Kinetically programmed pathway-dependent autonomous reversibility in biomimetic self-assembly of nanoparticles

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Biochemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Autonomous reversibility is crucial for natural dynamic systems but challenging to replicate in artificial ones.
• Achieving autonomous behavior requires kinetic imbalance in self-assembly driven by chemical triggers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate pathway-dependent autonomous reversibility in a bio-nano hybrid system.
• To explore temporal control in self-assembled states using competing kinetics.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a system of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) with hexokinase (HK) as a trigger.
• Investigated two distinct pathways for autonomous assembly and disassembly.
• Tuned the lifetime of transient states by balancing ATP and HK kinetics.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated pathway-dependent autonomous reversibility, achieving both transient assembly and disassembly.
• Showcased how assembly/disassembly pathways dictate the formation of precipitates or plasmonically active aggregates.
• Successfully tuned the lifetime of transient states from minutes to hours.

Conclusions:

• The bio-nano hybrid system offers a versatile platform for temporal control in self-assembly.
• This work provides insights into creating adaptive artificial systems mimicking natural dynamic processes.
• Potential applications include transient catalysis and time-programmed functions.