G-quadruplex self-assembly regulated by coulombic interactions

ABSTRACT Self-assembly offers the possibility to organize molecules in a given architecture through a subtle interplay between different noncovalent interactions. Although the kind of

molecular association can often be predicted from information present in the individual molecules, the synthesis of supramolecular assemblies having a perfectly defined size and shape

remains challenging. Here, we introduce the use of Coulombic interactions to control the supramolecular synthesis of finite, well-defined nanostructures. In particular, we demonstrate that

the energy associated with the separation of ion pairs can regulate very precisely guanosine self-assembly into discrete G-quadruplexes. Assemblies comprising 8, 12, 16 or 24 guanosine

molecules can be selectively and quantitatively obtained simply by tuning the stabilization of the dissociated anions in the solvent environment. Thus, factors such as solvent polarity, the

nature of the anion and the cation–anion distance are shown to have a decisive role in the growth of G-quadruplexes. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of

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authors are grateful for financial support from the Council for the Chemical Sciences of the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (CW-NWO). D.G.-R. would like to acknowledge a

Marie Curie Intraeuropean Fellowship. We would also like to thank A. de la Escosura for his help with the transmission electron microscopy, P.G.A. Janssen and T. de Greef for discussions,

and G.P. Spada and G. Gottarelli for discussions and support at the beginning of this project. AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Laboratory of Macromolecular and Organic

Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, Eindhoven, 5600 MB, The Netherlands David González-Rodríguez, Joost L. J. van Dongen, Albertus P. H. J. Schenning & E. W.

Meijer * Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research, Crystal and Structural Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, Utrecht, 3584 CH, The Netherlands Martin Lutz & 

Anthony L. Spek * Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, Eindhoven, 5600 MB, The Netherlands E. W. Meijer Authors * David González-Rodríguez

View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Joost L. J. van Dongen View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google

Scholar * Martin Lutz View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Anthony L. Spek View author publications You can also search for this author

inPubMed Google Scholar * Albertus P. H. J. Schenning View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * E. W. Meijer View author publications You can

also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar CONTRIBUTIONS D.G.-R. designed and performed the synthesis and experiments and wrote the paper. J.L.J.v.D. contributed to the MS

experiments. M.L. and A.L.S. contributed to the X-ray structural analysis. A.P.H.J.S. and E.W.M. supervised the work. CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Correspondence to E. W. Meijer. SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary information (PDF 5953 kb) SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Crystallographic data for the 16-mer complex formed from compound 3 and KI (CIF 102

kb) RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE González-Rodríguez, D., van Dongen, J., Lutz, M. _et al._ G-quadruplex self-assembly regulated by

Coulombic interactions. _Nature Chem_ 1, 151–155 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.177 Download citation * Received: 18 December 2008 * Accepted: 10 March 2009 * Published: 19 April 2009

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