Journal of the American Chemical Society 2004-02-11

Influence of architecture on the kinetic stability of molecular assemblies.

Amesh B Patel, Stephanie Allen, Martyn C Davies, Clive J Roberts, Saul J B Tendler, Philip M Williams

Index: J. Am. Chem. Soc. 126(5) , 1318-9, (2004)

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Abstract

The strength of a multimolecular system depends on the number of interactions that hold it together. Using dynamic force spectroscopy, we show how the kinetic stability of a system decreases as the number of molecular bonds is increased, as predicted by theory. The data raise important considerations for experimental tests of bond strength and, as a paradigm, suggest both routes to and pitfalls in methods for computational simulation of molecular transitions, such as ligand binding and protein folding.