The use of supramolecular structures as protein ligands

• DOI: 10.1007/s00894-012-1744-1
• Publication Date: 2013-01-07T04:56:22Z
• Authors: Barbara Stopa; Anna Jagusiak; Leszek Konieczny; Barbara Piekarska; Janina Rybarska; Grzegorz Zemanek; Marcin Król; Piotr Piwowar; Irena Roterman
• Keywords: Models, Molecular; 0301 basic medicine; Original Paper; Organic Chemistry; Proteins; Congo Red; Antigen-Antibody Complex; Ligands; Catalysis; Computer Science Applications; Inorganic Chemistry; 03 medical and health sciences; Computational Theory and Mathematics; Animals; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; Rabbits; Physical and Theoretical Chemistry; Coloring Agents; Fluorescent Dyes

Congo red dye as well as other eagerly self-assembling organic molecules which form rod-like or ribbon-like supramolecular structures in water solutions, appears to represent a new class of protein ligands with possible wide-ranging medical applications. Such molecules associate with proteins as integral clusters and preferentially penetrate into areas of low molecular stability. Abnormal, partly unfolded proteins are the main binding target for such ligands, while well packed molecules are generally inaccessible. Of particular interest is the observation that local susceptibility for binding supramolecular ligands may be promoted in some proteins as a consequence of function-derived structural changes, and that such complexation may alter the activity profile of target proteins. Examples are presented in this paper.