Design and chance in the self-assembly of macromolecules

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Materials Science
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Biological molecules achieve function through specific three-dimensional folds.
• These folds are often determined by the sequence of amino acids or nucleic acids.
• Self-assembly is a fundamental process in biology and synthetic materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the principles of self-assembly in natural and synthetic systems.
• To highlight the role of sequence in guiding molecular self-assembly.
• To explore self-assembly in various structures, including polymers and membranes.

Main Methods:

• Review of principles governing self-assembly of macromolecules.
• Analysis of sequence-directed folding in biological molecules.
• Examination of self-assembly in homopolymeric structures, enzyme complexes, and lipid bilayers.

Main Results:

• Sequence is often sufficient to guide self-assembly to functional, stable structures.
• Self-assembly can occur without additional machinery, starting from denatured states.
• Identical subunits can pack in geometrically non-equivalent ways in polymeric assemblies.
• Lipids and synthetic detergents can self-assemble into dynamic membrane layers.

Conclusions:

• Self-assembly is a critical determinant of molecular function and specificity.
• The principles of self-assembly are applicable to both biological macromolecules and synthetic materials.
• Understanding self-assembly provides insights into biological organization and the design of novel materials.