The dynamic nature of supramolecular polymers has a key role in their organization. Yet, the manipulation of their dimensions and polarity remains a challenge. Here, the minimalistic diphenylalanine building block was applied to demonstrate control of nano-assemblies growth and shrinkage using microfluidics. To fine-tune differential local environments, peptide nanotubes were confined by micron...

Supramolecular self-assembly provides ameans of achieving “bottom-up” fabrication of nanoscalematerials. Theirmechanical properties and functionality arise from the assembly of relatively simple molecular building blocks. These materials have selective affinity to different interfaces, high capacity for interfacial adsorption, nanostructure, and spontaneous formation of unique nano-self-assembl...

We have designed a 21-residue α-peptide that simultaneously recognizes two decadeoxyoligothymidine (dT(10)) tracts to form triplexes with a peptide-DNA strand ratio of 1:2. The synthetic peptide side chain displays 10 melamine rings, which provide a bifacial thymine-recognition interface along the length of the 21-residue peptide. Recognition is selective for thymine over other nucleobases and ...

Tanshinones are abietane-type norditerpenoid quinone natural products that are the bioactive components of the Chinese medicinal herb Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge. The initial results from a functional genomics-based investigation of tanshinone biosynthesis, specifically the functional identification of the relevant diterpene synthases from S. miltiorrhiza, are reported. The cyclohexa-1,4-diene ar...

A new selaginellin named selaginellin O (1), along with three other known selaginellins (2-4) were isolated from Selaginella tamariscina (Beauv.) Spring. On the basis of spectroscopic analysis, the structure of selaginellin O was demonstrated to be 4-[(4'-hydroxy-4-formyl-3-((4-hydroxyphenyl)ethynyl)biphenyl-2-yl)(4-hydroxyphenyl)methylene]cyclohexa-2,5-dien-1-one. Compound 1, 2 and 3 exhibited...

We describe the synthesis, characterization, and fabrication of bioelectronic materials derived from small oligopeptides containing π-conjugated subunits directly embedded into peptide backbones. The rapid incorporation of π-conjugated subunits directly into peptide backbones was accomplished through an on-resin dimerization procedure recently explored in our research. We investigated these pep...

Herein, we report on the folding pattern observed in a synthetic peptide featuring two highly mutually dependent, yet strikingly dissimilar, closed networks of hydrogen-bonded rings that work in a cumulative fashion to stabilize the entire folded architecture of the peptide. Structural studies unequivocally suggest that disruption of any one of these mutually-dependent hydrogen-bonded networks ...

An efficient and convenient method to synthesize highly functionalized 3,7'-bisindole derivatives has been developed via a Michael addition and cyclic condensation reaction of heterocyclic ketene aminals (HKAs) with 2-(1H-indol-3-yl)cyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-dione derivatives in ethanol-based solvents at room temperature. This strategy provides an efficient, environmentally friendly approach for ...

Amyloid deposits are implicated in the pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). The inhibition of β-sheet formation has been considered as the primary therapeutic strategy for AD. Increasing data show that nanoparticles can retard or promote the fibrillation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides depending on the physicochemical properties of nanoparticles, however,...

Biointerface design that targets osteogenesis is a growing area of research with significant implications in biomedicine. Materials known to either support or stimulate osteogenesis are composed of a biomimetic ceramic material, such as bioactive glass. Bioactive glass is osteoproductive, and the potential for osteoproductivity can be enhanced by the addition of proteins or other additives desi...