Unlocking a biological interface of chiral supramolecular helical polymers

Here we report a C3-symmetric metal-binding tripeptide, BTMA-1, that self-assembles in water into either a chiral supramolecular helical polymer or a discrete CoII peptide helicate, depending on metal coordination. The CoII peptide helicate exhibits high affinity and selectivity toward DNA three-way...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Alcalde Ordóñez, Ana, Sarmiento Fuentes, Axel, Gómez González, Jacobo, Bouzada Reboredo, David, Núñez Martínez, Manuel, Fernández Míguez, Manuel, Rodríguez Riego, Rafael, Freire Iribarne, Félix Manuel, Vázquez Sentís, Marco Eugenio, Vázquez López, Miguel
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Santiago de Compostela (USC)
Repositorio:Minerva. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Santiago de Compostela
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:minerva.usc.gal:10347/43318
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10347/43318
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Circular dichroism spectroscopy
Ions
Monomers
Peptides and proteins
Polymers
2306 Química orgánica
2303 Química inorgánica
Descripción
Sumario:Here we report a C3-symmetric metal-binding tripeptide, BTMA-1, that self-assembles in water into either a chiral supramolecular helical polymer or a discrete CoII peptide helicate, depending on metal coordination. The CoII peptide helicate exhibits high affinity and selectivity toward DNA three-way junctions (3WJ), a class of noncanonical DNA structures with emerging biological relevance. Importantly, we demonstrate that the recognition process can be triggered dynamically by adding CoII ions to a dispersion of the supramolecular polymer, which acts as an inert precursor reservoir in physiological media. In this way, our strategy shows that chiral supramolecular helical polymers can form temporarily inactive aggregates that release discrete helicates for biomolecular recognition, such as 3WJ binding, upon metal ion coordination. Overall, this mechanism reveals a previously unexplored capability of this class of materials and offers a new approach for the design of responsive supramolecular systems for nucleic acid recognition and anticancer therapy.