Design, synthesis, and application of a library of supramolecular structures formed by N-lipidated peptides immobilized on cellulose. Artificial receptors.

An array of supramolecular structures formed from N-lipidated peptides attached to cellulose via aminophenylamino-1,3,5-triazine was synthesized. The structures thus prepared were prone to self-organization and to formation of monolayer of "holes" and "pockets" in dynamic equilibrium, structures which were capable of binding small guest molecules very efficiently recognizing the shape, size, and polarity of ligands, thus resembling artificial receptors. Because of the high flexibility of N-lipidated peptides, it is expected that the host adjusts its shape to wrap guest molecules most efficiently. The selectivity and rate of binding was studied by using triphenylmethyl dyes. It was found that the selectivity of binding depends on the structure of the peptide and the N-lipidic fragment of the receptor and varies with the structure of the analyte. Even tiny structural changes in guest molecules were detected by monitoring the alteration of the binding pattern.