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Bioinspired crowding directs supramolecular polymerisation

Author

Listed:
  • Nils Bäumer

    (Organisch Chemisches Institut)

  • Eduardo Castellanos

    (University of the Balearic Islands)

  • Bartolome Soberats

    (University of the Balearic Islands)

  • Gustavo Fernández

    (Organisch Chemisches Institut)

Abstract

Crowding effects are crucial to maintaining functionality in biological systems, but little is known about their role in analogous artificial counterparts. Within the growing field of supramolecular polymer science, crowding effects have hitherto remained underappreciated. Herein, we show that crowding effects exhibit strong and distinct control over the kinetics, accessible pathways and final outcomes of supramolecular polymerisation processes. In the presence of a pre-formed supramolecular polymer as crowding agent, a model supramolecular polymer dramatically changes its self-assembly behaviour and undergoes a morphological transformation from bundled fibres into flower-like hierarchical assemblies, despite no co-assembly taking place. Notably, this new pathway can only be accessed in crowded environments and when the crowding agent exhibits a one-dimensional morphology. These results allow accessing diverse morphologies and properties in supramolecular polymers and pave the way towards a better understanding of high-precision self-assembly in nature.

Suggested Citation

  • Nils Bäumer & Eduardo Castellanos & Bartolome Soberats & Gustavo Fernández, 2023. "Bioinspired crowding directs supramolecular polymerisation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-36540-x
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36540-x
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    1. Sougata Datta & Yasuki Kato & Seiya Higashiharaguchi & Keisuke Aratsu & Atsushi Isobe & Takuho Saito & Deepak D. Prabhu & Yuichi Kitamoto & Martin J. Hollamby & Andrew J. Smith & Robert Dalgliesh & Na, 2020. "Self-assembled poly-catenanes from supramolecular toroidal building blocks," Nature, Nature, vol. 583(7816), pages 400-405, July.
    2. Tom F. A. de Greef & E. W. Meijer, 2008. "Supramolecular polymers," Nature, Nature, vol. 453(7192), pages 171-173, May.
    3. Kichitaro Nakajima & Keiichi Yamaguchi & Masahiro Noji & César Aguirre & Kensuke Ikenaka & Hideki Mochizuki & Lianjie Zhou & Hirotsugu Ogi & Toru Ito & Ichiei Narita & Fumitake Gejyo & Hironobu Naiki , 2022. "Macromolecular crowding and supersaturation protect hemodialysis patients from the onset of dialysis-related amyloidosis," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
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