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Updated: Jan 1, 2026
Synthesis of Information-bearing Peptoids and their Sequence-directed Dynamic Covalent Self-assembly
Published on: February 6, 2020
Metallo-responsive self-assembly of lipophilic guanines in hydrocarbon solvents: a systematic SAXS structural
Adriano Gonnelli1, Silvia Pieraccini, Enrico J Baldassarri
1Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Biophysics Research Group, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy. p.mariani@univpm.it.
Abstract:
Lipophilic guanines (LipoGs) in aprotic solvents undergo different self-assembly processes based on different H-bonded motifs. Cylindrical nanotubes made by π-π stacked guanine tetramers (G-quadruplexes) and flat, tape-like aggregates (G-ribbons) have been observed depending on the presence of alkali metal ions. To obtain information on the structural properties and stability of these LipoG aggregates, Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) experiments have been performed in dodecane, both in the presence and in the absence of potassium ions. As a result, the occurrence of the two different metallo-responsive architectures (nanoribbons or columnar nanotubes) was confirmed and we reported here for the first time a systematic study on the dependence of the aggregate properties on composition, temperature and molecular unit structure. Even if dodecane was selected to favour LipoG solubility, a strong tendency to self-organize into ordered lyotropic phases was indeed detected.
