Structural regulation of a peptide-conjugated graft copolymer: a simple model for amyloid formation

The self-assembly of peptides and proteins into beta-sheet-rich high-order structures has attracted much attention as a result of the characteristic nanostructure of these assemblies and because of their association with neurodegenerative diseases. Here we report the structural and conformational properties of a peptide-conjugated graft copolymer, poly(gamma-methyl-L-glutamate) grafted polyallylamine (1) in a water-2,2,2-trifluoroethanol solution as a simple model for amyloid formation. Atomic force microscopy revealed that the globular peptide 1 self-assembles into nonbranching fibrils that are about 4 nm in height under certain conditions. These fibrils are rich in beta-sheets and, similar to authentic amyloid fibrils, bind the amyloidophilic dye Congo red. The secondary and quaternary structures of the peptide 1 can be controlled by manipulating the pH, solution composition, and salt concentration; this indicates that the three-dimensional packing arrangement of peptide chains is the key factor for such fibril formation. Furthermore, the addition of carboxylic acid-terminated poly(ethylene glycol), which interacts with both of amino groups of 1 and hydrophobic PMLG chains, was found to obviously inhibit the alpha-to-beta structural transition for non-assembled peptide 1 and to partially cause a beta-to-alpha structural transition against the 1-assembly in the beta-sheet form. These findings demonstrate that the amyloid fibril formation is not restricted to specific protein sequences but rather is a generic property of peptides. The ability to control the assembled structure of the peptide should provide useful information not only for understanding the amyloid fibril formation, but also for developing novel peptide-based material with well-defined nanostructures.     

Smart materials based on self-assembled hydrogen-bonded comb-shaped supramolecules

Block copolymer self-assembly and supramolecular chemistry can be combined most naturally to prepare smart polymer nanomaterials. An attractive route is based on comb-shaped supramolecules, obtained by attaching side chains to (co)polymers by physical (non-covalent) interactions. Hydrogen bonding is a key element of our approach. It combines an ease of synthesis with other important approach-specific elements, such as hierarchical self-assembly, strongly enhanced processability, swelling, and cleaving. Functional properties discussed include anisotropic proton conductivity, switching proton conductivity, electronically conducting nanowires, polarized luminance, dielectric stacks (optical reflectivity), functional membranes, and nano objects.     

发光反应型有机铵分子与CdSe纳米晶的组装

用巯基乙酸做稳定剂制备了水溶性CdSe纳米颗粒, 用十六烷基三甲基溴化铵(HTAB)、发光性(4-甲氧基均二苯乙烯基)二甲基乙基溴化铵 (MODAB)及末端含有双键的(4-甲基丙烯酰氧基均二苯乙烯基)二甲基乙基溴化铵(MSDAB)对该CdSe纳米颗粒进行了混合组装.通过改变三种有机分子的比例可以调控所得组装体的溶解性、聚合性及其发光性质.实验结果表明,当HTAB:MODAB:MSDAB=1:5.98～5.90:0.02～0.10(摩尔比)时,所得组装体具有较好的聚合性、溶解性和荧光性质.     

Reversible anion exchanges between the layered organic-inorganic hybridized architectures: syntheses and structures of manganese(II) and copper(II) complexes containing novel tripodal ligands

Six noninterpenetrating organic-inorganic hybridized coordination complexes, [Mn(3)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](ClO(4))(2).2 H(2)O (5), [Mn(3)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](NO(3))(2) (6), [Mn(3)(2)(N(3))(2)].2 H(2)O (7), [Cu(3)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](ClO(4))(2) (8), [Mn(4)(2)(H(2)O)(SO(4))].CH(3)OH.5 H(2)O (9) and [Mn(4)(2)](ClO(4))(2) (10) were obtained through self-assembly of novel tripodal ligands, 1,3,5-tris(1-imidazolyl)benzene (3) and 1,3-bis(1-imidazolyl)-5-(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene (4) with the corresponding metal salts, respectively. Their structures were determined by X-ray crystallography. The results of structural analysis of complexes 5, 6, 7, and 8 with rigid ligand 3 indicate that their structures are mainly dependant on the nature of the organic ligand and geometric need of the metal ions, but not influenced greatly by the anions and metal ions. While in complexes 9 and 10, which contain the flexible ligand 4, the counteranion plays an important role in the formation of the frameworks. Entirely different structures of complexes 5 and 10 indicate that the organic ligands greatly affect the structures of assemblies. Furthermore, in complexes 5 and 6, the counteranions located between the cationic layers can be exchanged by other anions. Reversible anion exchanges between complexes 5 and 6 without destruction of the frameworks demonstrate that 5 and 6 can act as cationic layered materials for anion exchange, as determined by IR spectroscopy, elemental analyses, and X-ray powder diffraction.     

Multi‐stimuli‐responsive self‐immolative polymer assemblies

Self‐immolative polymers (SIPs) undergo depolymerization in response to the cleavage of stimuli‐responsive end‐caps from their termini. Some classes of SIPs, including polycarbamates, have depolymerization rates that depend on environmental factors such as solvent and pH. In previous work, hydrophobic SIPs have been incorporated into amphiphilic block copolymers and used to prepare nanoassemblies. However, stimuli‐responsive hydrophilic blocks have not previously been incorporated. In this work, we synthesized amphiphilic copolymers composed of a hydrophobic polycarbamate SIP block and a hydrophilic poly(2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) block connected by a UV light‐responsive linker end‐cap. It was hypothesized that after assembly of the block copolymers into nanoparticles, chain collapse of the PDMAEMA above its lower critical solution temperature (LCST) might change the environment of the SIP block, thereby altering its depolymerization rate. Self‐assembly of the block copolymers was performed, and the depolymerization of the resulting assemblies was studied by fluorescence spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and NMR spectroscopy. At 20 °C, the system exhibited a selective response to the UV light. At 65 °C, above the LCST of PDMAEMA, the systems underwent more rapid depolymerization, suggesting that the increase in rate arising from the higher temperature dominated over environmental effects arising from chain collapse. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018 , 56, 1868–1877     

Fibrous Networks with Incorporated Macrocycles: A Chiral Stimuli‐Responsive Supramolecular Supergelator and Its Application to Biocatalysis in Organic Media

A new and versatile, crown ether appended, chiral supergelator has been designed and synthesized based on the bis‐urea motif. The introduction of a stereogenic center improved its gelation ability significantly relative to its achiral analogue. This low‐molecular‐weight gelator forms supramolecular gels in a variety of organic solvents. It is sensitive to multiple chemical stimuli and the sol–gel phase transitions can be reversibly triggered by host–guest interactions. The gel can be used to trap enzymes and release them on demand by chemical stimuli. It stabilizes the microparticles in Pickering emulsions so that enzyme‐catalyzed organic reactions can take place in the polar phase inside the microparticles, the organic reactants diffusing through the biphasic interface from the surrounding organic phase. Because of the higher interface area between the organic and polar phases, enzyme activity is enhanced in comparison with simple biphasic systems.