Faculty Publications: Belitsky

Belitsky, Jason M. (Chemistry department); Nelson, Alshakim; Stoddart, J. Fraser

Monitoring cyclodextrin–polyviologen pseudopolyrotaxanes with the Bradford assay.
Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry 4 (2): Jan. 2006. pp. 250-256.

This paper reports on Jason Belitsky's post-doctoral research at California NanoSystems Institute and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles. It can be downloaded from the OhioLINK Electronic Journal Center.

Abstract: Self-assembled multivalent pseudopolyrotaxanes, composed of lactoside-bearing cyclodextrin (CD) rings threaded on linear polyviologen polymers, have been introduced recently as flexible and dynamic neoglycoconjugates. In the course of this research, it was found that polyviologens are responsive to the Bradford assay, which is traditionally highly selective for proteins. The response of the pseudopolyrotaxanes to the Bradford assay was dependant on, and thus indicative of, the degree of threading of the CD rings onto the polyelectrolyte. The assay was then used to report on the threading and dethreading of native and lactoside-bearing a-CD rings onto and off of polyviologen chains, a phenomenon which demonstrates the utility of biochemical assays to address problems unique to supramolecular chemistry.