AI Article Synopsis
- Researchers have investigated foldamers, synthetic molecules that mimic the structure of natural proteins, primarily in free solutions, but this study focuses on their behavior within a phospholipid bilayer, mimicking biological membranes.
- The foldamers are designed with a light-sensitive part (chromophore) that changes shape when exposed to specific light wavelengths, allowing for communication of structural changes along the molecule.
- The structural shifts induced by light can be monitored through advanced techniques, revealing that the foldamers behave similarly in membrane environments as they do in organic solvents.
Article Abstract
The dynamic properties of foldamers, synthetic molecules that mimic folded biomolecules, have mainly been explored in free solution. We report on the design, synthesis, and conformational behavior of photoresponsive foldamers bound in a phospholipid bilayer akin to a biological membrane phase. These molecules contain a chromophore, which can be switched between two configurations by different wavelengths of light, attached to a helical synthetic peptide that both promotes membrane insertion and communicates conformational change along its length. Light-induced structural changes in the chromophore are translated into global conformational changes, which are detected by monitoring the solid-state (19)F nuclear magnetic resonance signals of a remote fluorine-containing residue located 1 to 2 nanometers away. The behavior of the foldamers in the membrane phase is similar to that of analogous compounds in organic solvents.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aad8352 | DOI Listing |
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