Multivalency as a Chemical Organization and Action Principle

Jens Dernedde,Ernst‐Walter Knapp,Carlo Fasting,Oliver Seitz,Marcus Weber,Christoph A Schalley,Beate Koksch,Stefan Hecht,Christina Graf,Rainer Haag

doi:10.1002/anie.201201114

Abstract

Multivalent interactions can be applied universally for a targeted strengthening of an interaction between different interfaces or molecules. The binding partners form cooperative, multiple receptor-ligand interactions that are based on individually weak, noncovalent bonds and are thus generally reversible. Hence, multi- and polyvalent interactions play a decisive role in biological systems for recognition, adhesion, and signal processes. The scientific and practical realization of this principle will be demonstrated by the development of simple artificial and theoretical models, from natural systems to functional, application-oriented systems. In a systematic review of scaffold architectures, the underlying effects and control options will be demonstrated, and suggestions will be given for designing effective multivalent binding systems, as well as for polyvalent therapeutics.

Highlights

This article is part of the Thematic Series "Multivalency as a chemical organization and action principle"
Multivalency is a key principle in nature to establish strong, and reversible chemical interactions between two units, e.g., a receptor and a ligand, viruses and host cells, or between two cell surfaces
Multivalent binding is based on multiple simultaneous molecular recognition processes and plays an important role in the self-organization of matter, in biological recognition processes as well as in signal transduction in biological systems

Summary

Introduction

Address: Institute for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustr. This article is part of the Thematic Series "Multivalency as a chemical organization and action principle". Multivalency is a key principle in nature to establish strong, and reversible chemical interactions between two units, e.g., a receptor and a ligand, viruses and host cells, or between two cell surfaces.

Results

Conclusion