Stable metal-organic frameworks with low water affinity built from methyl-siloxane linkers.

A tetracarboxylic acid with a methyl-substituted siloxane core (L-H) has been prepared and applied in the construction of water stable MOFs with low water affinity. L-H itself crystallizes as an interpenetrated 3D hydrogen-bonded network. Reaction of L-H with Zr/Hf gave IMP-32-Zr/Hf - both 3D MOFs of scu topology.

DNA Origami as Seeds for Promoting Protein Crystallization.

This study reports the first experimental evidence of DNA origami as a seed resulting in the increase in probability of protein crystallization. Using the DNA origami constructed from long single-stranded M13 DNA scaffolds folded with short single-stranded DNA staples, it was found that the addition of the DNA origami in concentrations of 2-6 nM to mixtures of a well-characterized protein (catalase) solution (1.0-7.

Influences of Crystal Anisotropy in Pharmaceutical Process Development.

Crystalline materials are of crucial importance to the pharmaceutical industry, as a large number of APIs are formulated in crystalline form, occasionally in the presence of crystalline excipients. Owing to their multifaceted character, crystals were found to have strongly anisotropic properties. In fact, anisotropic properties were found to be quite important for a number of processes including milling, granulation and tableting.

A switchable DNA origami nanochannel for regulating molecular transport at the nanometer scale.

A nanochannel with a shutter at one end was built by DNA nanotechnology. Using DNA hybridization the shutter could be opened or closed, influencing the transport of materials through the channel. This process was visualized by an enzyme cascade reaction occurring in the structure.