Oscillating Photostationary States for Molecular Cargo Transport

分子货物运输的振荡光稳态

• 批准号: EP/V047183/1
• 负责人: Beatrice Collins
• 金额: $ 25.72万
• 依托单位: University of Bristol
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2021 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FV047183%2F1
• 关键词: Oscillating; Photostationary; States; Molecular; Cargo

The controlled transport of molecular cargo is fundamental to the operation of biological systems. While some cellular transport occurs through diffusive or passive processes, certain molecular cargo are transported under fuelled conditions. For example, vesicles, organelles, and lipids are transported under ATP-fuelled conditions along cellular microtubule tracks by motor proteins such as kinesin and dynein. This research project involves the development of a fully synthetic system that mimics the transport of molecular cargo seen in biological systems, using light energy to fuel the molecular level motion. A key design element in the system is the well-studied azobenzene motif, which undergoes switching between two different geometric isomers-the extended E conformation with a longer distance from end to end and the contracted Z conformation with a shorter end-to-end distance-upon irradiation with different wavelengths of light. By coupling this photochemical isomer interconversion with a purely chemical interconversion, a cyclic reaction network is generated comprising four molecular states. By harnessing the spontaneous changes in molecular conformation between the E and Z isomers which arise from the cyclic reaction network, autonomous controlled transport of molecular cargo can be achieved. The research will start with the development of a light-fuelled system which allows the transfer of an acyl group-a small organic chemical group-directionally between two thermodynamically indistinguishable aliphatic alcohols. The azobenzene moiety will be positioned asymmetrically between the two alcohols and act as an "arm" to pick up the small organic group from one alcohol and put it down on the other. This system will then be further developed to allow the transport of the small organic group over extended distances. To do this a carefully designed molecular track, with alternating alcohol groups and azobenzene "arms", will be employed. Realisation of the project's aims will allow, for the first time, the autonomous controlled transport of a small organic moiety over extended distances at the molecular level. Such control of molecular level motion not only mimics the magnificent biological molecular motors which underpin the operation of biological systems but also holds great promise for the development of future nanoscale technologies.

分子货物的受控运输是生物系统运行的基础。虽然一些细胞运输通过扩散或被动过程发生，但某些分子货物在燃料条件下运输。例如，囊泡、细胞器和脂质在ATP驱动的条件下通过马达蛋白如驱动蛋白和动力蛋白沿着细胞微管轨道运输。该研究项目涉及开发一种完全合成的系统，该系统模拟生物系统中分子货物的运输，使用光能为分子水平运动提供燃料。该系统中的一个关键设计元素是充分研究的偶氮苯基序，它经历了两个不同的几何异构体之间的切换-扩展的E构象与较长的距离从端到端和收缩的Z构象与较短的端到端的距离-在不同波长的光照射。通过将这种光化学异构体互变与纯化学互变结合起来，产生了包含四种分子状态的循环反应网络。通过利用由环状反应网络产生的E和Z异构体之间的分子构象的自发变化，可以实现分子货物的自主控制运输。这项研究将从开发一种光燃料系统开始，该系统允许酰基-一种小的有机化学基团-在两种化学上无法区分的脂肪醇之间定向转移。偶氮苯部分将不对称地位于两种醇之间，并作为“臂”从一种醇中拿起小的有机基团并将其放在另一种醇上。然后将进一步开发该系统，以允许小有机基团长距离运输。为此，将采用精心设计的分子轨道，具有交替的醇基团和偶氮苯“臂”。该项目目标的实现将首次允许在分子水平上长距离自主控制小有机部分的运输。这种分子水平运动的控制不仅模仿了支撑生物系统运行的宏伟生物分子马达，而且为未来纳米技术的发展带来了巨大的希望。