Yong-Ju Kim

Toroidal nanostructures are symmetrical ring-shaped structures with a central internal pore. Interestingly, in nature, many transmembrane proteins such as β-barrels and α-helical bundles have toroidal shapes. Because of this similarity, toroidal nanostructures can provide a template for the development of transmembrane channels. However, because of the lack of guiding principles for the construction of toroids, researchers have not widely studied the self-assembly of toroidal nanostructures as c

Chiral materials are widely applied in various fields such as enantiomeric separation, asymmetric catalysis, and chiroptical effects, providing stereospecific conditions and environments. Supramolecular concepts to create the chiral materials can provide an insight for emerging chiro-optical properties due to their well-defined scaffolds and the precise functionalization of the surfaces or skeletons. Among the various supramolecular chiral structures, 2D chiral sheet structures are particularly

Here we report the spontaneous formation of switchable sheets in aqueous solution, which is based on bent-shaped aromatic amphiphiles containing m-pyridine units at the terminals and a hydrophilic dendron at the apex. The aromatic segments self-assemble into flat sheets consisting of a zigzag conformation through π-π stacking interactions. Notably, the sheets reversibly transform into helical tubules at higher concentration and into discrete dimeric macrocycles at a lower concentration in respon

Data-driven approaches enable a deep understanding of microstructure and mechanical properties of materials and greatly promote one's capability in designing new advanced materials. Deep learning-based image processing outperforms conventional image processing techniques with unsupervised learning. This study employs a variational autoencoder (VAE) to generate a continuous microstructure space based on synthetic microstructural images. The structure-property relationships are explored using a co

While encouraging progress has been made on switchable nanopores to mimic biological channels and pores, it remains a great challenge to realize long tubular pores with a dynamic open-closed motion. Here we report μm-long, dynamic tubular pores that undergo rapid switching between open and closed states in response to a thermal signal in water. The tubular walls consist of laterally associated primary fibrils stacked from disc-shaped molecules in which the discs readily tilt by means of thermall

Slim guests are welcome: Aromatic macrobicyclic amphiphiles underwent self-assembly through a face-to-face interaction to form dimeric micelles, which further associated laterally to form porous sheets with nanometer-sized pores. The resulting sheets efficiently intercalated planar aromatic guest molecules, whereupon the porous sheets were reversibly transformed into closed sheets (see picture).

We developed a novel regioselective synthesis of tetrasubstituted pyrroles via the classic 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of alpha,beta-unsaturated benzofuran-3(2H)-one and azlactones (1) followed by spontaneous decarboxylation. The complete regiochemical control of tetrasubstituted pyrroles was confirmed by the orthogonal synthesis of complementary regioisomers (7a and 7b) simply by using different azlactones (1a and 1b, respectively).

While proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) hold great potential for persistently reprogramming the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment via targeted protein degradation, precisely activating them in tumor tissues and preventing uncontrolled proteolysis at off-target sites remain challenging. Herein, a light-triggered PROTAC nanoassembly (LPN) for photodynamic indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) proteolysis is reported. The LPN is derived from the self-assembly of prodrug conjugates, which

Although significant progress has been achieved with short peptide nanostructures, the construction of switchable membrane assemblies remains a great challenge. Here we report short α-peptide assemblies that undergo thermo-reversible switching between assembly and disassembly states, triggered by the conformational change of laterally grafted short peptides from a folded α-helix to a random coil conformation. The α-helical peptide based on two oligoether dendron side groups forms flat disks, whi

Various biological systems rely on the supramolecular assembly of biomolecules through noncovalent bonds for performing sophisticated functions. In particular, cell membranes, which are 2D structures in biological systems, have various characteristics such as a large surface, flexibility, and molecule-recognition ability. Supramolecular 2D materials based on biological systems provide a novel perspective for the development of functional 2D materials. The physical and chemical properties of 2D s

The highlight of self-assembly is the reversibility of various types of noncovalent interactions which leads to construct smart nanostructures with switchable pores. Here, we report the spontaneous formation of inflatable nanofibers through the formation of hollow internal channels triggered by guest encapsulation. The molecules that form this unique nanofibers consist of a bent-shaped aromatic segment connected by a m-pyridine unit and a hydrophilic dendron at its apex. The aromatic segments se

One of the great challenges in molecular self-assembly is how to confer self-folding and closing characteristics on flat two-dimensional structures in response to external triggers. Herein, we report a planar ribbon assembly that folds into closed tubules in response to fructose. The ribbons, ≈28 nm wide and 3.5 nm thick, consist of 8 laterally-associated elementary fibrils in which disc-shaped macrocycle amphiphiles are stacked along their axis. Upon addition of fructose, these flat structures