Luan Jiabin, Wang Danni, Kok Niels P, Moslehi Neshat, Voets Ilja K, Wilson Daniela A
Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Laboratory of Self-Organizing Soft Matter, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry and Institute of Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
Nat Commun. 2025 Aug 29;16(1):8075. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-62866-9.
Elaborate kinetic control enables supramolecular self-assemblies to deviate from equilibrium, depicting profound energy landscapes with remarkable structural and functional diversity. Despite this potential, achieving an energy landscape that encompasses lamellar and inverse cubic structures remains a significant challenge, contrasting with the sophisticated structural transformations naturally orchestrated by cellular systems. Here, we present a dynamic and minimalistic Janus dendrimer self-assembly system capable of reversibly transitioning between lamellar vesicles and inverse cubic structures. By exploiting temperature-triggered non-covalent interactions, including OEG interdigitation and hydrogen bonding, conformational flexibility, and molecular packing, we reveal a rich energy landscape featuring diverse assembly pathways spanning lamellar vesicles and inverse cubosomes. Our study not only enriches the structural versatility of Janus dendrimer assemblies but also provides a foundation for advancing supramolecular systems toward applications in biomedicine, catalysis, and beyond.
精细的动力学控制使超分子自组装能够偏离平衡态，描绘出具有显著结构和功能多样性的深邃能量景观。尽管有这种潜力，但要实现包含层状和反立方结构的能量景观仍然是一项重大挑战，这与细胞系统自然精心编排的复杂结构转变形成对比。在这里，我们展示了一种动态且简约的Janus树枝状大分子自组装系统，它能够在层状囊泡和反立方结构之间可逆地转变。通过利用温度触发的非共价相互作用，包括OEG相互交错和氢键、构象灵活性以及分子堆积，我们揭示了一个丰富的能量景观，其具有跨越层状囊泡和反立方脂质体的多样组装途径。我们的研究不仅丰富了Janus树枝状大分子组装体的结构多样性，还为推动超分子系统在生物医学、催化等领域的应用奠定了基础。
