Work

pH‐Responsive Self‐Assembly of a Thiazole‐Modified Peptide Nucleic Acid with Silver Ions

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Herein, the pH‐dependent self‐assembly behavior of a thiazole‐modified peptide nucleic acid (PNA) Thz‐3 in the presence of silver ions (Ag+) is investigated. Using a combination of spectroscopy, microscopic imaging, and molecular dynamics simulations, the formation of entangled networks of long, interlinked linear structures of Thz‐3 at pH 5.5 induced by Ag+ ions, is observed. This self‐assembly is driven by intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions and further stabilized by cation–π interactions between Ag+ and thiazole rings. Molecular clusters comprising two to four Thz‐3 molecules are formed, which then organize into chain‐like networks through noncovalent H‐bonding and van der Waals interactions. These findings shed light on the development of selective and pH‐responsive nanomaterials derived from modified peptides and PNAs.

Source: ChemPlusChem

DOI: 10.1002/cplu.202400451

Authors: Ananta Gorai, Titas Kumar Mukhopadhyay, Ayan Datta, Jyotirmayee Dash

Institutions: Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, National Institute of Technology Jamshedpur

Language: English

Topic: Supramolecular Self-Assembly in Materials

Subfield: Biomaterials

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: Indian Council of Medical Research, Science and Engineering Research Board

Awards: G5091073435, G654218640, G697141642