A primitive cell model involving Vesicles, microtubules and asters

HYPOTHESIS

Simple single-chain amphiphiles (sodium monododecyl phosphate, SDP) and organic small molecules (isopentenol, IPN), both of primitive relevance, are proved to have been the building blocks of protocells on the early Earth. How do SDP-based membrane and coexisting IPN come together in specific ways to produce more complex chemical entities? What kind of cell-like behavior can be endowed with this protocell model? These are important questions in the pre-life chemical origin scenario that have not been answered to date.

EXPERIMENTS

The phase behavior and formation mechanism of the aggregates for SDP/IPN/H2O ternary system were characterized and studied by different electron microscopy, fluorescent probe technology, DLS, IR, ESI-MS, SAXS, etc. The stability (freeze-thaw and wet-dry treatments) and cell-like behavior (chemical signaling communication) were tested via simulating particular scenarios.

FINDINGS

Vesicles, microtubules and asters phases resembling the morphology and structure of modern cells/organelles were obtained. The intermolecular hydrogen bonding is the main driving force for the emergence of the aggregates. The protocell models not only display remarkable stabilities by simulating the primordial Earth's diurnal temperature differences and ocean tides but also are able to exhibit cell-like behavior of chemical signaling transition.

Time-programmable pH: decarboxylation of nitroacetic acid allows the time-controlled rising of pH to a definite value

In this report it is shown that nitroacetic acid 1 (O2NCH2CO2H) can be conveniently used to control the pH of a water solution over time. Time-programmable sequences of the kind pH1(high)-pH2(low)-pH3(high) can be achieved, where both the extent of the initial pH jump (pH1(high)-pH2(low)) and the time required for the subsequent pH rising (pH2(low)-pH3(high)) can be predictably controlled by a judicious choice of the absolute and relative concentrations of the reagents (acid 1 and NaOH). Successive pH1(high)-pH2(low)-pH3(high) sequences can be obtained by subsequent additions of acid 1. As a proof of concept, the method is applied to control over time the pH-dependent host-guest interaction between alpha-cyclodextrin and p-aminobenzoic acid.

Self-Assembled Vesicles Formed by Positional Isomers of Sodium Dodecyl Benzene Sulfonate-Based Pseudogemini Surfactants

The construction of pseudogemini surfactants based on noncovalent interactions (such as electrostatic interaction and π-π stacking) was a powerful method to assemble well-defined aggregates in aqueous solution. The mixtures of butane-1,4-bis(methylimidazolium bromide) ([mim-C₄-mim]Br₂) and positional isomers of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS-0,11 or SDBS-3,8) in a molar ratio of 1:2 were studied to characterize the effect of straight and branched alkyl chains on the aggregation behavior of pseudogemini surfactants. Spontaneous phase transition from micelles to vesicles was formed by these two kinds of complexes. Interestingly, a densely stacked onion-like structure (multilamellar vesicles) with more than one dozen layers was fabricated. The micelle and vesicle phases were characterized in detail by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, polarized optical microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and rheological measurements. It can be clearly demonstrated that the structure of alkyl chain can significantly influence the surface adsorption, solution self-assembly, and aqueous two-phase system of pseudogemini surfactants. Our work provided a convenient technique to achieve controlled self-assembly by introducing positional isomers of surfactants.

pH/ROS Dual-Responsive Supramolecular Vesicles Fabricated by Carboxylated Pillar[6]arene-Based Host-Guest Recognition and Phenylboronic Acid Pinacol Ester Derivative

The pH and reactive oxygen species (ROS) dual-responsive supramolecular vesicle utilizing a novel host-guest molecular recognition between a phenylboronic acid pinacol ester derivative carrying long alkyl chain (PBEC₁₂A) and carboxylated pillar[6]arene (CP[6]) is developed. The host-guest complexation between CP[6] and PBEC₁₂A was first studied in aqueous solution. PBEC₁₂A was encapsulated within CP[6] forming a stable host-guest complex with a binding constant as high as 10⁶ M^-1 order of magnitude. The driving force behind such a host-guest recognition was the combination of electrostatic interaction and hydrophobic effect. Then, the self-assembly of the supra-amphiphiles of PBEC₁₂A-CP[6] host-guest complexes was investigated in aqueous solution through high-resolution transmission electron microscope and dynamic light scattering. It was found that the supra-amphiphiles self-assembled into supramolecular vesicles and the size of the self-assembled supramolecular vesicles could be tuned from 25 to 200 nm by varying the ratio of CP[6] to PBEC₁₂A. To demonstrate the pH- and ROS-responsive properties of the self-assembled vesicles, the supramolecular vesicles self-assembled from PBEC₁₂A/CP[6] (5:1) were utilized. The Nile Red loading and release studies demonstrated that the supramolecular vesicles possessed good pH/ROS dual-responsive properties. This study enriches the field of supra-amphiphile based on noncovalent interactions. It is anticipated that the pH/ROS dual-responsive supramolecular vesicles have potential applications in drug-delivery systems because both the stimuli are in close relation with specific microenvironments of tumors and relevant diseases of the human body.

Morphology transformation of pillararene-based supramolecular nanostructures

In this feature article, the construction methods and the factors that influence the morphological transformation of pillararene-based supramolecular nanostructures are reviewed.

pH-Switchable IFT variations and emulsions based on the dynamic noncovalent surfactant/salt assembly at the water/oil interface

Additional HCl can facilely control the dynamic noncovalent interaction between anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) and additional organic matter, 4,4'-oxydianiline (ODA), at the water/oil interface. At low HCl concentration (ODA/HCl molar ratio (r) = 1 : 1.5, [ODA] = 250 mg L-1), the ODA+ ions effectively enhanced the SDBS ability to reduce the water/oil interfacial tension (IFT) by about two orders of magnitude, while the (SDBS)2/ODA2+ gemini-like surfactants could be constructed at a relatively high HCl concentration (r = 1 : 4, [ODA] = 250 mg L-1), which could largely reduce the IFT to 1.19 × 10-3 mN m-1. Molecular simulation was employed to explore the interfacial activity of ODAn+ (ODA+/ODA2+) ions and the SDBS/ODAn+ interaction. The control experiments used another three surfactants to verify the proposed model. The pH-switchable gradual protonation of amino groups in ODA molecules determined the SDBS/ODA interfacial assembly, which was responsible for the reversal of IFT variations and the related emulsion behaviors.

Reversible fabrication and self-assembly of a gemini supra-amphiphile driven by dynamic covalent bonds

A smart gemini supra-amphiphile behaving with pH/CO2 dual-sensitive hierarchical self-assembly was fabricated under the effect of dynamic covalent bonds. In the presence of an amino-functionalized cation, water-insoluble terephthalaldehyde, and an amphiphilic anion, the benzoic imine bond can initiate the transformation from a single-tailed supra-amphiphile to a gemini supra-amphiphile with increasing pH, followed by the subsequent evolution from micelles to vesicles. Reversible self-assembly and disassembly of the gemini supra-amphiphile can be realized via CO2/N2 treatment, thus inducing the fission and reversion of vesicles. Interestingly, the flexible nature of supra-amphiphiles allows for the hierarchical assembly of vesicles, leading to the formation of aqueous two-phase systems. Multiple responsive supra-amphiphiles have useful applications in the fabrication of smart supra-molecular materials, including self-healing materials, nanocarriers and chemosensors.

Multiple-Responsive Hierarchical Self-Assemblies of a Smart Supramolecular Complex: Regulation of Noncovalent Interactions

We herein report a smart amphiphilic supramolecular complex ([MimA-EDA-MimA]@[DBS]₂) with stimuli-responsive self-assembly, constructed by 3-(3-formyl-4-hydroxybenzyl)-1-methylimidazolium chloride (MimACl), sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS), and ethylenediamine (EDA). The self-assembly of [MimA-EDA-MimA]@[DBS]₂ shows triple-sensitivities in response to pH, concentration, and salt. At a low pH, only micelles are formed, which can transform into vesicles spontaneously when the pH increases to 11.8. Vesicles can gradually fuse into vesicle clusters and elongated assemblies with increasing concentration of [MimA-EDA-MimA]@[DBS]₂. Chainlike aggregates, ringlike aggregates, or giant vesicles can be formed by adding inorganic salts (i.e., NaCl and NaNO₃), which could be derived from the membrane fusion of vesicles. The noncovalent interactions, including π-π stacking, hydrogen bonding, and electrostatic interactions, were found to be responsible for the topology evolution of assemblies. Thus, it provides an opportunity to construct smart materials through the regulation of the role of noncovalent interactions in self-assembly.

Aqueous solution behaviour and solubilisation properties of octadecyl cationic gemini surfactants and their comparison with their amide gemini analogues

Gemini surfactants 18-s-18(Et), comprised of two ethylammonium headgroups and two alkyl tails with m = 18 carbon atoms with spacers of s = 4, 6, 8 and 10 linking the headgroups (alkanediyl-α,ω-bis(diethyloctadecylammonium bromides)), were obtained. Their aqueous solution behaviour, including adsorption at the interface and aggregation in solution, was followed by tensiometric, conductometric and spectroscopic methods. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the surfactants decreased with increasing spacer length. The size of 18-s-18(Et) aggregates formed at concentrations of 10 and 40 CMC measured by DLS varied with the elongation of the spacer. Visualisation of aggregated surfactant structures at 40 CMC by cryo-TEM evidenced the formation of different morphologies depending on spacer length. Gemini with s = 4 formed elongated, cylindrical micelles, while geminis of s = 6, 8 and 10 self-assembled into vesicles. The ability of the studied geminis to solubilise hydrophobic dye Sudan I in water was determined as a function of surfactant concentration, demonstrating their high efficiency. Results for 18-s-18(Et) geminis were compared with those previously obtained for their analogues containing an amide group placed between headgroups and tails. The significant impact of amide groups on the surface activity and aggregation properties of gemini surfactants was evidenced and is related to hydrogen-bond formation by amide-containing compounds.

The Study of a Novel Nanoparticle-Enhanced Wormlike Micellar System

In this work, a novel nanoparticle-enhanced wormlike micellar system (NEWMS) was proposed based on the typical wormlike micelles composed of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and sodium salicylate (NaSal). In order to strengthen the structure of wormlike micelles, silica nanoparticles are used to design the novel nanoparticle-enhanced wormlike micelle. The stability and morphologies of silica nanoparticles were studied by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) at first. After the formation of NEWMS, the rheological properties were discussed in detail. The zero-shear viscosity of NEWMS increases with the addition of silica nanoparticles. Dynamic oscillatory measurements show the viscoelastic properties of NEWMS. Through comparison with the original wormlike micelles, the entanglement length and mesh size of NEWMS are nearly unchanged, while the contour length increases with the increase of silica concentration. These phenomena confirm the enhanced influence of silica nanoparticles on wormlike micelles. The formation mechanism of NEWMS, especially the interactions between wormlike micelles and nanoparticles, is proposed. This work can deepen the understanding of the novel NEWMS and widen their applications.

The effect of hydroxyl on the solution behavior of a quaternary ammonium gemini surfactant

The influence of the introduction of a hydroxyl group into the system is studied at the macro and micro levels.

Supramolecular interactions via hydrogen bonding contributing to citric-acid derived carbon dots with high quantum yield and sensitive photoluminescence

Fluorophores coupled with supramolecules lead to “dot” topologies in citric-acid derived carbon dots under the effect of hydrogen bonding.

Controllable hierarchical self-assembly of gemini supra-amphiphiles: the effect of spacer length

Gemini supra-amphiphiles with different spacer lengths, [M-n-M]²⁺@2[DBS]^- (n = 2, 6, 10), were easily constructed. The conformational flexibility and hydrophobicity of the spacer group can be effectively tailored through regulating the spacer length, leading to the fine control of the topologies and subsequent hierarchical self-assemblies of [M-n-M]²⁺@2[DBS]^-. Vesicles are primarily fabricated by [M-n-M]²⁺@2[DBS]^-, and then successively fused into vesicle clusters, nanotubes, and planar bilayers, whose bilayer curvatures are gradually decreased, with increasing spacer length. Coating [M-10-M]²⁺ with β-CD can reduce the flexibility and hydrophobicity of the decyl spacer, resulting in the reversion from planar bilayers to vesicles. Furthermore, stable aqueous two-phase systems (ATPSs) that spontaneously formed via vesicle fusion in the solutions of [M-n-M]²⁺@2[DBS]^- (n = 6, 10) can act as functional supramolecular systems in the isolation and purification of oil-soluble biomaterials.