Molecular self-assembly is the spontaneous association of molecules under equilibrium conditions into stable, structurally well-defined aggregates joined by noncovalent bonds. Molecular self-assembly is ubiquitous in biological systems and underlies the formation of a wide variety of complex biological structures. Understanding self-assembly and the associated noncovalent interactions that connect complementary interacting molecular surfaces in biological aggregates is a central concern in structural biochemistry. Self-assembly is also emerging as a new strategy in chemical synthesis, with the potential of generating nonbiological structures with dimensions of 1 to 10(2) nanometers (with molecular weights of 10(4) to 10(10) daltons). Structures in the upper part of this range of sizes are presently inaccessible through chemical synthesis, and the ability to prepare them would open a route to structures comparable in size (and perhaps complementary in function) to those that can be prepared by microlithography and other techniques of microfabrication.

Molecular self-assembly and nanochemistry: A chemical strategy for the synthesis of nanostructures

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNAs that play important roles in regulating gene expression. The majority of miRNAs are transcribed from DNA sequences into primary miRNAs and processed into precursor miRNAs, and finally mature miRNAs. In most cases, miRNAs interact with the 3' untranslated region (3' UTR) of target mRNAs to induce mRNA degradation and translational repression. However, interaction of miRNAs with other regions, including the 5' UTR, coding sequence, and gene promoters, have also been reported. Under certain conditions, miRNAs can also activate translation or regulate transcription. The interaction of miRNAs with their target genes is dynamic and dependent on many factors, such as subcellular location of miRNAs, the abundancy of miRNAs and target mRNAs, and the affinity of miRNA-mRNA interactions. miRNAs can be secreted into extracellular fluids and transported to target cells via vesicles, such as exosomes, or by binding to proteins, including Argonautes. Extracellular miRNAs function as chemical messengers to mediate cell-cell communication. In this review, we provide an update on canonical and non-canonical miRNA biogenesis pathways and various mechanisms underlying miRNA-mediated gene regulations. We also summarize the current knowledge of the dynamics of miRNA action and of the secretion, transfer, and uptake of extracellular miRNAs.

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Overview of MicroRNA Biogenesis, Mechanisms of Actions, and Circulation.

Small-molecule H-bond donors in asymmetric catalysis.

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Functional Nucleic Acid Sensors

Hydrogen bonding is responsible for the structure of much of the world around us. The unusual and complex properties of bulk water, the ability of proteins to fold into stable three-dimensional structures, the fidelity of DNA base pairing, and the binding of ligands to receptors are among the manifestations of this ubiquitous noncovalent interaction. In addition to its primacy as a structural determinant, hydrogen bonding plays a crucial functional role in catalysis. Hydrogen bonding to an electrophile serves to decrease the electron density of this species, activating it toward nucleophilic attack. This principle is employed frequently by Nature's catalysts, enzymes, for the acceleration of a wide range of chemical processes. Recently, organic chemists have begun to appreciate the tremendous potential offered by hydrogen bonding as a mechanism for electrophile activation in small-molecule, synthetic catalyst systems. In particular, chiral hydrogen-bond donors have emerged as a broadly applicable class of catalysts for enantioselective synthesis. This review documents these advances, emphasizing the structural and mechanistic features that contribute to high enantioselectivity in hydrogen-bond-mediated catalytic processes.

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Asymmetric catalysis by chiral hydrogen-bond donors.

Biologically active compounds which are light-responsive offer experimental possibilities which are otherwise very difficult to achieve. Since light can be manipulated very precisely, for example, with lasers and microscopes rapid jumps in concentration of the active form of molecules are possible with exact control of the area, time, and dosage. The development of such strategies started in the 1970s. This review summarizes new developments of the last five years and deals with "small molecules", proteins, and nucleic acids which can either be irreversibly activated with light (these compounds are referred to as "caged compounds") or reversibly switched between an active and an inactive state.

Biologically active molecules with a "light switch".

Spatial and temporal control over chemical and biological processes plays a key role in life, where the whole is often much more than the sum of its parts. Quite trivially, the molecules of a cell do not form a living system if they are only arranged in a random fashion. If we want to understand these relationships and especially the problems arising from malfunction, tools are necessary that allow us to design sophisticated experiments that address these questions. Highly valuable in this respect are external triggers that enable us to precisely determine where, when, and to what extent a process is started or stopped. Light is an ideal external trigger: It is highly selective and if applied correctly also harmless. It can be generated and manipulated with well-established techniques, and many ways exist to apply light to living systems--from cells to higher organisms. This Review will focus on developments over the last six years and includes discussions on the underlying technologies as well as their applications.

Light-Controlled Tools

TADDOLs, which contain two adjacent diarylhydroxymethyl groups in a trans relationship on a 1,3-dioxolane ring, can be prepared from acetals or ketals of tartrate esters by reaction of the latter with aromatic Grignard reagents. They are extraordinarily versatile chiral auxiliaries. Here, a historical review of the subject is followed by discussion of the preparation of TADDOLs and analogous systems, including TADDOLs with N-, P-, O-, and S-heteroatom ligands appropriate for metals. Crystal structure analysis reveals that the heteroatoms on the diarylmethyl groups are almost always in close proximity to each other, joined together by H-bonds, and predisposed to form chelate complexes in which the metallic centers reside in propeller-like chiral environments. Applications of TADDOL derivatives in enantioselective synthesis extend from utilization as stoichiometric chiral reagents or in Lewis acid mediated reactions, to roles in catalytic hydrogenation and stereoregular metathesis polymerization. Derivatives and complexes based on the following metals have so far been investigated: Li, B, Mg, Al, Si, Cu, Zn, Ce, Ti, Zr, Mo, Rh, Ir, Pd, Pt. The number of stereoselective reactions already accomplished with TADDOLs is correspondingly large. It is also easy to prepare TADDOL derivatives that are readily polymerizable and graftable, and to transform them into immobilized solid-phase catalysts. The result is catalysts, simply or dendritically immobilized in polystyrene or on silica gel and characterized by unexpected stability even after multiple use in titanium TADDOLate mediated reactions. TADDOLs show further unusual characteristics that make them useful for applications in material science and supramolecular chemistry: they are the most effective doping agents known for phase transformations of achiral (nematic) into chiral (cholesteric) liquid crystals. The TADDOL OH group that is not involved in intramolecular H-bonding shows a strong tendency to associate intermolecularly with H-bond acceptors. In the process of crystallization this leads, enantioselectively, to the formation of inclusion compounds that lend themselves to the separation of racemic mixtures not otherwise suited to the classical method of crystallization through diastereomeric salts. The high melting points of TADDOLs even make possible the resolution of racemates by distillation! Host-guest compounds formed between TADDOLs and achiral partners can serve as platforms for enantioselective photoreactions. It seems safe to predict that many more applications will be discovered for the TADDOLs and their derivatives. Supporting information for this article is available on the WWW under http://www.angewandte.com or from the author.

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TADDOLs, Their Derivatives, and TADDOL Analogues: Versatile Chiral Auxiliaries

Biologisch aktive Verbindungen, die auf Licht reagieren, bieten experimentelle Moglichkeiten, die sonst nur sehr schwierig zu realisieren sind. Da Licht z. B. mit Lasern und (konfokalen) Mikroskopen punktgenau eingesetzt werden kann, sind schnelle Konzentrationssprunge der aktiven Form von Molekulen mit exakter raumlicher, zeitlicher und dosierungsbezogener Steuerung moglich. Die Entwicklung derartiger Strategien reicht bis in die 70er Jahre zuruck. Dieser Aufsatz fasst neue Entwicklungen der letzten funf Jahre zusammen und behandelt “kleine Molekule”, Proteine und Nucleinsauren, die entweder durch Licht irreversibel aktiviert werden (“photoaktivierbare Verbindungen”) oder reversibel zwischen einem aktiven und einem inaktiven Zustand geschaltet werden.

Biologisch aktive Moleküle mit “Lichtschalter”

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression by binding to target messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and preventing their translation. In general, the number of potential mRNA targets in a cell is much greater than the miRNA copy number, complicating high-fidelity miRNA-target interactions. We developed an inducible fluorescent probe to explore whether the maturation of a miRNA could be regulated in space and time in neurons. A precursor miRNA (pre-miRNA) probe exhibited an activity-dependent increase in fluorescence, suggesting the stimulation of miRNA maturation. Single-synapse stimulation resulted in a local maturation of miRNA that was associated with a spatially restricted reduction in the protein synthesis of a target mRNA. Thus, the spatially and temporally regulated maturation of pre-miRNAs can be used to increase the precision and robustness of miRNA-mediated translational repression.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/355/6325/634.full.pdf

Alexander Heckel

Papers

Biologically active molecules with a "light switch".

Light-Controlled Tools

TADDOLs, Their Derivatives, and TADDOL Analogues: Versatile Chiral Auxiliaries

Biologisch aktive Moleküle mit “Lichtschalter”

Activity-dependent spatially localized miRNA maturation in neuronal dendrites