The mechanical bond in biological systems

The field of mechanically interlocked molecules (MIMs) has advanced rapidly in recent years, with much work focused on their use materials, sensing, and catalysis. However, the MIMs biology biomedicine been limited, despite identification naturally occurring DNA proteins potential advantages mechanical bond fields such as nanomedicine tissue engineering. Difficulties synthesis MIMs, along limited solubility stability biological media, have until recently impeded wider application biology. Contemporary advances have, however, enabled a broader integration biology; interlocking endows these systems unique functional advantages. Herein, we summarize small-molecule, biologically derived, polymeric biology, highlighting synergies ripe for future exploration.