Molecular VELCRO

有了这个新的奖项，有机和高分子化学计划支持博士布伦特L。艾弗森在德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校化学系。 这项工作的目标是开发一种“分子魔术贴”，由带负电荷的多供体链组成，这些链选择性地以1：1的比例连接到带正电荷的多受体链，以提供高亲和力（低解离常数）的二聚连接。 利用HPLC、NMR、等温滴定量热法、Biacore动力学分析和分子模拟研究了多给体和多受体链分子的各种组合。这项工作的基本思想是开发类似于真实的Velcro的纤维和钩组合的互补分子。 然后，这些紧密结合的分子对可以用于将两个大分子紧密结合在一起，或者将大分子结合到表面上。 在免疫测定和生物传感器中有潜在的应用，例如在用于检测特定病原菌的存在的传感器中。 除了可能的实际应用，这项工作预计将有助于非共价结合领域的基础知识，并为相关学生提供良好的培训。

With this new award the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program supports the work of Dr. Brent L. Iverson in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Texas at Austin. The goal of the work is to develop a "molecular Velcro," consisting of negatively charged polydonor strands that link selectively 1:1 to positively charged polyacceptor strands to provide high affinity (low dissociation constant) dimeric links. Various combinations of polydonor and polyacceptor strand molecules will be investigated using HPLC, NMR, isothermal titration calorimetry, Biacore kinetic analysis, and molecular modeling.The basic idea of the work is to develop complementary molecules analogous to the fiber and hook combination of real Velcro. These tightly binding pairs of molecules can then be used to bind two large molecules together in close proximity, or to bind a large molecule to a surface. There are potential applications in immunoassays and biosensors, for example in a sensor used to detect the presence of specific pathogenic bacteria. In addition to possible practical applications, the work is expected to contribute to fundamental knowledge in the area of noncovalent binding, and to provide excellent training for the students involved.