Cover Picture: Exploring and Expanding the Structural Diversity of Self-Assembling Dendrons through Combinations of AB, Constitutional Isomeric AB2, and AB3 Biphenyl-4-Methyl Ether Building Blocks (Chem. Eur. J. 24/2006)

AbstractProteins, one of the building blocks in organisms, not only control the assembly in biological systems but also provide most of their complex functions. It may be possible to assemble materials for practical technological applications utilizing the unique advantages provided by proteins. Here we discuss molecular biomimetic pathways in the quest for imitating biology at the molecular scale via protein engineering. We use combinatorial biology protocols to select short polypeptides that have affinity to inorganic materials and use them in assembling novel hybrid materials. We give an overview of some of the recent developments of molecular engineering towards this goal. Inorganic surface specific proteins were identified by using cell surface and phage display technologies. Examples of metal and metal oxide specific polypeptides were represented with an emphasis on certain level of specificities. The recognition and self assembling characteristics of these inorganic-binding proteins would be employed in develeopment of hybrid multifunctional materials for novel bio- and nano-technological applications.

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Factors Affecting Molecular Self-Assembly and Its Mechanism

Scientific Research Journal ◽

10.24191/srj.v9i1.5385 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 43 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Hueyling Tan

Keyword(s):

Self Assembly ◽

Building Blocks ◽

Molecular Engineering ◽

Molecular Structures ◽

Polymer Science ◽

New Approach ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Dna Structures ◽

Self Assembling ◽

Wide Range

Molecular self-assembly is ubiquitous in nature and has emerged as a new approach to produce new materials in chemistry, engineering, nanotechnology, polymer science and materials. Molecular self-assembly has been attracting increasing interest from the scientific community in recent years due to its importance in understanding biology and a variety of diseases at the molecular level. In the last few years, considerable advances have been made in the use ofpeptides as building blocks to produce biological materials for wide range of applications, including fabricating novel supra-molecular structures and scaffolding for tissue repair. The study ofbiological self-assembly systems represents a significant advancement in molecular engineering and is a rapidly growing scientific and engineering field that crosses the boundaries ofexisting disciplines. Many self-assembling systems are rangefrom bi- andtri-block copolymers to DNA structures as well as simple and complex proteins andpeptides. The ultimate goal is to harness molecular self-assembly such that design andcontrol ofbottom-up processes is achieved thereby enabling exploitation of structures developed at the meso- and macro-scopic scale for the purposes oflife and non-life science applications. Such aspirations can be achievedthrough understanding thefundamental principles behind the selforganisation and self-synthesis processes exhibited by biological systems.

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1,3-Diketone Calix[4]arene Derivatives—A New Type of Versatile Ligands for Metal Complexes and Nanoparticles

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules26051214 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (5) ◽

pp. 1214

Author(s):

Sergey N. Podyachev ◽

Rustem R. Zairov ◽

Asiya R. Mustafina

Keyword(s):

Structural Diversity ◽

Building Blocks ◽

Structural Features ◽

Structure Property ◽

One Pot ◽

Arene Ligands ◽

Structure Property Relationships ◽

New Type ◽

Synthetic Routes ◽

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Mri

The present review is aimed at highlighting outlooks for cyclophanic 1,3-diketones as a new type of versatile ligands and building blocks of the nanomaterial for sensing and bioimaging. Thus, the main synthetic routes for achieving the structural diversity of cyclophanic 1,3-diketones are discussed. The structural diversity is demonstrated by variation of both cyclophanic backbones (calix[4]arene, calix[4]resorcinarene and thiacalix[4]arene) and embedding of different substituents onto lower or upper macrocyclic rims. The structural features of the cyclophanic 1,3-diketones are correlated with their ability to form lanthanide complexes exhibiting both lanthanide-centered luminescence and magnetic relaxivity parameters convenient for contrast effect in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The revealed structure–property relationships and the applicability of facile one-pot transformation of the complexes to hydrophilic nanoparticles demonstrates the advantages of 1,3-diketone calix[4]arene ligands and their complexes in developing of nanomaterials for sensing and bioimaging.

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Design and synthesis of macromolecular structures from self-assembling building blocks

Macromolecular Symposia ◽

10.1002/masy.19950980138 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 98 (1) ◽

pp. 483-490

Author(s):

J. L. M. van Nunen ◽

A. P. H. J. Schenning ◽

R. J. H. Hafkamp ◽

C. F. van Nostrum ◽

M. C. Feiters ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Building Blocks ◽

Design And Synthesis ◽

Self Assembling

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De novo design of self-assembling helical protein filaments

Science ◽

10.1126/science.aau3775 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 362 (6415) ◽

pp. 705-709 ◽

Cited By ~ 48

Author(s):

Hao Shen ◽

Jorge A. Fallas ◽

Eric Lynch ◽

William Sheffler ◽

Bradley Parry ◽

...

Keyword(s):

De Novo ◽

Computational Design ◽

Building Blocks ◽

Repeat Units ◽

Self Assembling ◽

Wide Range ◽

Helical Protein ◽

Monomeric Proteins

We describe a general computational approach to designing self-assembling helical filaments from monomeric proteins and use this approach to design proteins that assemble into micrometer-scale filaments with a wide range of geometries in vivo and in vitro. Cryo–electron microscopy structures of six designs are close to the computational design models. The filament building blocks are idealized repeat proteins, and thus the diameter of the filaments can be systematically tuned by varying the number of repeat units. The assembly and disassembly of the filaments can be controlled by engineered anchor and capping units built from monomers lacking one of the interaction surfaces. The ability to generate dynamic, highly ordered structures that span micrometers from protein monomers opens up possibilities for the fabrication of new multiscale metamaterials.

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Spontaneous Registration of Sub-10 nm Features Based on Subzero Celsius Spin-Casting of Self-Assembling Building Blocks Directed by Chemically Encoded Surfaces

ACS Nano ◽

10.1021/acsnano.8b03378 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 12 (8) ◽

pp. 8224-8233 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jung Hye Lee ◽

Hak-Jong Choi ◽

ChulHee Lee ◽

Seung Won Song ◽

Joong Bum Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Building Blocks ◽

Spin Casting ◽

Self Assembling

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Myosins generate contractile force and maintain organization in the cytokinetic contractile ring

10.1101/2021.05.02.442363 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Zachary A. McDargh ◽

Shuyuan Wang ◽

Harvey F. Chin ◽

Sathish Thiyagarajan ◽

Erdem Karatekin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fission Yeast ◽

Striated Muscle ◽

Protein Complexes ◽

Myosin Ii ◽

Force Production ◽

Super Resolution ◽

Building Blocks ◽

Contractile Ring ◽

Ring Model ◽

Self Assembling

During cytokinesis, cells assemble an actomyosin contractile ring whose tension constricts and divides cells, but the ring tension was rarely measured. Actomyosin force generation is well understood for the regular sarcomeric architecture of striated muscle, but recent super-resolution studies of fission yeast contractile rings revealed organizational building blocks that are not sarcomeres but irregularly positioned plasma membrane-anchored protein complexes called nodes. Here, we measured contractile ring tensions in fission yeast protoplast cells. The myosin II isoforms Myo2 and Myp2 generated the tension, with a ~2-fold greater contribution from Myo2. Simulations of a molecularly detailed ring model revealed a sliding node mechanism for tension, where nodes hosting tense actin filaments were pulled bidirectionally around the ring. Myo2 and Myp2 chaperoned self-assembling components into the ring organization, and anchored the ring against bridging instabilities. Thus, beyond force production, Myo2 and Myp2 are the principal organizers, bundlers and anchors of the contractile ring.

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