ABSTRACT
Biological supramolecular assemblies, as exemplified by nucleic acid multiplexes, multimeric proteins, nucleic acid-protein complexes and viruses provide a variety of soluble superstructures in the mesoscopic range (ca. 10 to 1000 nm in scale).1 They spontaneously self-assemble in aqueous media by ingeniously employing multiple noncovalent interactions such as electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding, dipole-dipole interactions, and hydrophobic association. Figure 18.1 illustrates the hierarchy of molecular assemblies in biological and synthetic systems. Amino acids are arranged into peptides and proteins that fold into nanostructures. These units may further assemble into mesoscopic structures, such as the tobacco mosaic virus, actin fibers, or microtubules.2
