Article
Polymer Science
A. A. Abramova, M. K. Glagolev, V. V. Vasilevskaya
Summary: This study investigates the influence of local helical structure on the globular morphology in copolymers. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that in a poor solvent environment, structured globules are formed by alternating helical and flexible blocks. The morphology of the globules is determined by the length and stiffness of the helical blocks.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiaosheng Yan, Peimin Weng, Di Shi, Yun-Bao Jiang
Summary: This feature article discusses the emergence of supramolecular helices built from helical building blocks, highlighting the importance of efficient propagation of helicity during assembly for favoring homochirality and channel functions.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ying Pei, Wen Yang, Keyong Tang, David L. Kaplan
Summary: Collagen presents a hierarchical multilevel structure that achieves an ideal balance of mechanical strength and toughness. Isolation of mesostructured aggregates of collagen from biological tissues enables the construction of new collagen materials with ideal mechanical performance. The use of these mesostructural components has shown promise in various applications.
BIOTECHNOLOGY ADVANCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Rong Sheng Li, Jiahui Liu, Hu Shi, Ping Ping Hu, Yao Wang, Peng Fei Gao, Jian Wang, Moye Jia, Hongwei Li, Yuan Fang Li, Chengde Mao, Na Li, Cheng Zhi Huang
Summary: Golgi apparatus-targeted nano-mechanical disruption is an attractive approach for killing cancer cells by multimodal mechanism and avoiding drug resistance. The transformable peptide C6RVRRF4KY can self-assemble into nontoxic nanoparticles in aqueous medium but transformed into left-handed helical fibrils (L-HFs) after targeting and furin cleavage in the Golgi apparatus of cancer cells, leading to mechanical disruption and death of cancer cells without acquired drug resistance. This nanomechanical disruption concept should also be applicable to multidrug-resistant bacteria and viruses.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Li Shao, Jinrong Ma, Jesse L. Prelesnik, Yicheng Zhou, Mary Nguyen, Mingfei Zhao, Samson A. Jenekhe, Sergei V. Kalinin, Andrew L. Ferguson, Jim Pfaendtner, Christopher J. Mundy, James J. De Yoreo, Franccommaois Baneyx, Chun-Long Chen
Summary: This article discusses the characteristics and applications of hierarchical materials that exhibit order over multiple length scales. It highlights the advantages of using proteins, peptides, and peptidomimetics as building blocks for hierarchical structures. The article reviews recent progress in the rational design and characterization of hierarchical materials, with a focus on stimuli-responsive and smart architectures. It also explores the use of computational simulations and data-driven predictions to understand the assembly process of hierarchical materials. The article suggests that further research in these areas will enable predictive materials synthesis based on designed interactions, surface effects, and solution conditions.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Paresh Y. Parekh, Vijay I. Patel, Mehul R. Khimani, Pratap Bahadur
Summary: This communication provides an overview of the self-assembly of bile salts, focusing on their mixed aggregates with various amphiphiles. The authors explore the interactions between bile salts and surfactants, phospholipids, ionic liquids, drugs, and polymers through a literature survey. The study highlights the potential of bile salts to alter the size/shape of aggregates and use them for solubility improvement and smart delivery vehicles for important compounds and drugs.
ADVANCES IN COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Ying Pei, Wei Li, Lu Wang, Jing Cui, Lu Li, Shengjie Ling, Keyong Tang, Huafeng Tian
Summary: This paper presents a liquid exfoliation method using urea/hydrochloric acid and a deep eutectic solvent (DES) to directly extract medium-sized collagen fibers from bovine Achilles tendon. The extracted fibrils retained the typical structural characteristics of type I collagen and were used to construct independent collagen membranes with good mechanical properties, barrier properties, and cell compatibility.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiaofei Ji, Yu Du, Xuetong Zhang
Summary: Silica aerogels with accurate building-block control are achieved by adjusting surfactant concentration during synthesis. The resulting monolith shows promising application in monochromatic laser-driven lighting with low illuminance variation coefficient of 8.1%.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Daniel Lasanyi, Daniel Math, Gergely L. Tolnai
Summary: This paper presents a one-pot procedure for the synthesis of various BCP molecules, showcasing the versatility of these stable intermediates.
JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xinlin Zha, Guilin Xu, Niaz Ali Khan, Zhong Yan, Mengjuan Zuo, Yi Xiong, Ying Liu, Haining You, Yi Wu, Ke Liu, Mufang Li, Dong Wang
Summary: This study introduces an innovative method to impart helical chirality to covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and fabricate a family of chiral COF nanotubes. The helical polymer nanotubes are effectively converted into COF nanotubes with impressive surface areas while preserving their helical morphology and chiroptical properties. These COFs can be further transformed into more stable and functional COF nanotubes through monomer exchange, preserving the mesoscopic helical chirality. This research highlights the potential of mesoscopic helicity in conferring COFs with favorable chiral properties and provides novel insights into the development of multifunctional COFs in the field of chiral materials chemistry.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mathias Bogetoft Danielsen, Hanbin Mao, Chenguang Lou
Summary: Modern nanotechnology combines DNA and peptides to build molecular machines and nanorobots. Peptide-DNA conjugates, as unique nanoscale building blocks, allow for the de novo design of instrumental nanostructures. This tutorial review surveys the progress made in the past decade using peptide-DNA conjugates to self-assemble hybrid nanostructures for various purposes, and discusses existing challenges and future research directions.
CELL REPORTS PHYSICAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiang Lin, Bohan Kou, Jinlian Cao, Peimin Weng, Xiaosheng Yan, Zhao Li, Yun-Bao Jiang
Summary: The formation of orthogonal homochiral supramolecular helices is proposed as a method to achieve spontaneous resolution, and chiral resolution is successfully achieved through the introduction of acetylalanine as the building block and a halogen atom.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yongwei Zhao, Edward Marschall, Maxine Treisman, Alasdair McKay, Leo Padva, Max Crusemann, David R. Nelson, David L. Steer, Ralf B. Schittenhelm, Julien Tailhades, Max J. Cryle
Summary: This study investigates the use of peptide crosslinking cytochrome P450 enzymes in generating cyclic tripeptides from simple synthons. The enzymes produced both tyrosine-histidine and tyrosine-tryptophan crosslinked tripeptides, the latter being a rare example of phenolic crosslinking to an indole moiety. The tripeptides can be easily isolated after removing the leader peptide and can include a wide range of amino acids. This research suggests that P450 enzymes have the potential to play a significant role in the synthesis of high-value cyclic tripeptides, which can be further diversified using selective chemical techniques.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Matthew R. Crawley, Daoyang Zhang, Amanda N. Oldacre, Christine M. Beavers, Alan E. Friedman, Timothy R. Cook
Summary: This study focused on assembling eight cofacial porphyrin prisms using MTPyP and functionalized ruthenium-based molecular clips, demonstrating significant improvement in catalytic rate constant k(s) and selectivity for the 4e(-)/4H* reduction of O-2 to H2O. The role of steric bulk of the clip in the structural dynamics of these prisms, which modulates the ORR reactivity with respect to selectivity and kinetics, was highlighted.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Erica Scarel, Ottavia Bellotto, Petr Rozhin, Slavko Kralj, Mariagrazia Tortora, Attilio V. Vargiu, Rita De Zorzi, Barbara Rossi, Silvia Marchesan
Summary: Dipeptides are versatile building blocks for supramolecular gels that can be used in various applications. This study demonstrates that by substituting the aromatic side-chain of phenylalanine with fluorine or iodine, supramolecular diversity can be achieved through self-assembly at neutral pH, resulting in hydrogels or crystals. The supramolecular behavior is characterized using a range of techniques, revealing key differences among the halogenated analogues.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
A. Bortolotti, C. Troiano, S. Bobone, M. M. Konai, C. Ghosh, G. Bocchinfuso, Y. Acharya, V. Santucci, S. Bonacorsi, C. Di Stefano, J. Haldar, L. Stella
Summary: Membrane-active small molecules (MASMs) are a class of small organic molecules that mimic the physicochemical properties of natural antimicrobial peptides. They have broad antimicrobial activity by binding to bacterial membranes and causing defects, as well as inducing membrane aggregation.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Ceramics
Mehdi Chougan, Francesca Romana Lamastra, Daniela Caschera, Saulius Kaciulis, Eleonora Bolli, Claudia Mazzuca, Seyed Hamidreza Ghaffar, Mazen J. Al-Kheetan, Giampiero Montesperelli, Alessandra Bianco
Summary: There is a growing interest in using nanosized fillers, such as graphene oxide (GO), in cement-based construction materials to enhance mechanical properties. The interaction between GO and cement can significantly improve the macroproperties of cement. A GO water suspension was selected for its reproducibility and environmental safety. Various tests, including morphological characterization and mechanical property evaluation, were performed on samples with different dosages of GO. Results showed that an extra-low dosage of GO (0.01%) exhibited the most promising enhancement in mechanical strength.
CERAMICS INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Rosarita D'Orsi, Viviana Claudia Canale, Rocco Cancelliere, Omar Hassan Omar, Claudia Mazzuca, Laura Micheli, Alessandra Operamolla
Summary: The surface functionalization of cellulose nanocrystals is a useful tool to access biocompatible and biodegradable nanostructures. However, characterizing the chemical appendages introduced onto cellulose nanocrystals remains challenging due to low sensitivity of common techniques. In this study, we demonstrate the easy functionalization of cellulose nanocrystals with different amines and analyze their surface structure using H-1 NMR. These results have implications in the fields of cultural heritage and materials chemistry.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Micaela Giannetti, Viviana Claudia Canale, Laura Micheli, Maurizio Fiori, Claudia Mazzuca, Antonio Palleschi
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive analysis and explanation of the behavior of Furosemide in relation to the yellowing phenomenon, taking into account various factors such as light exposure, presence of oxygen, and moisture effects.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Micaela Giannetti, Claudia Mazzuca, Giorgio Ripani, Antonio Palleschi
Summary: In the search for effective drugs against SARS-CoV-2, existing nucleotide/nucleoside analogs have been repurposed to inhibit RNA replication through the inhibition of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase enzyme. In silico experiments have been used to rapidly evaluate the potential effectiveness of these drugs. This study employs molecular dynamic simulations to analyze the inhibition mechanism of Penciclovir, a nucleotide analog, on the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase enzyme.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Valerio C. A. Ficca, Carlo Santoro, Ernesto Placidi, Fabrizio Arciprete, Alexey Serov, Plamen Atanassov, Barbara Mecheri
Summary: The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is crucial for the conversion of energy in fuel cells, and platinum group metal-free (PGM-free) electrocatalysts show promise as alternatives to Pt/C electrocatalysts. However, evaluating the performance of PGM-free catalysts requires specific activity descriptors, and differentiating between the primary and secondary sites of these catalysts can be challenging. In this study, a method for evaluating the interaction between probing molecules and primary and secondary sites of PGM-free electrocatalysts was proposed, with the results suggesting the exchange current density as an effective tool for discriminating poisoning of specific active sites.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Nicola Forlano, Raffaella Bucci, Alessandro Contini, Mariano Venanzi, Ernesto Placidi, Maria Luisa Gelmi, Raffaella Lettieri, Emanuela Gatto
Summary: This study describes the self-assembly properties of an alpha,beta-peptide, which can self-organize into a fascinating supramolecular rope on surfaces. The material was characterized by AFM, electronic conduction and fluorescence measurements. Molecular dynamics simulations showed that this peptide can self-assemble into an antiparallel beta-sheet layer, which can further self-assemble into many side-by-side layers. The presence of aromatic residues promoted by the alternation of alpha,beta-amino-acids in the primary sequence endorses the formation of a super-secondary structure with good electron conduction properties.
Article
Physics, Atomic, Molecular & Chemical
Anna S. Kashnik, Victoria N. Syryamina, Barbara Biondi, Cristina Peggion, Fernando Formaggio, Sergei A. Dzuba
Summary: Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) show promise as therapeutic agents against drug-resistant bacteria. Chalciporin A, a 14-mer AMP, can disrupt the clustering of Doxyl-spin-labeled stearic acids (DSAs) in model membranes, even at extremely low peptide concentrations. The reasons for this membrane perturbation are discussed.
APPLIED MAGNETIC RESONANCE
(2023)
Article
Humanities, Multidisciplinary
Francesca Ambroselli, Fabiana Canini, Luca Lanteri, Martina Marconi, Claudia Mazzuca, Claudia Pelosi, Vittorio Vinciguerra, Elizabeth Wicks, Laura Zucconi
Summary: Researchers tested a new alcoholic hydrogel for the disinfection of deteriorating microorganisms and the removal of induced chromatic alterations in artworks. The hydrogel, based on Gellan gum and modified with a high concentration of alcohol, proved to be effective in disinfection and removal of fungal contamination without altering the artwork's structure.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Daniela Ariaudo, Francesca Cavalieri, Antonio Rinaldi, Ana Aguilera, Matilde Lopez, Hilda Garay Perez, Ariel Felipe, Maria del Carmen Dominguez, Odalys Ruiz, Gillian Martinez, Mariano Venanzi
Summary: In this study, porous polysaccharide-based microsponges based on crosslinked alginate polymers were developed and characterized. These microsponges showed efficient loading and sustained release of a therapeutic peptide, suggesting their potential as a carrier for controlled peptide delivery.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Cassandra Troiano, Adele De Ninno, Bruno Casciaro, Francesco Riccitelli, Yoonkyung Park, Luca Businaro, Renato Massoud, Maria Luisa Mangoni, Paolo Bisegna, Lorenzo Stella, Federica Caselli
Summary: Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are promising compounds to combat antibiotic-resistant infections, as they kill bacteria by permeabilizing their membrane and exhibit low propensity for inducing bacterial resistance. However, limited understanding of AMPs' interactions with bacteria and human cells hinders their clinical applications. This study proposes the use of microfluidic impedance cytometry to rapidly explore the action of AMPs on bacteria and host cells, providing single-cell resolution.
Article
Polymer Science
Leonardo Severini, Alessia D'Andrea, Martina Redi, Sultan B. Dabagov, Valeria Guglielmotti, Dariush Hampai, Laura Micheli, Rocco Cancelliere, Fabio Domenici, Claudia Mazzuca, Gaio Paradossi, Antonio Palleschi
Summary: One of the main challenges in restoring cultural heritage through chemistry is finding greener and more effective methods for wet cleaning paper artifacts. In this study, a biocompatible method using ultrasound and polyvinyl alcohol microbubbles was proposed for wet cleaning paper. The method was tested on old and new papers using various analytical techniques, which confirmed its efficacy in removing cellulose degradation byproducts without causing thermal or mechanical damage to the paper. This method offers a solution to improve the readability of artifacts while minimizing the risk of ink diffusion.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Swagatam Barman, Sudip Mukherjee, Logia Jolly, Cassandra Troiano, Alessandro Grottesi, Debajyoti Basak, Paolo Calligari, Brinta Bhattacharjee, Gianfranco Bocchinfuso, Lorenzo Stella, Jayanta Haldar
Summary: New isoamphipathic antibacterial molecules with positional isomerism were designed and showed good antibacterial activity with low toxicity towards mammalian cells. The ortho isomer, IAM-1, exhibited strong selective activity towards bacterial membranes. Furthermore, IAM-1 demonstrated efficacy against dormant bacteria and mature biofilms, as well as moderate in vivo activity against MRSA wound infection with no detectable dermal toxicity.
Article
Humanities, Multidisciplinary
Monia Vadrucci, Cristina Cicero, Claudia Mazzuca, Leonardo Severini, Daniela Uccelletti, Emily Schifano, Fulvio Mercuri, Ugo Zammit, Noemi Orazi, Francesco D'Amico, Pietro Parisse
Summary: This study evaluated the effect of X-ray irradiation as a disinfection treatment on original ancient parchment samples from a discarded book cover. Bacterial and fungal species from the book cover were characterized and irradiated with increasing doses of X-rays to assess the effectiveness of the antimicrobial protocol. Various techniques were employed to test the deterioration effects of X-ray treatment and natural aging on the collagen matrix of the parchment sample. The results indicate that the X-rays-based disinfection treatment has limited effects on the collagen support, highlighting its potential for mass disinfection of library and archival materials.