Supramolecular Complex Formation and Transport of Anions

在这个由化学系大分子、超分子和纳米化学项目资助的项目中，密苏里大学圣路易斯分校的乔治·戈克尔研究了与负电荷物质（称为阴离子）的结合和运输有关的化学相互作用，特别是复杂而重要的阴离子DNA和RNA。一类简单的化合物被称为“三芳烃”，被发现与DNA结合并介导其通过生物膜进入细胞。在这项工作中的方法是解决有关的强度和选择性的结合，结合的动力学和能量学，所形成的复合物的结构（S），和运输机制的基本化学问题。这项工作的一个特别重要的影响是这些化学工具对参与基因治疗研究的生物研究人员的可用性。 该项目的更广泛影响还包括培训本科生、研究生和博士后研究人员，通过出版物和在国家会议上的演讲传播研究成果。

In this project funded by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry Program of the Chemistry Division, George Gokel of the University of Missouri-St. Louis studies the chemical interactions that are involved in binding and transport of negatively charged species called anions, especially the complex and important anions DNA and RNA. A simple class of compounds called "tris-arenes", was found to bind to DNA and to mediate its transport through biological membranes into cells. The approach in this work is to address the fundamental chemical questions concerning the strength and selectivity of binding, the dynamics and energetics of binding, the structure(s) of the complexes formed, and the mechanisms of transport. A particularly important impact of this work is the availability of these chemical tools to biological researchers involved in gene therapy research. The broader impacts of this project also involve training undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers, disseminating research results through publications and presentations at national conferences.