Energetic studies on DNA-peptide interaction in relation to the enthalpy-entropy compensation paradox.

This study aims to interpret the energetic basis of complex DNA-peptide interactions according to a novel allosteric interaction network approach. In common with other designed peptides, five new conjugates incorporating the XPRK or XHypRK motif (Hyp = hydroxyproline) attached to a N-methylpyrrole (Py) tract with a basic tail have been found to display cooperative binding to DNA involving multiple monodentate as well as interstrand bidentate interactions. Using quantitative DNase I footprinting it appears that allosteric communication via cooperative binding to multiple sites on complementary DNA strands corresponds to two different types of DNA-peptide interaction network.

Liquid crystals of gold(I) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes.

Three types of Au(I) N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) and imidazole (Im) complexes, namely [Au(NHC)Cl], [Au(NHC)(Im)][NO(3)], and [Au(NHC)(2)][NO(3)], with two-, three-, and four-N-long alkyl chains, respectively, were synthesized and their mesomorphic properties investigated. Only the [Au(NHC)(Im)][NO(3)] series of compounds, adopting an m-shaped conformation in the solid state, showed liquid crystalline properties. For the molecules with three alkyl chains in particular, the Coulombic and hydrogen bonding interactions between the cationic head core and anionic NO(3)(-), and the hydrophobic chain-chain interactions facilitate in sustaining the partially ordered motion, which is not observed for those with two and four arms.