pH-Triggered conformational switches based on trans-2-aminocyclohexanol moiety

Abstract

Properly designed trans-2-aminocyclohexanols possess a negative allosteric cooperativity and can serve as powerful conformational pH-triggers. Their protonation leads to a conformational flip due to a strong intramolecular hydrogen bond. This \u27impulse\u27 is mechanically transmitted by the cycle to induce a conformational change of a remote site, thus altering its properties. Variation of NR2 groups allows a tuning of the conformational equilibrium, which was studied by NMR. These triggers were used in pH-sensitive lipid vesicles for drug and gene delivery