Antifreeze Protein Mimetic Metallohelices with Potent Ice Recrystallization Inhibition Activity

J Am Chem Soc. 2017 Jul 26;139(29):9835-9838. doi: 10.1021/jacs.7b05822. Epub 2017 Jul 18.

Abstract

Antifreeze proteins are produced by extremophile species to control ice formation and growth, and they have potential applications in many fields. There are few examples of synthetic materials which can reproduce their potent ice recrystallization inhibition property. We report that self-assembled enantiomerically pure, amphipathic metallohelicies inhibited ice growth at just 20 μM. Structure-property relationships and calculations support the hypothesis that amphipathicity is the key motif for activity. This opens up a new field of metallo-organic antifreeze protein mimetics and provides insight into the origins of ice-growth inhibition.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antifreeze Proteins / chemistry*
  • Biomimetic Materials / chemistry*
  • Biomimetics
  • Crystallization
  • Ice*
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Organometallic Compounds / chemistry*
  • Particle Size
  • Quantum Theory
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Antifreeze Proteins
  • Ice
  • Organometallic Compounds