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Updated: Dec 10, 2025

Characterization of pH-Dependent Reversible Self-Assembly of Amyloid Beta 1-40-Coated Gold Colloids
Published on: March 21, 2025
Regium-π Bonds Are Involved in Protein-Gold Binding
María de Las Nieves Piña1, Antonio Frontera1, Antonio Bauzá1
1Department of Chemistry, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Crta. de Valldemossa km 7.5, 07122 Palma (Baleares), Spain.
Abstract:
The regium-π interaction is an attractive noncovalent force between group 11 elements (Cu, Ag, and Au) acting as Lewis acids and aromatic surfaces. Herein, we report for the first time experimental (Protein Data Bank analysis) and theoretical (RI-MP2/def2-TZVP level of theory) evidence of regium-π bonds involving Au(I) and aromatic amino acids (Phe, Tyr, Trp, and His). These findings might be important in the field of drug design and for retrospectively understanding the role of gold in proteins.
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