Ligand Molecules Research Articles

Synthesis, structure of luminescence complexes and metalopolymers of Dy(III) and influence of the nature of substitutes on their emission

The new complexes of Dy (III) other β-diketones containing unsaturated, alkyl- and aryl- substituents were obtainted. Their heteroligand complexes with phenanthroline were synthesized. Quantum-chemical calculations of ligand molecules and metal complexes were performed. The main energy characteristics of ligand molecules were calculated: enthalpy of formation, total energy of the molecule and bond lengths, electronic population parameters of ligands. Metal polymers based on synthesized complexes were obtained by the method of radical polymerization. The composition and structure of synthesized complexes and metal polymers are established. It is shown that during polymerization the coordination environment of the central ion remains unchanged. The spectral-luminescent characteristics of the synthesized compounds were studied. The peculiarities of the influence of substituents in the diketonate fragment on the luminescent properties of metal complexes have been established. It is shown that the emission intensity of powdered samples depends on their morphology and dispersion.

LC-MS/MS Bioanalysis of Radioligand Therapeutic Drug Candidate for Preclinical Toxicokinetic Assessment.

Radioligand therapy (RLT) has gained significant momentum in recent years in the diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of cancers. In preclinical development, the safety profile of RLT drug candidate(s) is investigated at relatively low dose levels using the cold (non-radioactive, e.g., 175Lu) ligand as a surrogate of the hot (radioactive, e.g., 177Lu) one in the "ligand-linker-chelator" complex. The formulation of the test article used in preclinical safety studies contains a mixture of free ligand (i.e., ligand-linker-chelator without metal) and cold ligand (i.e., ligand-linker-chelator with non-radioactive metal) in a similar molar ratio as seen under the manufacturing conditions for the RLT drug for clinical use, where only a fraction of free ligand molecules chelate the radioactive metal to form a hot ligand. In this very first report of LC-MS/MS bioanalysis of RLT molecules in support of a regulated preclinical safety assessment study, a highly selective and sensitive LC-MS/MS bioanalytical method was developed for the simultaneous determination of free ligand (NVS001) and cold ligand (175Lu-NVS001) in rat and dog plasma. Several unexpected technical challenges in relation to LC-MS/MS of RLT molecules were successfully addressed. The challenges include poor assay sensitivity of the free ligand NVS001, formation of the free ligand (NVS001) with endogenous metal (e.g., potassium), Ga loss from the Ga-chelated internal standard during sample extraction and analysis, "instability" of the analytes at low concentrations, and inconsistent IS response in the extracted plasma samples. The methods were validated according to the current regulatory requirements in a dynamic range of 0.5-250 ng/mL for both the free and cold ligands using a 25 μL sample volume. The validated method was successfully implemented in sample analysis in support of regulated safety studies, with very good results from incurred sample reanalysis. The current LC-MS/MS workflow can be expanded to quantitative analysis of other RLTs in support of preclinical RLT drug development.

Natural selection of carotenoid binding in Gloeobacter rhodopsin

Energy transfer from the 4-ketocarotenoid antenna (salinixanthin) and echinenone to xanthorhodopsin has been confirmed in Salinibacter ruber and Gloeobacter violaceus, respectively. Hundreds of carotenoids and numerous rhodopsin homologs are spreading across the life domain. Here, we found that ketocarotenoid binds to Gloeobacter rhodopsin (GR), suggesting an increased likelihood of the existence of the carotenoid-rhodopsin complex. Additionally, the recruitment of the secondary chromophore antenna is precisely controlled by rhodopsin. Therefore, comparing the binding of multiple carotenoids is of interest to GR. Particular attention was paid to the structural interaction of ligands within the protein binding pocket. While different degrees of carotenoid association are evident in the GR-carotenoid experimental data and molecular docking results, the retinal isomerization dynamics defined the relative orientation of the β-ionone ring, and structural changes in the protein acted as modest barriers for the best carotenoid for GR. Notably, the selection of carotenoid binding can be summarized in three points: (1) structural matching of a ligand molecule with the binding pocket; (2) strong binding affinity and rapid binding kinetics; (3) dynamic flexibility that is versatile to rhodopsin activation. The selected carotenoids showed significant enhancement in light-driven proton pumping as extra light-harvesting antennae and provided intrinsic protection from stress.

In silico Studies on Potential Inhibitors of the Penicillin Binding Protein 2B (PBP2B) of the Resistant G54 and Intermediate-resistant Hungary 19A-6 and SP195 Strains of Streptococcus Pneumoniae

Background: Mutations in Penicillin Binding Protein 2B (PBP2B) lead to resistance against commercial β-lactam antibiotics among some strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae. In this study, the molecular mechanism of resistance and the alternate strategy for controlling the Penicillin Binding Protein 2B (PBP2B) of resistant G54 and the two intermediate-resistant Hungary19A-6 and SP195 strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae are determined using an in silico approach. Methods: In this study, we considered four ligand compounds, namely ZINC59376795, ZINC36922620, ZINC39550705, and ZINC36953975 of the ZINC database, identified through high-throughput screening (HTS) study for the resistant strain (5204-PBP2B). Glide XP docking and molecular dynamic simulation studies were performed on the PBP2B of the three resistant strains chosen for this study. The stability analysis was performed with prime-MM/GBSA, and the binding free energy, RMSD, and RMSF were also evaluated. Results: Out of the four ligands, the ZINC39550705 ligand was found to form a stable complex with PBP2B of all three strains. Furthermore, this ZINC39550705 ligand was observed to form four hydrogen bonds with the PBP2B of all three strains. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed with these four selected ligands and targets. The resulting binding pattern, RMSD, RMSF, and hydrogen bond calculation analyses provide deeper insight into the molecular interactions of these four selected ligands with the PBP2B of the three resistance strains of S. pneumoniae. Conclusion: The interaction of the selected ligand molecules and PBP2B of the resistant strains of S. pneumoniae revealed that hydroxyl amino acid Thr at position 224, acidic amino acids including Glu at positions 301, 245, and 240, amidic amino acids, Asn at positions 265 and 260, and aliphatic amino acid Gly at the 302 position had a crucial role in the formation of hydrogen bonds with most of the selected ligands that contributed to the stability of the complexes. The molecular dynamics simulation further confirmed that the stability of ligand ZINC39550705–PBP2B of all mutant strains was higher compared to other ligand-protein complexes evaluated in the present study. Selected ligand molecules showed significant properties of the inhibitor to be used against the resistant strains of S. pneumoniae, and the ligand ZINC39550705, in particular, is a potential alternative to commercial β-lactam antibiotics.

Experimental and theoretical vibrational spectral Investigations, structural conformations, DFT estimations and docking studies of antibacterial drug Nitrilotriaceticacid

Nitrilotriaceticacid (NTA) was utilised without additional purification after being bought from Sigma Aldrich Chemical Company in powdered form with 99% purity. Density Functional Theory calculations at B3LYP with a 6-311++G (d,p) level were performed to gain knowledge of molecule geometries, harmonic vibrational spectra, and molecular docking analysis. Vibrational spectral investigations have been carried out with the aid of Normal Coordinate Analysis on the basis of potential energy distribution (PED) of each mode, which helps us to attain a quantitative as well as qualitative analysis of IR and Raman spectra followed by empirical scaled quantum mechanical force field methodology. Natural bond orbital analysis, Fukui analysis, RDG analysis, and Mulliken’s net charges have also been predicted. FMO's energy gap predicts the occurrence of charge transport within molecule. UV–Visible spectral analyses of NTA have been examined by experimental and theoretical calculations. By mapping electron density isosurface with an electrostatic potential surface (ESP), information about the size, shape, charge density distribution, and site of chemical reactivity of the molecules has been acquired. ELF and LOL maps portrayed topological aspects of NTA which also have been depicted. Hyperpolarizability values are in good agreement revealing that these compounds could be employed in electro optical applications. Antibacterial activity reveals that NTA have been found to exhibit antibacterial effects. Docking simulation has been carried out for the optimized ligand molecule to identify binding energy and coupling with protein molecule. NTA molecule underwent a drug likeness test utilising Lipinski's criterion, and using ADMET contour, the molecule is recommended for inclusion in pharmaceuticals.

New Complexes of Antimony(III) with Tridentate O,E,O-Ligands (E = O, S, Se, Te, NH, NMe) Derived from N-Methyldiethanolamine.

We synthesized a series of new antimony(III) compounds by reaction of Sb(OEt)3 with organic ligands of the type E(CH2-CH2-OH)2, with E = NH, NMe, O, S, Se, and Te. The synthesized compounds have the general composition [E(CH2-CH2-O)2]Sb(OEt). For comparison, the compound (O-CH2-CH2-S)Sb(OEt) was prepared. All compounds are characterized using NMR, IR, and Raman spectroscopy. The molecular structures of the products reveal the formation of chelate complexes, wherein the ligand molecules coordinate as tridentate O,E,O-ligands to the antimony atom. Dimer formation in the solid state allows the antimony atoms to reach pentacoordination. Quantum chemical calculations including topological analysis of electron density reveal that there are polar shared bonds between antimony and the oxygen atoms bound to antimony. The interactions between the donor atom E and the Sb atom and the interactions in the dimers can be characterized as Van der Waals interactions. The reactivity of [MeN(CH2-CH2-O)2]Sb(OEt) was investigated as an example. For this purpose, the compound reacted with a range of organic compounds such as carboxylic acids and carboxylic anhydrides and small molecules like CO2 and NH3. This study establishes a new and easy accessible class of antimony(III) compounds, provides new insights into the chemistry of antimony compounds and opens up new opportunities for further research in this field.

Modelling ligand depletion for simultaneous affinity and binding site quantification on cells and tissue

The quantification of the number of targets in biological systems is an important parameter to assess the suitability of surface markers as targets for drugs, drug delivery and medical imaging. Likewise, quantifying the interaction with the target in terms of affinity and binding kinetics is essential during drug development. Commonly used approaches to quantify membrane antigens on live cells are based on manual saturation techniques that are labour-intensive, require careful calibration of the generated signal and do not quantify the binding rates. Here, we present how measuring interactions in real-time on live cells and tissue under ligand depletion conditions can be used to simultaneously quantify the kinetic binding parameters as well as the number of available binding sites in a biological system. Suitable assay design was explored with simulated data and feasibility of the method verified with experimental data for exemplary low molecular weight peptide and antibody radiotracers as well as fluorescent antibodies. In addition to revealing the number of accessible target sites and improving the accuracy of binding kinetics and affinities, the presented method does not require knowledge about the absolute signal generated per ligand molecule. This enables a simplified workflow for use with both radioligands and fluorescent binders.

Ultrathin carbon-embedded nickel oxide layer encapsulating sponge-like nickel for alkaline hydrogen oxidation

For hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR), the kinetics in alkaline media is much sluggish than that in acidic media, and its catalyst mainly relies on noble metal-based materials, so it is of great significance to develop non-noble metal-based efficient HOR catalysts. In this work, based on the strong coordination interaction between transition metal cation and ligand molecule with lone pair electrons, a novel type of nickel-based aerogel-like material (Ni@NiO/C-400) is elaborately constructed. The material is composed of a spongy three-dimensional skeleton and a coated ultrathin layer，while the former is formed by the interconnection of metallic nickel nanorods and the latter contains nickel oxide species and embedded graphitic carbon island. The Ni@NiO/C-400 present certain exchange current density, kinetic current density and mass activity, implying obvious HOR activity. Based on the physicochemical characterization results, the Ni/NiO interface layer is formed on the catalyst surface and is supposed to provide moderate binding energy for H∗ and OH∗ and proposed to be a crucial origin of activity. Due to the accessible adsorption of intermediate species, exposure of active sites and protection for metallic nickel from over-oxidation, along with the favorable electronic conductivity enabled by the embedded graphitic carbon, the unique uneven thin layer on the catalyst surface also plays an important role in catalyzing HOR. Additionally, the three-dimensionally porous nickel framework endows abundant channels for electron transport and mass transfer during alkaline HOR process. The material-architecting strategy proposed in this work paves a new avenue for the rational design of non-noble metal catalysts.

Assembling Triphenylene-Based Metal-Organic Framework Nanosheets at the Air/Liquid Interface: Modification by Tuning the Spread Solution Concentration.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)─crystalline coordination polymers─with unique characteristics such as structural designability accompanied by tunable electronic properties and intrinsic uniform nanopores have become the platform for applications in diverse scientific areas ranging from nanotechnology to energy/environmental sciences. To utilize the superior features of MOF in potential applications, the fabrication and integration of thin films are of importance and have been actively sought. Especially, downsized MOFs into nanosheets can act as ultimately thin functional components in nanodevices and potentially display unique chemical/physical properties rarely seen in bulk MOFs. Assembling nanosheets by aligning amphiphilic molecules at the air/liquid interface has been known as the Langmuir technique. By utilizing the air/liquid interface as a reaction field between metal ions and organic ligands, MOFs are readily formed into the nanosheet state. The expected features in MOF nanosheets including electrical conduction largely depend on the nanosheet characteristics such as lateral size, thickness, morphology, crystallinity, and orientation. However, their control has not been achieved as yet. Here, we demonstrate how changing the concentration of a ligand spread solution can modify the assembly of MOF nanosheets, composed of 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexaiminotriphenylene (HITP) and Ni2+ ions (HITP-Ni-NS), at the air/liquid interface. A systematic increase in the concentration of the ligand spread solution leads to the enlargement of both the lateral size and the thickness of the nanosheets while retaining their perfect alignment and preferred orientation. On the other hand, at much higher concentrations, we find that unreacted ligand molecules are included in HITP-Ni-NS, introducing disorder in HITP-Ni-NS. These findings can develop further sophisticated control of MOF nanosheet features, accelerating fundamental and applied studies on MOFs.

Using Targeted Nano-Antibiotics to Improve Antibiotic Efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus Infections.

The poor bioavailability of antibiotics at infection sites is one of the leading causes of treatment failure and increased bacterial resistance. Therefore, developing novel, non-conventional antibiotic delivery strategies to deal with bacterial pathogens is essential. Here, we investigated the encapsulation of two fluoroquinolones, ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin, into polymer-based nano-carriers (nano-antibiotics), with the goal of increasing their local bioavailability at bacterial infection sites. The formulations were optimized to achieve maximal drug loading. The surfaces of nano-antibiotics were modified with anti-staphylococcal antibodies as ligand molecules to target S. aureus pathogens. The interaction of nano-antibiotics with the bacterial cells was investigated via fluorescent confocal microscopy. Conventional tests (MIC and MBC) were used to examine the antibacterial properties of nano-antibiotic formulations. Simultaneously, a bioluminescence assay model was employed, revealing the rapid and efficient assessment of the antibacterial potency of colloidal systems. In comparison to the free-form antibiotic, the targeted nano-antibiotic exhibited enhanced antimicrobial activity against both the planktonic and biofilm forms of S. aureus. Furthermore, our data suggested that the efficacy of a targeted nano-antibiotic treatment can be influenced by its antibiotic release profile.

PLANET: A Multi-objective Graph Neural Network Model for Protein-Ligand Binding Affinity Prediction.

Predicting protein-ligand binding affinity is a central issue in drug design. Various deep learning models have been published in recent years, where many of them rely on 3D protein-ligand complex structures as input and tend to focus on the single task of reproducing binding affinity. In this study, we have developed a graph neural network model called PLANET (Protein-Ligand Affinity prediction NETwork). This model takes the graph-represented 3D structure of the binding pocket on the target protein and the 2D chemical structure of the ligand molecule as input. It was trained through a multi-objective process with three related tasks, including deriving the protein-ligand binding affinity, protein-ligand contact map, and ligand distance matrix. Besides the protein-ligand complexes with known binding affinity data retrieved from the PDBbind database, a large number of non-binder decoys were also added to the training data for deriving the final model of PLANET. When tested on the CASF-2016 benchmark, PLANET exhibited a scoring power comparable to the best result yielded by other deep learning models as well as a reasonable ranking power and docking power. In virtual screening trials conducted on the DUD-E benchmark, PLANET's performance was notably better than several deep learning and machine learning models. As on the LIT-PCBA benchmark, PLANET achieved comparable accuracy as the conventional docking program Glide, but it only spent less than 1% of Glide's computation time to finish the same job because PLANET did not need exhaustive conformational sampling. Considering the decent accuracy and efficiency of PLANET in binding affinity prediction, it may become a useful tool for conducting large-scale virtual screening.

A Comparative XPS, UV PES, NEXAFS, and DFT Study of the Electronic Structure of the Salen Ligand in the H2(Salen) Molecule and the [Ni(Salen)] Complex.

A comparative study of the electronic structure of the salen ligand in the H2(Salen) molecule and the [Ni(Salen)] complex was performed using the experimental methods of XPS, UV PES, and NEXAFS spectroscopy along with DFT calculations. Significant chemical shifts of +1.0 eV (carbon), +1.9 eV (nitrogen), and -0.4 eV (oxygen) were observed in the 1s PE spectra of the salen ligand atoms when passing from a molecule to a complex, unambiguously indicating a substantial redistribution of the valence electron density between these atoms. It is proposed that the electron density transfer to the O atoms in [Ni(Salen)] occurred not only from the Ni atom, but also from the N and C atoms. This process seemed to be realized through the delocalized conjugated π-system of the phenol C 2p electronic states of the ligand molecule. The DFT calculations (total and partial DOS) for the valence band H2(Salen) and [Ni(Salen)] described well the spectral shape of the UV PE spectra of both compounds and confirmed their experimental identification. An analysis of the N and O 1s NEXAFS spectra clearly indicated that the atomic structure of the ethylenediamine and phenol fragments was retained upon passing from the free salen ligand to the nickel complex.

Real-time label-free detection of dynamic aptamer–small molecule interactions using a nanopore nucleic acid conformational sensor

Nucleic acids can undergo conformational changes upon binding small molecules. These conformational changes can be exploited to develop new therapeutic strategies through control of gene expression or triggering of cellular responses and can also be used to develop sensors for small molecules such as neurotransmitters. Many analytical approaches can detect dynamic conformational change of nucleic acids, but they need labeling, are expensive, and have limited time resolution. The nanopore approach can provide a conformational snapshot for each nucleic acid molecule detected, but has not been reported to detect dynamic nucleic acid conformational change in response to small -molecule binding. Here we demonstrate a modular, label-free, nucleic acid-docked nanopore capable of revealing time-resolved, small molecule-induced, single nucleic acid molecule conformational transitions with millisecond resolution. By using the dopamine-, serotonin-, and theophylline-binding aptamers as testbeds, we found that these nucleic acids scaffolds can be noncovalently docked inside the MspA protein pore by a cluster of site-specific charged residues. This docking mechanism enables the ion current through the pore to characteristically vary as the aptamer undergoes conformational changes, resulting in a sequence of current fluctuations that report binding and release of single ligand molecules from the aptamer. This nanopore tool can quantify specific ligands such as neurotransmitters, elucidate nucleic acid-ligand interactions, and pinpoint the nucleic acid motifs for ligand binding, showing the potential for small molecule biosensing, drug discovery assayed via RNA and DNA conformational changes, and the design of artificial riboswitch effectors in synthetic biology.

Preparation, Characterization of Some Lanthanide(III) Complexes of N'-(phenyl(pyridin-2-yl)methylene)nicotinohydrazide

The present investigation describes the synthesis and structural study of the ligand N'-(phenyl(pyridin-2-yl)methylene)nicotinohydrazide (HL), which was used to generate two type complexes formulated as [Ln(HL)2(NO3)2(H2O)].(NO3) (Ln = La (1) and Pr (2)) and [Ln(HL)2(NO3)(H2O)2].(NO3)2 (Ln = Nd (3), Sm (4), Gd (5) and Tb (6)). The ligand and the complexes are characterized by NMR, UV-Visible and FTIR spectroscopies, conductivity measurements and room temperature magnetic moment measurements. The [La(HL)2(NO3)2(H2O)].(NO3) compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pbcn with the following unit cell parameters: a = 16.8634(8) Å, b = 8.0615(4) Å, c = 30.2833(15) Å, V = 4116.8(3) Å3, Z = 8, R1 = 0.049 and wR2 = 0.120. The structure reveals that two neutral ligand molecules in η3-mode, two bidentate nitrate groups in η2-mode and one water molecule coordinate the central La3+. Each organic molecules acts through one carbonyl oxygen atom, one azomethine nitrogen atom and one nitrogen atom from a pyridine ring. The lanthanide ion has a coordination number of 11 and the coordination environment can be described as distorted pentacapped trigonal prism. Numerous hydrogen bonds link the molecules into three-dimensional network.

COMPLEX FORMATION OF SILVER(I) WITH 1,2,3-BENZOTRIAZOLE. PROTONIZATION CONSTANTS OF 1,2,3-BENZOTRIAZOLE

The acid–base properties of 1,2,3-benzotriazole (Bta) at 25 °C and I = 0.1 mol/l KCl were studied by the pH-metric method in an aqueous solution. It has been established that in the strongly acidic region of the solution, one of the two nitrogen atoms of the pyridine type of the Bta triazole rings undergoes protonation, and at high pH values, hydrogen abstraction occurs from the NH fragment of the molecule. The obtained values of the protonization constants of 1,2,3-benzotriazole are: log K1 = 8.27 and log K2 = 0.65. Using the potential of a silver electrode, the equilibria of silver(I) complexation with 1,2,3-benzotriazole were studied. The data obtained indicate that Ag+replaces the hydrogen ions of the ligand molecule and forms complexes of the following composition AgBta and AgBta2– with stability constants equal to log β1 = 8.50 (AgBta) and logβ2 = 12.65 (AgBta2–), respectively.

Functional Ligand-Enabled Particle Assembly for Bio-Nano Interactions.

ConspectusFunctional ligands consist of a wide range of small or large molecules that exhibit a spectrum of physical, chemical, and biological properties. A suite of small molecules (e.g., peptides) or macromolecular ligands (e.g., antibodies and polymers) have been conjugated to particle surfaces for specific applications. However, postfunctionalization of ligands often presents challenges in controlling the surface density and may require the chemical modification of ligands. As an alternative option to postfunctionalization, our work has focused on using functional ligands as building blocks to assemble particles while maintaining their intrinsic (functional) properties. Through self-assembly or template-mediated assembly strategies, we have developed a range of protein-, peptide-, DNA-, polyphenol-, glycogen-, and polymer-based particles. This Account discusses the assembly of such nanoengineered particles, which includes self-assembled nanoparticles, hollow capsules, replica particles, and core-shell particles, according to three categories of functional ligands (i.e., small molecules, polymers, and biomacromolecules) that are used as building blocks for their formation. We discuss a range of covalent and noncovalent interactions among ligand molecules that have been explored to facilitate the assembly of particles. The physicochemical properties of the particles, including size, shape, surface charge, permeability, stability, thickness, stiffness, and stimuli-responsiveness, can be readily controlled by varying the ligand building block or by tuning the assembly method. By selecting specific ligands as building blocks, the bio-nano interactions (i.e., stealth, targeting, and cell trafficking) can also be modulated. For instance, particles composed mainly of low-fouling polymers (i.e., poly(ethylene glycol)) exhibit an extended blood circulation time (half-life > 12 h), while antibody-based nanoparticles demonstrate that a trade-off between stealth and targeting may be required when designing targeting nanoparticle systems. Small molecular ligands, such as polyphenols, have been used as building blocks for particle assembly as they can interact with various biomacromolecules through multiple noncovalent interactions, retain the function of biomacromolecules within the assembly, enable pH-responsive disassembly when coordinating with metal ions, and facilitate endosomal escape of nanoparticles. A perspective is provided on the current challenges associated with the clinical translation of ligand-based nanoparticles. This Account is also expected to serve as a reference to guide the fundamental research and development of functional particle systems assembled from various ligands for diverse applications.

Metal Halide Perovskite Photo-Field-Effect Transistors with Chiral Selectivity.

Organic-inorganic (hybrid) metal halide perovskites (MHPs) incorporating chiral organic ligand molecules are naturally sensitive to left- and right-handed circular polarized light, potentially enabling selective circular polarized photodetection. Here, the photoresponses in chiral MHP polycrystalline thin films made of ((S)-(-)-α-methyl benzylamine)2PbI4 and ((R)-(+)-α-methyl benzylamine)2PbI4, denoted as (S-MBA)2 PbI4 and (R-MBA)2PbI4, respectively, are investigated by employing a thin-film field-effect transistor (FET) configuration. The left-hand-sensitive films made of (S-MBA)2PbI4 perovskite show higher photocurrent under left-handed circularly polarized (LCP) light than under right-handed circularly polarized (RCP) illumination under otherwise identical conditions. Conversely, the right-hand-sensitive films made of (R-MBA)2PbI4 are more sensitive to RCP than LCP illumination over a wide temperature range of 77-300 K. Furthermore, based on FET measurements, we found evidence of two different carrier transport mechanisms with two distinct activation energies in the 77-260 and 280-300 K temperature ranges, respectively. In the former temperature range, shallow traps are dominant in the perovskite film, which are filled by thermally activated carriers with increasing temperature; in the latter temperature range, deep traps with one order of magnitude larger activation energy dominate. Both types of chiral MHPs show intrinsic p-type carrier transport behavior regardless of the handedness (S or R) of these materials. The optimal carrier mobility for both handedness of material is around (2.7 ± 0.2) × 10-7 cm2 V-1 s-1 at 270-280 K, which is two magnitudes larger than those reported in nonchiral perovskite MAPbI3 polycrystalline thin films. These findings suggest that chiral MHPs can be an excellent candidate for selective circular polarized photodetection applications, without additional polarizing optical components, enabling simplified construction of detection systems.

Developmentally regulated expression of integrin alpha-6 distinguishes neural crest derivatives in the skin.

Neural crest-derived cells play essential roles in skin function and homeostasis. However, how they interact with environmental cues and differentiate into functional skin cells remains unclear. Using a combination of single-cell data analysis, neural crest lineage tracing, and flow cytometry, we found that the expression of integrin α6 (ITGA6) in neural crest and its derivatives was developmentally regulated and that ITGA6 could serve as a functional surface marker for distinguishing neural crest derivatives in the skin. Based on the expression of ITGA6, Wnt1-Cre lineage neural crest derivatives in the skin could be categorized into three subpopulations, namely, ITGA6bright, ITGA6dim, and ITGA6neg, which were found to be Schwann cells, melanocytes, and fibroblasts, respectively. We further analyzed the signature genes and transcription factors that specifically enriched in each cell subpopulation, as well as the ligand or receptor molecules, mediating the potential interaction with other cells of the skin. Additionally, we found that Hmx1 and Lhx8 are specifically expressed in neural crest-derived fibroblasts, while Zic1 and homeobox family genes are expressed in mesoderm-derived fibroblasts, indicating the distinct development pathways of fibroblasts of different origins. Our study provides insights into the regulatory landscape of neural crest cell development and identifies potential markers that facilitate the isolation of different neural crest derivatives in the skin.

Naphthaldehyde-Based Schiff Base Chemosensor for the Dual Sensing of Cu2+ and Ni2+ Ions.

In this study, a simple Schiff base sensor 1-(((4-nitrophenyl)imino)methyl)naphthalen-2-ol(NNM) has been used for chemosensing of metal ions. The metal sensing properties of sensor NNM have been investigated using UV-visible and fluorescence spectroscopic approaches. The spectral investigations revealed a red shift in absorption spectra and quenching in the emission band of the ligand molecule in the presence of Cu2+ and Ni2+ ions. The binding stoichiometry of sensor NNM for the analyte (Cu2+ and Ni2+ ions) has been investigated by the Job's plot analysis and found to be 1:1 (NNM:Analyte). The data of the Benesi-Hildebrand plot demonstrated that NNM detected Cu2+ and Ni2+ ions in nanomolar quantity. The binding insights among NNM and analytes (Cu2+ and Ni2+ ions) have been confirmed by shifted IR signals. Moreover, the reusabilty of the sensor has been investigated using an EDTA solution. In addition, the sensor NNM also successfully applied to real water samples for the identification and measurement of Cu2+ and Ni2+ ions. Hence, this system could be highly applicable in environmental and biological applications.

Quantification, Exchange, and Removal of Surface Ligands on Noble-Metal Nanocrystals.

ConspectusSurface ligands are vital to the colloidal synthesis of noble-metal nanocrystals with well-controlled sizes and shapes for various applications. The surface ligands not only dictate the formation of nanocrystals with diverse shapes but also serve as a colloidal stabilizer to prevent the suspended nanocrystals from aggregation during their synthesis or storage. By leveraging the facet selectivity of some surface ligands, one can further control the sites for growth or galvanic replacement to transform presynthesized nanocrystals into complex structures that are otherwise difficult to fabricate using conventional methods. Furthermore, the presence of surface ligands on nanocrystals also facilitates their applications in areas such as sensing, imaging, nanomedicine, and self-assembly. Despite their popular use in enhancing the properties of nanocrystals and thus optimizing their performance in a wide variety of applications, it remains a major challenge to quantitatively determine the coverage density of ligand molecules, not to mention the difficulty of substituting or removing them without compromising the surface structure and aggregation state of the nanocrystals.In this Account, we recapitulate our efforts in developing methods capable of qualitatively or quantitatively measuring, exchanging, and removing the surface ligands adsorbed on noble-metal nanocrystals. We begin with an introduction to the typical interactions between ligand molecules and surface atoms, followed by a discussion of the Langmuir model that can be used to describe the adsorption of surface ligands. It is also emphasized that the adsorption process may become very complex in the case of a polymeric ligand due to the variations in binding configuration and chain conformation. We then highlight the capabilities of various spectroscopy methods to analyze the adsorbed ligands qualitatively or quantitatively. Specifically, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, Fourier transform infrared, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are three examples of qualitative methods that can be used to confirm the absence or presence of a surface ligand. On the other hand, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry can be used for quantitative measurements. Additionally, the coverage density of a ligand can be derived by analyzing the morphological changes during nanocrystal growth. We then discuss how the ligands present on the surface of metal nanocrystals can be exchanged directly or indirectly to meet the requirements of different applications. The former can be done using a ligand with stronger binding, whereas the latter is achieved by introducing a sacrificial shell to the surface of the nanocrystals. Furthermore, we highlight three additional strategies besides simple washing to remove the surface ligands, including calcination, heating in a solution, and UV-ozone treatment. Finally, we showcase three applications of metal nanocrystals in nanomedicine, tumor targeting, and self-assembly by taking advantage of the diversity of surface ligands bearing different functional groups. We also offer perspectives on the challenges and opportunities in realizing the full potential of surface ligands.