Themed collection Suprabiomolecular Chemistry

This feature article summarises recent contributions of the authors in the area of flexible imidazolium macrocycle and related anion-induced supramolecular self-assembly.

Recent developments in the (self-)assembly of cationic clusters promoting nucleic acids complexation and cell penetration open the door to applications in drug and gene delivery.

A new thermally activated all-hydrocarbon rigid macrocycle receptors system, cyclo[8](1,3-(4,6-dimethyl)benzene) (CDMB-8) has been reported.

Unprotected peptides equipped with property enhancing moieties and a Cys(Scm) residue can be site-selectively conjugated to proteins via crossed-disulfide formation.

Supramolecular gelation of a 68-membered macrocycle triggered by sonication.

An imine-based covalent organic framework (COF) decorated in its cavities with uracil groups has shown selective recognition towards adenine in water.

Gels formed from commercially available polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and 1,4-benzene diboronic acid (BdBA) in DMSO absorb NaOH efficiently from a bulk aqueous solution decreasing its pH.

An unprecedented phthalocyanine-based, metallo-organic helicate (Fe₂Pc₃) has been assembled and proved as a host for large redox-active guests such as fullerenes and naphthalenediimides.

We demonstrate that both the R₈ functionalization and its interplay with the ancillary ligand have and an important role in the G-quadruplex recognition process by Ru(dppz) metallopeptides.

G-quadruplexes (G4) represent attractive supramolecular scaffolds.

We have synthesised 8 simplified, potent teixobactin analogues by replacing L-allo-enduracididine with its isosteres.

A molecular motor based photoswitchable dopant can induce and switch the helical chirality of a poly(phenylacetylene) dynamic helical polymer.

A gemini dicationic amphiphile forms gels with a serine protease inhibitor, which could be used in a new approach to the treatment of Rosacea, and the release of the drug causes remarkable gel fibre coiling.

Light-up of nuclear G-quadruplex DNA in cells by an aggregating and red/NIR emitting dye.

A novel peptide-nanomotor based hybrid system is presented for fast cell penetration and cargo delivery.

A novel class of superfluorinated gold nanoclusters obtained from a branched thiol with 27 equivalent ¹⁹F atoms per molecule, which combine both NIR photoluminescence and ¹⁹F NMR properties, thus representing a promising multimodal nanoplatform for bioimaging applications.

Templated cooperative binding induced assembly of chromophores is achieved via interactions between Zn-complexes and the DNA phosphodiester backbone.

Monodisperse nanoclusters are produced via G-quadruplex assembly with potassium salts in which red-absorbing phthalocyanine dyes are arranged in a well-defined chiral organization.

A light-operated molecular nanodevice is able to transport an acetyl cargo intramolecularly over a distance of about 2 nm.

A fluorescent sensor displaying a significant increase in emission upon binding CB[7] was developed and utilized in a surface-bound displacement assay for the rapid detection of CB[7] encapsulation of therapeutically relevant drug classes.

Retained photochemical properties – a simple porphyrin–polyDMA conjugate with the ability to self assemble into large (∼1 μm) vesicles in water. The photodynamics are remarkably preserved despite the extensive aggregation.

We report here the efficient in situ iodination of tyrosine-type side-chains located within a foldamer helix bundle, permitting structure determination using single-wavelength anomalous diffraction (SAD) methods.

Bis-naphthalene macrocycles bind to abasic sites in DNA, leading to efficient inhibition of their cleavage by human AP endonuclease 1 (APE1).

A comb-type polylysine–polydextran copolymer increases the turnover in DNA-templated acyl transfer reactions by promoting strand exchange.

A simple label-free fluorescence hybridization assay to monitor the depurination activity of toxic ribosome inactivating proteins by using an abasic site sensing fluorescent ligand has been developed.

Intramolecular cation–π interactions between a methyl pyridinium ion and a phenyl ring stabilize the folded structure of a phenyleneethynylene oligomer.