AFM单分子力谱在真实材料及生物体系中的应用——挑战与机遇并存

基于原子力显微镜技术（AFM）的单分子力谱是研究分子间分子内相互作用的有效手段．为了简化样品体系及数据的解析,真实的生物或材料体系通常被简化,其中的目标分子被提取并桥连于AFM的针尖与固体基片之间进行研究,这是认识真实体系的有效途径．随着技术的不断进步（包括样品固定方法的改进）,使得直接研究真实生物及材料体系中的各种弱相互作用成为可能,此种条件下获得的信息对相关生命过程的调控及高性能材料的设计更具指导意义．本文概述了近几年基于AFM力谱技术在活体细胞以及高分子材料领域的研究进展,分析了存在的主要问题,并对相关领域的未来进行了展望．     

Interrogation of single synthetic polymer chains and polysaccharides by AFM-based force spectroscopy.

This contribution reviews selected mechanical experiments on individual flexible macromolecules using single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) based on atomic force microscopy. Focus is placed on the analysis of elasticity and conformational changes in single polymer chains upon variation of the external environment, as well as on conformational changes induced by the mechanical stress applied to individual macromolecular chains. Various experimental strategies regarding single-molecule manipulation and SMFS testing are discussed, as is theoretical analysis through single-chain elasticity models derived from statistical mechanics. Moreover, a complete record, reported to date, of the parameters obtained when applying the models to fit experimental results on synthetic polymers and polysaccharides is presented.     

Investigation on the folding mode of a polymer chain in a spiral crystal by single molecule force spectroscopy

Investigation on the folding mode of a single polymer chain in its crystal is significant to the understanding of the mechanism of the fundamental crystallization as well as the engineering of new polymer crystal-based materials. Herein, we use the combined techniques of atomic force microscopy （AFM） imaging and force spectroscopy to pull a single polyethylene oxide （PEO） chain out of its spiral crystal in amyl acetate. From these data, the folding mode of polymer chains in the spiral crystal has been reconstructed. We find that the stems tilt in the typical flat area, leading to the decrease in the apparent lamellar height. While in the area of screw dislocation, the lamellar height gradually increases in the range of several nanometers. These results indicate that the combined techniques present a novel tool to directly unravel the chain folding mode of spiral crystals at single-molecule level.     

Study of the effect of atorvastatin on the interaction between ICAM-1 and CD11b by live-cell single-molecule force spectroscopy

The interaction between the cell adhesion molecule CD11b and its ligand ICAM-1 plays an important role in inflammatory responses in the disease of atherosclerosis. Atorvastatin is a commonly prescribed statin drug which has been considered as one of the most potent therapeutic agents for atherosclerosis due to its lipid-lowering effect. Recently, there is a growing body of evidence that atorvastatin has anti-inflammatory effect. We have applied the advanced method of live-cell single-molecule force spectros...     

生物单分子力谱技术的研究进展

近年来,单分子力谱技术获得了快速发展和广泛应用。通过单分子力谱技术研究生物分子结构、力学及动力学,在单分子水平上揭示生物分子间相互作用机制,对于深入了解生物分子的特异识别、生化过程以及生物分子结构与功能的关系具有重要意义。本文主要介绍了3种最常见的单分子力谱技术:原子力显微镜(AFM),光镊(OT)和磁镊(MT)。另外,还侧重从不同力谱技术的原理、发展及应用三个方面简要介绍了3种大规模并行测量的单分子力谱技术:声力谱(AFS)、离心力显微镜(CFM)以及力诱导剩磁谱技术(FIRMS)。     

Intercalation interactions between dsDNA and acridine studied by single molecule force spectroscopy

In this letter, we report on the direct measurement of the intercalation interactions between acridine and double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) using single molecule force spectroscopy. The interaction between acridine and dsDNA is broken by force of 36 pN at a loading rate of 5.0 nN/s. The most probable rupture force between acridine and dsDNA is dependent on the loading rate, indicating that the binding of acridine and dsDNA is a dynamic process. The combination of SMFS experimental data with the theoretical model clearly suggests the presence of two energy barriers along with an unbinding trajectory of acridine-dsDNA.     

Following aptamer-ricin specific binding by single molecule recognition and force spectroscopy measurements

Single molecule recognition imaging and dynamic force spectroscopy (DFS) analysis showed strong binding affinity between an aptamer and ricin, which was comparable with antibody-ricin interaction. Molecular simulation showed a ricin binding conformation with aptamers and gave different ricin conformations immobilizing on substrates that were consistent with AFM images.     

Dynamics of Supramolecular Association Monitored by Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy

Supramolecular binding is a key process in many biological systems and in newly developed supramolecular assemblies. Most of the scientific work on these systems is focused on their structural properties and on the thermodynamics of the association process. However, the underlying dynamics are usually much less known, in spite of the great importance they have during the binding process in these highly dynamic systems. Understanding supramolecular binding in biological systems and controlling the functionality of new synthetic supramolecular systems can only be achieved through knowledge of the structure–dynamics relationship. There is a strong need for suitable techniques which cover the typically wide time interval of the association dynamics and which do not need a perturbation of the system. We briefly review high‐resolution fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) as a technique to monitor supramolecular dynamics and to give information on how structure determines the dynamics of host–guest association. The comparison of hosts and guests with different structures shows that geometrical and orientational requirements determine the association rate constant, whereas the dissociation is defined by the strength of specific interactions. As model hosts cyclodextrins and micelles are studied.     

Emergence of Supramolecular Chirality by Flows

Hydrodynamic forces in stirred solutions induce chirality in some supramolecular species of J‐aggregates, as detected at the level of the electronic transition. However, the mechanism that explains the phenomenon remains to be elucidated, although the basic effect of hydrodynamic gradients of the shear rate is most probably the folding or bending of the nanoparticles in solution. Herein, we demonstrate a correlation between chiral flows in different regions of circular and square stirred cuvettes and the emergence of true circular dichroism (CD). The results show that chaotic flows lead to a racemic mixture of chiral shaped supramolecular species, and vortical flows to scalemic mixtures. In a magnetically stirred flask the descending and ascending flows are of different chiral sign and the CD reading depends on the weighting of these two flows of inverse chiral sign. The effect of the gradient of shear rates of the flows leading to chiral shape objects depends on the shape of the cuvette, which suggests that the flask shape and the controlled addition of reagents in defined regions of the stirred solutions may exert a control in self‐assembly processes.     

Direct detection of the formation of V-amylose helix by single molecule force spectroscopy

An important polysaccharide, amylose crystallizes as a regular single left-handed helix from a propanol, butanol, or iodine solution. However, its solution structure remains elusive because amylose does not form molecular solutions in these solvents, and standard spectroscopic techniques cannot be exploited to determine its structure. Using AFM, we forced individual amylose chains adsorbed to a surface to enter these poor solvents and carried out stretch-release measurements on them in solution. In this manner, we directly captured the formation of individual amylose helices induced by butanol and iodine. With an accuracy approaching that of X-ray diffraction on amylose crystals, we determined that the pitch of the helix in solution is 1.3 angstroms/ring. We also directly measured the force driving the formation of the helix in solution to be 50 pN. SMD simulations in explicit butanol reproduced the AFM-measured force-extension curves and revealed that the long plateau feature is caused by the rupture of O(2)n-O(6)(n+6) and O(3)n-O(6)(n+6) hydrogen bonds and by the unwinding of the helix. We also found that amylose helices formed in iodine solution are more compliant and hysteretic as compared to helices in butanol, which extend/relax reversibly. In iodine solution, the formation of the helix is inhibited by force and limited by the slow kinetics of the amylose-iodine complex. By forcing individual molecules into poor solvents and performing force spectroscopy measurements in solution, our AFM approach uniquely supplements X-ray diffraction and NMR methods for investigating solution conformations of insoluble biopolymers.     

Local surface charge dissipation studied using force spectroscopy method of atomic force microscopy

We propose herein a method to study local surface charge dissipation in dielectric films using force spectroscopy technique of atomic force microscopy. By using a normalization procedure and considering an analytical expression of the tip‐sample interaction force, we could estimate the characteristic time decay of the dissipation process. This approach is completely independent of the atomic force microscopy tip geometry and considerably reduces the amount of experimental data needed for the calculation compared with other techniques. The feasibility of the method was demonstrated in a freshly cleaved mica surface, in which the local charge dissipation after cleavage followed approximately a first‐order exponential law with the characteristic time decay of approximately 7–8 min at 30% relative humidity (RH) and 2–3.5 min at 48% RH. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

侧链携带金刚烷的聚(N-异丙基丙烯酰胺)与环糊精二聚体构筑可控超分子体系

合成了侧链携带金刚烷的温敏性聚合物(Pnipam-Ad)及环糊精二聚体(trans-Azo β-CD Dimer),利用Pnipam-Ad侧链的金刚烷与trans-Azo β-CD Dimer的主客体识别作用构筑了超分子体系.以二维核磁共振谱(2D NMR)、粘度法等手段对Pnipam-Ad与trans-Azo β-CD Dimer之间的主客体包结作用进行了研究,两者之间的缔合受Pnipam-Ad和trans-Azo β-CD Dimer浓度及trans-Azo β-CD Dimer光异构的影响.此外,trans-Azo β-CD Dimer对Pnipam-Ad聚合物链的物理交联作用使两者混合溶液的最低临界溶解温度(LCST)低于纯P(NIPAM)的LCST.     

基于中性芳环间电子供体-受体相互作用驱动的有机超分子组装

综述了近年来中性单体分子之间的供体-受体相互作用在超分子自组装研究中的应用.首先介绍了应用广泛的典型中性芳环富电子和缺电子体系的种类,然后重点介绍了DAB和DAN作为富电子单元,PDI和NDI作为缺电子单元的供体-受体相互作用在互相锁链的超分子体系,非天然分子折叠体和二聚体组装方面的应用进展.     

超分子环糊精两亲分子

本文综述了“超分子环糊精两亲分子”的最新研究进展。超分子环糊精两亲分子主要包括疏水性修饰的环糊精衍生物(第一类)、环糊精衍生物与两亲分子的包合物(第二类)和环糊精衍生物与疏水性客体分子的包合物(第三类)。针对超分子环糊精两亲分子及其自组装体系的研究不但丰富了由诺贝尔化学奖得主Lehn等所提出的超分子化学的内涵,实现了多学科的交叉,而且在生物模拟、智能材料以及可控的、具有疗效的药物输运与缓释等领域具有潜在的应用前景。     

Cellulose Supramolecular Structure Changes During Activation by Organophosphorus Compounds

Cellulose supramolecular structure changes during activation by organophosphorus compounds were studied by electron microscopy, IR spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction. These processes were shown to enhance interfibrillar swelling, weakening of intermolecular H-bonds between cellulose microfibrils, and loosening of the packing. As a result, the accessibility of esterification reagents to the molecules is improved     

Supramolecular aspects of polymer science: a challenge for solid state NMR

Recent developments in structural elucidation of supramolecular systems by advanced solid state NMR are described. Special emphasis is placed on hydrogen-bonded sytems and columnar stacks of aromatic moieties. In imidazole-based proton conductores spatially separated regions of high and low mobility are identified. In stacks of alkyl-substituted hexabenzocoronenes maximum charge carrier mobility is observed for crystal-like stacking of the discs.     

How simple can a thermotropic mesogenic molecule be? Supramolecular layers through a network of hydrogen bonds

The supramolecular approach was applied to obtain a thermotropic liquid crystalline phase from the smallest possible molecules. Diaminobenzene derivatives are able to form smectic layers through a network of interconnected hydrogen bonded rings. The observed smectic A phase exhibits unusually small optical birefringence, comparable with that of lyotropic lamellar phases.