Patchy supramolecules as versatile tools to probe hydrophobicity in nanoglobular systems

J Am Chem Soc. 2013 Mar 13;135(10):3815-7. doi: 10.1021/ja401373h. Epub 2013 Feb 27.

Abstract

We describe precise supramolecules that enable the evaluation of the effective hydrophobicity of amphiphilic or "patchy" nanoglobular systems. These supramolecules exhibit the lower critical solution temperature phenomenon, which provides a quantitative measure of their effective hydrophobicity. Specifically, two isomeric 8-aryl-2'-deoxyguanosine derivatives with a transposed pair of methylene groups self-assemble into hexadecameric nanoglobular supramolecular G-quadruplexes (SGQs) that show large differences in their transition temperatures as determined by turbidity and differential scanning calorimetry studies. Molecular modeling studies suggested that differential clustering of the hydrophobic patches on the surface is responsible for the striking differences between the two isomeric supramolecules.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Deoxyguanosine / analogs & derivatives
  • Deoxyguanosine / chemistry
  • G-Quadruplexes
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
  • Macromolecular Substances / chemistry
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Structure
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Surface Properties
  • Transition Temperature

Substances

  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Deoxyguanosine