Supramolecular chemistry offers an exciting opportunity to assemble materials with molecular precision. However, there remains an unmet need to turn molecular self-assembly into functional materials and devices. Harnessing the inherent properties of both disordered proteins and graphene oxide (GO), we report a disordered protein-GO co-assembling system that through a diffusion-reaction process and disorder-to-order transitions generates hierarchically organized materials that exhibit high stability and access to non-equilibrium on demand. We use experimental approaches and molecular dynamics simulations to describe the underlying molecular mechanism of formation and establish key rules for its design and regulation. Through rapid prototyping techniques, we demonstrate the system’s capacity to be controlled with spatio-temporal precision into well-defined capillary-like fluidic microstructures with a high level of biocompatibility and, importantly, the capacity to withstand flow. Our study presents an innovative approach to transform rational supramolecular design into functional engineering with potential widespread use in microfluidic systems and organ-on-a-chip platforms.

We report on combined experimental and theoretical investigations of the water/micelle interface of cationic, anionic, zwitterionic, and non-ionic surfactants using a new hydrophobic acid-base indicator 2,6dinitro-4-n-dodecylphenol. The indices of the so-called apparent ionization constant, app a pK , of the indicator fixed in the micellar pseudophase are determined by the spectrophotometric method. The data allows estimating the Stern layer's electrostatic potential of the ionic micelles . Molecular Dynamics modeling was used to locate the dye molecule and, in particular, its ionizing group OH  Owithin the micelles of the studied surfactants. The comparison of the  values estimated using 2,6-dinitro-4-ndodecylphenol with both our computer simulation and literature experimental results reveals obstacles in monitoring electrical interfacial potentials. In particular, the  values of the surfactant micelles with alkylammonium groups determined via 2,6-dinitro-4-n-dodecylphenol are overestimated. The reason is specific interactions of the indicator anion with the surfactant head groups. For anionic surfactants, however, this indicator is quite suitable, which is confirmed by the location of HA and Aequilibrium forms in the pseudophase.

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Present experimental methods do not have sufficient resolution to investigate all processes in virus particles at atomistic details. We report the results of molecular dynamics simulations and analyze the connection between the number of ions inside an empty capsid of PCV2 virus and its stability. We compare the crystallographic structures of the capsids with unresolved N-termini and without them in realistic conditions (room temperature and aqueous solution) and show that the structure is preserved. We find that the chloride ions play a key role in the stability of the capsid. A low number of chloride ions results in loss of the native icosahedral symmetry, while an optimal number of chloride ions create a neutralizing layer next to the positively charged inner surface of the capsid. Understanding the dependence of the capsid stability on the distribution of the ions will help clarify the details of the viral life cycle that is ultimately connected to the role of packaged viral genome inside the capsid.

The all-atom model of an MS2 bacteriophage particle without its genome (the capsid) was built using high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy (EM) measurements for initial conformation. The structural characteristics of the capsid and the dynamics of the surrounding solution were examined using molecular dynamics simulation. The model demonstrates the overall preservation of the cryo-EM structure of the capsid at physiological conditions (room temperature and ions composition). The formation of a dense anion layer near the inner surface and a diffuse cation layer near the outer surface of the capsid was detected. The flow of water molecules and ions across the capsid through its pores were quantified, which was considerable for water and substantial for ions.