexibility at the C₅-C₆ segment; this behaviour is identical to that previously reported for the alkyl end-chains in smectic 4,4′-di-n-octyloxyazoxybenzene. In contrast, in the hexagonal phase, there is an effectively continuous flexibility gradient along the whole length of the octyl chain as in nematic 4,4′-di-n-octyloxyazoxybenzene. The behaviour in the lamellar phase is attributed to interference between cooperative conformational modes and localized random thermal fluctuations.     

Monte carlo studies of two-dimensional commensurate-incommensurate transitions

A Monte Carlo study has been made of commensurate-incommensurate behaviour for Lennard-Jones particles on a square commensurate lattice. For a fixed barrier height a pronounced minimum is found in plots of R, the mean distance of the particles from the nearest commensurate site, against ε^*, where ε^* is the depth of the potential well. The initial fall in R with increase in ε^* is shown to be associated with the repulsive part of the inter-particle interaction.     

A Convenient One-Pot Preparation of Symmetrical Polymethoxyanthracenes

Symmetrical polymethoxyanthracenes are rapidly made and easily isolated in moderate yield by treatment of appropriately substituted (methoxy)_n halobenzenes with lithium 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidide (LTMP) in refluxing THF.     

2,3,7,8,12,13-Hexakis[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy]tricycloquinazoline: a discogen which allows enhanced levels of n-doping

A synthesis has been developed for 2,3,7,8,12,13-hexakis[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy]-tricycloquinazoline (TCQ6EO2M) in which the ethylenoxy side chains are introduced before elaboration of the heterocylic core. This discogen gives a hexagonal columnar phase (Col_h) between 77 and 233°C. n-Doping using potassium metal is facilitated firstly by the electron poor/π-deficient nature of the core and secondly by the polyethylenoxy side chains which complex the potassium K⁺ counter-ions. The conductivity of the Col_h phase of TCQ6EO2M doped with 10 mol % potassium (σ _∥ = 1.1 x 10^-3 S m^-1) is substantially higher than that previously reported for 2,3,7,8,12,13-hexa(hexylthio)tricycloquinazoline doped with 6 mol % potassium (σ _∥ = 2.9 x 10^-5 S m^-1). Photoconductivity studies of TCQ6EO2M using a time of flight sample configuration show transient photocurrents for both holes and electrons. From these an upper limit on the mobility for the electrons is estimated as ~10^-4 cm² V^-1 s^-1 at 150°C which is of the same magnitude as that for hole mobilities in other columnar discotic liquid crystals.