title: DNA-inspired hierarchical polymer design: electrostatics and hydrogen bonding in concert.
abstract: Nucleic acids and proteins, two of nature's biopolymers, assemble into complex structures to achieve desired biological functions and inspire the design of synthetic macromolecules containing a wide variety of noncovalent interactions including electrostatics and hydrogen bonding. Researchers have incorporated DNA nucleobases into a wide variety of synthetic monomers/polymers achieving stimuli-responsive materials, supramolecular assemblies, and well-controlled macromolecules. Recently, scientists utilized both electrostatics and complementary hydrogen bonding to orthogonally functionalize a polymer backbone through supramolecular assembly. Diverse macromolecules with noncovalent interactions will create materials with properties necessary for biomedical applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Macromolecules and Interfaces Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
authors.forename: Sean T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Hemp
authors.forename: Timothy E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Long
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008689:Methacrylates / Q000737:chemistry; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D009705:Nucleosides / Q000737:chemistry*; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry; D058105:Polymerization; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012833:Siloxanes / Q000737:chemistry; D055672:Static Electricity; D020058:Styrene / Q000737:chemistry; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D008689:Methacrylates; D009705:Nucleosides; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D012833:Siloxanes; D013876:Thiophenes; C066730:polythiophene; D020058:Styrene; D004247:DNA