NER: Orthogonal Molecular Recognition Motifs for Nanoscale Assembly

University Of Texas At Austin, Austin TX

Investigators

Abstract

This Nanoscale Exploratory Research (NER) award to University of Texas Austin is supported by Divisions of Chemistry (MPS) and Chemical Transport Systems (ENG), and this proposal was submitted in response to the solicitation "Nanoscale Science and Engineering" (NSF 01-157). With this award, Professors Krische and Anslyn will design and synthesize a family of oligomers to serve as synthetic programmable codons to mimic the templating by DNA to embody information storage properties. Oligomers with programmable codons will be synthesized using different chemistries such as: neopentyl amino alcohol-linked to amino-dichlorotriazines; guanidinium-phosphates; guanidinium-carboxylates; and dihydrophalazine diones-diaminophthalazins. These oligomers with dye-labeled strands will be evaluated for self-assembly and templating binding affinities using NMR dilution experiments, isothermal titration calorimetry, vapor pressure osmometry and cross-hybridization by thin layer chromatography. Training and research of undergraduate and graduate students in this interdisciplinary program in physical and synthetic organic chemistry are integral parts of the project. A group of oligomers with dye-labeled groups and with "programmable" ultra high-affinity/specificity building blocks in nanoscale will be designed and synthesized to serve as "codons" with information storage capabilities mimicking some of the properties of DNA. These oligomers will enable surface-patterning schemes wherein multiple, predetermined optical constellations representing "memory-bits" are generated via spontaneous self-assembly. Owing to the interdisciplinary nature of this project, the proposed program of research will facilitate education and training of both graduate and undergraduate students in fields ranging from organic chemistry to molecular recognition and materials patterning.