Cyclodextrin-Based Functional Glyconanomaterials

Cyclodextrins (CDs) have long occupied a prominent position in most pharmaceutical laboratories as "off-the-shelve" tools to manipulate the pharmacokinetics of a broad range of active principles, due to their unique combination of biocompatibility and inclusion abilities. The development of precision chemical methods for their selective functionalization, in combination with "click" multiconjugation procedures, have further leveraged the nanoscaffold nature of these oligosaccharides, creating a direct link between the glyco and the nano worlds. CDs have greatly contributed to understand and exploit the interactions between multivalent glycodisplays and carbohydrate-binding proteins (lectins) and to improve the drug-loading and functional properties of nanomaterials through host-guest strategies. The whole range of capabilities can be enabled through self-assembly, template-assisted assembly or covalent connection of CD/glycan building blocks. This review discusses the advancements made in this field during the last decade and the amazing variety of functional glyconanomaterials empowered by the versatility of the CD component.

The Fuzziness of the Molecular World and Its Perspectives

Scientists want to comprehend and control complex systems. Their success depends on the ability to face also the challenges of the corresponding computational complexity. A promising research line is artificial intelligence (AI). In AI, fuzzy logic plays a significant role because it is a suitable model of the human capability to compute with words, which is relevant when we make decisions in complex situations. The concept of fuzzy set pervades the natural information systems (NISs), such as living cells, the immune and the nervous systems. This paper describes the fuzziness of the NISs, in particular of the human nervous system. Moreover, it traces three pathways to process fuzzy logic by molecules and their assemblies. The fuzziness of the molecular world is useful for the development of the chemical artificial intelligence (CAI). CAI will help to face the challenges that regard both the natural and the computational complexity.

Supramolecular metalloglycodendrimers selectively modulate lectin binding and delivery of Ru(ii) complexes into mammalian cells

Host–guest interactions was used for controlled delivery of the Ru(ii)-glycodendrimers into cancer cells to induce cytotoxicity by reacting with the endoplasmic reticulum.

Carbohydrates in Supramolecular Chemistry

Carbohydrates are involved in a variety of biological processes. The ability of sugars to form a large number of hydrogen bonds has made them important components for supramolecular chemistry. We discuss recent advances in the use of carbohydrates in supramolecular chemistry and reveal that carbohydrates are useful building blocks for the stabilization of complex architectures. Systems are presented according to the scaffold that supports the glyco-conjugate: organic macrocycles, dendrimers, nanomaterials, and polymers are considered. Glyco-conjugates can form host-guest complexes, and can self-assemble by using carbohydrate-carbohydrate interactions and other weak interactions such as π-π interactions. Finally, complex supramolecular architectures based on carbohydrate-protein interactions are discussed.

A single fluorophore to address multiple logic gates

Logic gates with different radixes have been constructed using a biologically active molecule, 2-(4′-N,N-dimethylaminophenyl)imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (DMAPIP-b).

"Plug and play" logic gates based on fluorescence switching regulated by self-assembly of nucleotide and lanthanide ions

Molecular logic gates in response to chemical, biological, or optical input signals at a molecular level have received much interest over the past decade. Herein, we construct "plug and play" logic systems based on the fluorescence switching of guest molecules confined in coordination polymer nanoparticles generated from nucleotide and lanthanide ions. In the system, the addition of new modules directly enables new logic functions. PASS 0, YES, PASS 1, NOT, IMP, OR, and AND gates are successfully constructed in sequence. Moreover, different logic gates (AND, INH, and IMP) can be constructed using different guest molecules and the same input combinations. The work will be beneficial to the future logic design and expand the applications of coordination polymers.