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Song Y, Wang CK, Chen G, Zhang GP. A first-principles study of phthalocyanine-based multifunctional spintronic molecular devices. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:18760-18769. [PMID: 34612414 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp01126j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In this study, using the first-principles method, we theoretically investigated the spin-dependent transport properties of a phthalocyanine (Pc) molecule, which is sandwiched between two zigzag-edged graphene nanoribbon (zGNR) electrodes. Owing to the spatial symmetry of the Pc molecule and spin splitting of zGNRs around Fermi energy, perfect spin filtering behavior is observed in designed molecular junctions. Meanwhile, the spin of electrons allowed through the device is right opposite to the spin polarization of zGNR electrodes. Further studies show that the spin filtering performance can be largely modulated by insetting different transition metal atoms (TM = Mn or Cr) into the central Pc molecule, and changing the spin-polarized direction of the TM atom leads to the spin filtering direction inversion. More intriguingly, the antiparallel magnetic configuration of two zGNR electrodes gives rise to the control of the conducting channel by bias polarization, which eventually leads to remarkable spin rectifying and giant magnetoresistance behaviors in transition metal phthalocyanine (TMPc) molecular junctions. The corresponding mechanisms are revealed by an analysis of spin-resolved transmission spectra, molecular projected self-consistent Hamiltonian and a projected density of states. These results are helpful in the design of TMPc-based multifunctional spin molecular devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Song
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Image Processing & Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technical Center of Light Manipulations, School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250358, China.
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Zhao J, Ullah I, Gao B, Guo J, Ren XK, Xia S, Zhang W, Feng Y. Agmatine-grafted bioreducible poly(l-lysine) for gene delivery with low cytotoxicity and high efficiency. J Mater Chem B 2021; 8:2418-2430. [PMID: 32115589 DOI: 10.1039/c9tb02641j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Bioreducible cationic polymers have gained considerable attention in gene delivery due to their low cytotoxicity and high efficiency. In the present work, we reported a cationic polymer, poly(disulfide-l-lysine)-g-agmatine (denoted as SSL-AG), and evaluated its ability to transfer pEGFP-ZNF580 plasmid (pZNF580) into human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). This SSL-AG polymeric carrier efficiently condensed pZNF580 into positively charged particles (<200 nm) through electrostatic interaction. This carrier also exhibited excellent buffering capacity in the physiological environment, good pDNA protection against enzymatic degradation and rapid pDNA release in a highly reducing environment mainly because of the responsive cleavage of disulfide bonds in the polymer backbone. The hemolysis assay and in vitro cytotoxicity assay suggested that the SSL-AG carrier and corresponding gene complexes possessed both good hemocompatibility and great cell viability in HUVECs. The cellular uptake of the SSL-AG/Cy5-oligonucleotide group was 3.6 times that of the poly(l-lysine)/Cy5-oligonucleotide group, and its mean fluorescence intensity value was even higher than that of the PEI 25 kDa/Cy5-oligonucleotide group. Further, the intracellular trafficking results demonstrated that the SSL-AG/Cy5-oligonucleotide complexes exhibited a high nucleus co-localization rate (CLR) value (36.0 ± 2.8%, 3.4 times that of the poly (l-lysine)/Cy5-oligonucleotide group, 1.6 times that of the poly(disulfide-l-lysine)-g-butylenediamine/Cy5-oligonucleotide group) at 24 h, while the endo/lysosomal CLR value was relatively low. This suggested that SSL-AG successfully delivered plasmid into HUVECs with high cellular uptake, rapid endosomal escape and efficient nuclear accumulation owing to the structural advantages of the bioreducible and agmatine groups. In vitro transfection assay also verified the enhanced transfection efficiency in the SSL-AG/pZNF580 group. Furthermore, the results of CCK-8, cell migration and in vitro/vivo angiogenesis assays revealed that pZNF580 delivered by SSL-AG could effectively enhance the proliferation, migration and vascularization of HUVECs. In a word, the SSL-AG polymer has great potential as a safe and efficient gene carrier for gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhao
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Yaguan Road 135, Tianjin 300350, China. and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Chemical Engineering (Tianjin), Weijin Road 92, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Ihsan Ullah
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Yaguan Road 135, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Bin Gao
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Yaguan Road 135, Tianjin 300350, China. and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Chemical Engineering (Tianjin), Weijin Road 92, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Jintang Guo
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Yaguan Road 135, Tianjin 300350, China. and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Chemical Engineering (Tianjin), Weijin Road 92, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Xiang-Kui Ren
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Yaguan Road 135, Tianjin 300350, China. and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Chemical Engineering (Tianjin), Weijin Road 92, Tianjin 300072, China and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Shihai Xia
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary and Splenic Medicine, Affiliated Hospital, Logistics University of People's Armed Police Force, Chenglin Road 220, Tianjin 300162, China
| | - Wencheng Zhang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Logistics University of People's Armed Police Force, Chenglin Road 220, Tianjin 300162, China
| | - Yakai Feng
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Yaguan Road 135, Tianjin 300350, China. and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Chemical Engineering (Tianjin), Weijin Road 92, Tianjin 300072, China and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
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Li XM, Wang YH, Seng JW, Zheng JF, Cao R, Shao Y, Chen JZ, Li JF, Zhou XS, Mao BW. z-Piezo Pulse-Modulated STM Break Junction: Toward Single-Molecule Rectifiers with Dissimilar Metal Electrodes. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:8656-8663. [PMID: 33587592 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c21435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Fabricating single-molecule junctions with asymmetric metal electrodes is significant for realizing single-molecule diodes, but it remains a big challenge. Herein, we develop a z-piezo pulse-modulated scanning tunneling microscopy break junction (STM-BJ) technique to construct a robust asymmetric junction with different metal electrodes. The asymmetric Ag/BPY-EE/Au single-molecule junctions exhibit a middle conductance value in between those of the two individual symmetric metal electrode junctions, which is consistent with the order of calculated energy-dependent transmission coefficient T(E) of the asymmetric junctions at EF. Furthermore, the single-molecule conductance of Ag/BPY-EE/Au decreases by about 70% when reversing the bias voltage from 100 to -100 mV, and a clear asymmetric I-V feature at the single-molecule level is observed for these junctions. This rectifying behavior could be ascribed to a different interfacial coupling of molecules at the two end electrodes, which is confirmed by the different displacement of T(E) at the two bias voltages. Other asymmetric junctions exhibit similar rectifying behavior. The current work provides a feasible way to fabricate hybrid junctions based on asymmetric metal electrodes and investigate their electron transport toward the design of molecular rectifiers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Mei Li
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Ya-Hao Wang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Jing-Wen Seng
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Ju-Fang Zheng
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Rui Cao
- Department of Physics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Yong Shao
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Jing-Zhe Chen
- Department of Physics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Jian-Feng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Department of Chemistry, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Xiao-Shun Zhou
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Bing-Wei Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Department of Chemistry, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
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