Self-assembled multivalency: dynamic ligand arrays for high-affinity binding.
Multivalency is a powerful strategy for achieving high-affinity molecular recognition in biological systems. Recently, attention has begun to focus on using self-assembly rather than covalent scaffold synthesis to organize multiple ligands. This approach has a number of advantages, including ease of synthesis/assembly, tunability of nanostructure morphology and ligands, potential to incorporate multiple active units, and the responsive nature of self-assembly. We suggest that self-assembled multivalency is a strategy of fundamental importance in the design of synthetic nanosystems to intervene in biological pathways and has potential applications in nanomedicine.
Department of Chemistry, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
Anna
A
Barnard
David K
DK
Smith
D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D008823:Micelles; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011485:Protein Binding; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
D008024:Ligands; D008823:Micelles; D011506:Proteins; D004247:DNA