Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Prashant Donthamsetti, Nils Winter, Adam Hoagland, Cherise Stanley, Meike Visel, Stephan Lammel, Dirk Trauner, Ehud Isacoff
Summary: The authors developed a photo-pharmacological strategy using a Membrane anchored Photoswitchable orthogonal remotely tethered agonist for the Dopamine receptor (MP-D) to selectively and reversibly modulate the D1R receptor subtype.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lei Zhang, Xiulan Xie, Nemanja Djokovic, Katarina Nikolic, Dmitri Kosenkov, Frank Abendroth, Olalla Vazquez
Summary: This study demonstrates a reversible approach to regulate RNA splicing within primary patient-derived cells using synthetic photoswitches. The small molecule utilized enables conditional real-time control at mRNA and protein levels. Various experiments and assays confirmed light-dependent exon inclusion and an increase in the target functional protein. This work pioneers the potential of photopharmacology modulation in splicing and contributes to the advancement of RNA research.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Tufan K. Mukhopadhyay, Johannes Morstein, Dirk Trauner
Summary: This article provides an overview of signaling photolipids developed to date, focusing on their biological applications such as immunomodulation, kinase translocation, apoptosis, ion channel activation, G-protein coupled receptor activation, and neurogenesis.
CURRENT OPINION IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Johannes Morstein, Matthijs Kol, Alexander J. E. Novak, Suihan Feng, Shadi Khayyo, Konstantin Hinnah, Nasi Li-Purcell, Grace Pan, Benjamin M. Williams, Howard Riezman, G. Ekin Atilla-Gokcumen, Joost C. M. Holthuis, Dirk Trauner
Summary: Short ceramide analogs with enhanced cell permeability and optical control of apoptosis have been developed, which can also function as photo-switchable substrates for sphingomyelin synthase 2, showing inverted light-dependence compared to their long-chain analogs.
ACS CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Aida Garrido-Charles, Antoine Huet, Carlo Matera, Anupriya Thirumalai, Jordi Hernando, Amadeu Llebaria, Tobias Moser, Pau Gorostiza
Summary: Artificial control of neuronal activity is crucial for studying neural circuits and restoring neural functions. In this study, researchers developed fast photoswitchable ligands of glutamate receptors (GluRs) to enable direct and reversible control of intact neurons using visible light pulses. These new photoswitchable ligands successfully induced photocurrents in untransfected auditory neurons, offering a drug-based approach for optical stimulation without the need for genetic manipulation. This method shows potential for spatiotemporal control of neural activities in the brain.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Zhen Qiao, Jiajie Luo, Yi-Quan Tang, Qiqi Zhou, Hang Qi, Zhengji Yin, Xiaowen Tang, Wei Zhu, Yanru Zhang, Ningning Wei, KeWei Wang
Summary: TRPA1 channel is implicated in sensing noxious stimuli and nociceptive signaling, while photoswitchable TRPA1 agonists can alleviate pain through channel desensitization, serving as potential pharmacological tools for study of pain signaling.
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Michael Teders, Aleksandr A. Pogodaev, Glenn Bojanov, Wilhelm T. S. Huck
Summary: This study explores the generation of ultrasensitivity in simple out-of-equilibrium enzymatic systems by using a reversible light-regulation strategy. By continuously changing light pulse sequences, reversible switching between photoisomers resulted in ultrasensitive responses in enzymatic activity as well as frequency filtering of input signals.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Biophysics
Nina Hartrampf, Samuel M. Leitao, Nils Winter, Henry Toombs-Ruane, James A. Frank, Petra Schwille, Dirk Trauner, Henri G. Franquelim
Summary: Sphingolipids are a diverse class of lipids found in the eukaryotic cell membrane. By using light-induced trans-cis isomerization of acyl chains, we developed a set of photoswitchable sphingolipids that can shuttle between liquid-ordered and liquid-disordered regions of model membranes. We investigated how these active sphingolipids remodel supported bilayers upon photoisomerization and found that certain lipids promote a reduction in liquid-ordered domain area while others induce an increase. These changes were reversible upon light-triggered isomerization, indicating the role of interfacial interactions in the formation of stable liquid-ordered domains.
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Junjie Wang, Jianshuang Wei, Yuehong Leng, Yanfeng Dai, Changqiang Xie, Zhihong Zhang, Mingqiang Zhu, Xingzhou Peng
Summary: A photosensitizer with reversible control of singlet oxygen generation (O-1(2)) is desired for precise photodynamic therapy (PDT) to minimize harm to healthy tissues. In this study, a novel photoswitchable aggregation-induced emission (AIE) photosensitizer, 6Br-HTI-TPA-OMe, was designed based on a triarylamine (TPA)-modified hemithioindigo (HTI). The compound exhibited excellent AIE properties and Z/E photoswitch performance, and in vitro experiments confirmed its potential as a photoswitchable AIE photosensitizer.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Shin-ichi Ohkoshi, Koki Shiraishi, Kosuke Nakagawa, Yusuke Ikeda, Olaf Stefanczyk, Hiroko Tokoro, Asuka Namai
Summary: A film-form cyanido-bridged RbCuMo complex exhibiting photoreversible ferromagnetic behavior was prepared, with a structural change induced by light irradiation resulting in the transition between paramagnetic and ferromagnetic states. The flexibility of the RbCuMo structure, observed through THz-TDS, is considered to be the key to its photoreversibility, making it a promising material for optical memories and photoswitchable Faraday devices.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY C
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ziyong Li, Si Chen, Yurou Huang, Hui Zhou, Shuren Yang, Haining Zhang, Mingxing Wang, Hui Guo, Jun Yin
Summary: Researchers have developed a novel photosensitizer system that allows for reversible control over singlet oxygen generation. This photosensitizer exhibits excellent aggregation-induced emission properties and photoswitching behavior, making it suitable for precise photodynamic therapy.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Hejian Xiong, Kevin A. Alberto, Jonghae Youn, Jaume Taura, Johannes Morstein, Xiuying Li, Yang Wang, Dirk Trauner, Paul A. Slesinger, Steven O. Nielsen, Zhenpeng Qin
Summary: Precisely modulating the release of neuroactive molecules is crucial for understanding brain circuits and behavior. In this study, a photoswitchable nanovesicle called "azosome" was developed, allowing controlled and repeatable release of cargo under specific wavelengths of light. The release of a dopamine D1-receptor agonist from the azosome demonstrated its potential as a valuable tool for molecular neuroscience studies.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Anna C. Impastato, Andrej Shemet, Nynke A. Veprek, Gadiel Saper, Henry Hess, Lu Rao, Arne Gennerich, Dirk Trauner
Summary: In this study, we designed and synthesized five photoswitchable variants with different pharmacophores, and one of them, Azo-EMD, showed enhanced inhibition of Eg5 in its light-induced cis form.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Ulrike Wirth, Konstantin Raabe, Predrag Kalaba, Erik Keimpema, Markus Muttenthaler, Burkhard Koenig
Summary: In this study, 12 photoprobes derived from oxytocin and vasopressin were designed, synthesized, and characterized for their (photo)pharmacological properties. Two photoprobes with good potency and photoswitch window for investigating OTR and V1bR were identified, showing their potential value in studying receptor activation processes in specific regions of the brain.
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Electrochemistry
Jie Shi, Feng Jiang, Shichuan Long, Zhixing Lu, Tianshuo Liu, Haining Zheng, Jia Shi, Yang Yang, Wenjing Hong, Zhong-Qun Tian
Summary: Eutectic Gallium-Indium (EGaIn) is a promising technique for fabricating self-assembled monolayers (SAMs)-based molecular devices, but previous measurements revealed abnormal signals, such as offset zero-bias current. A new automatic instrument platform was built to systematically study the electrical behavior of SAMs, showing that ambient water affects charge transport through molecular junctions and can cause offset of zero-bias current.
ELECTROCHIMICA ACTA
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhaoyang Liu, Yunbin Hu, Wenhao Zheng, Can Wang, Walid Baaziz, Fanny Richard, Ovidiu Ersen, Mischa Bonn, Hai Wang, Akimitsu Narita, Artur Ciesielski, Klaus Muellen, Paolo Samori
Summary: The precise synthesis of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) with controlled width and edge structures is beneficial for overcoming the limitations of graphene, and GNRs with open-edge structures allow faster ion diffusion, showing great potential for energy storage systems. However, current solution-synthesized GNRs suffer from aggregation, which restricts their applications. Therefore, a facile and scalable approach is needed to exfoliate GNRs from aggregates. Here, a high-shear-mixing approach is demonstrated to untie GNR bundles into individual nanoribbons.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Cheng Zeng, Wenhao Zheng, Hong Xu, Silvio Osella, Wei Ma, Hai Wang, Zijie Qiu, Ken-ichi Otake, Wencai Ren, Huiming Cheng, Klaus Muellen, Mischa Bonn, Cheng Gu, Yuguang Ma
Summary: Electrochemical deposition is an efficient technique for preparing conjugated polymer films on electrodes, allowing control over film thickness, crystal size, and crystal orientation. The films produced by this method have a unique crystal structure and exhibit exceptional carrier and exciton migration.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Max Lukas, Ellen H. G. Backus, Mischa Bonn, Maksim Grechko
Summary: SFG vibrational spectroscopy is a powerful technique to study interfaces. However, implementing this technique is challenging. In this study, a collinear PR-SFG setup using a displaced Sagnac interferometer is developed, which allows independent control of time delay and intensity and provides long-time phase stabilization for the measured signal.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY A
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Max Lukas, Ralph Schwidetzky, Rosemary J. Eufemio, Mischa Bonn, Konrad Meister
Summary: The exceptional ice nucleation activity of bacterial ice nucleators is highlighted in this perspective, emphasizing the importance of functional aggregation of ice-nucleating proteins (INPs) anchored to the outer bacterial cell membrane. It is crucial to consider the role of the bacterial cell membrane and environmental conditions in facilitating precise functional aggregation of INPs, and interdisciplinary approaches combining various tools are needed to study changes at the protein level.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY B
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Junren Wang, Shuai Fu, Heng Zhang, Robert Graf, Henry Halim, Shuai Chen, Wenhao Zheng, Mischa Bonn, Katharina Landfester, Andreas Riedinger, Hai Wang
Summary: This study reports a novel solution-processed approach to fabricate high-quality, large-area alpha-Ag2S thin films. Ultrafast terahertz conductivity measurements show efficient charge transport in the films. Additionally, introducing poly(vinyl alcohol) enables the synthesis of free-standing alpha-Ag2S thin films for flexible optoelectronics.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shuai Fu, Enquan Jin, Hiroki Hanayama, Wenhao Zheng, Heng Zhang, Lucia Di Virgilio, Matthew A. Addicoat, Markus Mezger, Akimitsu Narita, Mischa Bonn, Klaus Muellen, Hai Wang
Summary: Two-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (2D COFs) are crystalline porous polymers with well-defined open nanochannels. This study reveals that TPB-TFB COF thin films exhibit high photoconductivity with long charge scattering time and high charge carrier mobility at room temperature.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Wenhao Zheng, Boya Sun, Dongqi Li, Sai Manoj Gali, Heng Zhang, Shuai Fu, Lucia Di Virgilio, Zichao Li, Sheng Yang, Shengqiang Zhou, David Beljonne, Minghao Yu, Xinliang Feng, Hai Wang, Mischa Bonn
Summary: MXenes are promising layered materials for electrochemical energy storage and (opto-)electronic applications. By combining ultrafast terahertz and static electrical transport measurements, a unifying picture of charge transport in MXenes has been presented, revealing both short- and long-range transport characteristics.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lin Yang, Ji Ma, Wenhao Zheng, Silvio Osella, Joern Droste, Hartmut Komber, Kun Liu, Steffen Boeckmann, David Beljonne, Michael Ryan Hansen, Mischa Bonn, Hai Wang, Junzhi Liu, Xinliang Feng
Summary: This study reports a solution synthesis method for curved graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) with hybrid edge structures. The GNRs demonstrate unique nonplanar conformation and electronic properties, including a narrow optical bandgap and high carrier mobility.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Hao Lu, Luca Bellucci, Shumei Sun, Daizong Qi, Marta Rosa, Ruediger Berger, Stefano Corni, Mischa Bonn
Summary: The assembly mechanism of Aβ peptides at hydrophobic interfaces depends on the pH, with acidic conditions promoting the formation of extended β-strand fibrils and facilitating macroscopic assembly.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jing Chen, Yongkang Wang, Benjamin Leibauer, Takakazu Seki, Konrad Meister, Yuki Nagata, Mischa Bonn
Summary: This study combines the ice nucleation tuning capability of polyelectrolytes with mussel-inspired adhesives to achieve robust surface functionalization with controlled heterogeneous ice nucleation (HIN). By integrating surface-binding catechol derivatives into different polyelectrolytes, the ice nucleation process is tuned, and the mechanism of interaction between water molecules and the functionalized surface is revealed using interfacial molecular spectroscopy.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Johannes Hunger, Jan Schaefer, Patrick Ober, Takakazu Seki, Yongkang Wang, Leon Praedel, Yuki Nagata, Mischa Bonn, Douwe Jan Bonthuis, Ellen H. G. Backus
Summary: Understanding the collective behavior of ions at charged surfaces is crucial for geological and electrochemical processes. In this study, sum-frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy was used to investigate the symmetry-breaking of water molecules at a charged silica surface in contact with different alkaline metal chloride solutions. The results demonstrate that the water response varies with the cation, with LiCl showing a significantly enhanced SFG response compared to CsCl. Further analysis indicates that the effect of different salts on the optical response is indirectly mediated by the reorganization of interfacial water.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Pankaj Seliya, Mischa Bonn, Maksim Grechko
Summary: This study focuses on the interaction between quantum-mechanical systems and fluctuating thermal environments, providing insights into their coupling through a combined experimental and theoretical approach. The experimental part involves spectroscopy measurements to directly observe the coupling between quantum oscillators and low-frequency modes. The theoretical part introduces a mixed quantum-classical formalism to describe the sample response. This approach enables the quantitative and mode-specific analysis of coupled quantum and classical dynamics in complex chemical systems.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yongkang Wang, Yuki Nagata, Mischa Bonn
Summary: Graphene, as a transparent two-dimensional conductive electrode, has brought new perspectives to electrochemical systems. The substrate plays a crucial role in determining the water organization and wetting behavior of graphene. Surface-specific spectroscopy study reveals that the charging of graphene is decoupled from the charging of its substrate.
FARADAY DISCUSSIONS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Xuan Zhou, Fan Shi, Jiafeng Lu, Mengjun Xu, Mengdie Hou, Mischa Bonn, Xiaomin Liu, Xianglong Zeng
Summary: This paper proposes a method for producing femtosecond visible doughnut beams by integrating nonlinear frequency conversion and in-fiber mode conversion techniques. This method allows for dynamic manipulation of vector visible beams in optical fibers.
JOURNAL OF LIGHTWAVE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Gabriele C. Sosso, Prerna Sudera, Anna T. Backes, Thomas F. Whale, Janine Froehlich-Nowoisky, Mischa Bonn, Angelos Michaelides, Ellen H. G. Backus
Summary: By conducting experiments and simulations, this study systematically investigates the ice-nucleating ability of cholesterol in both crystalline and disordered self-assembled monolayers. A sweet spot in terms of the surface coverage of the monolayers is identified, where cholesterol enhances the structural order of interfacial water molecules and maximizes its ability to nucleate ice.