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Probing protein aggregation
02 July 2009
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Soft Matter - still number one!
22 June 2009
2008 has been another great year for Soft Matter, as hot off the press Impact Factor data from ISI® shows.
Contents list for Soft Matter, issue 13, 2009
Front cover
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 2481
DOI: 10.1039/b911308h
Inside front cover
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 2482
DOI: 10.1039/b911309f
Contents
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 2483
DOI: 10.1039/b911312f
Highlights
When a predicted coiled coil is really a single 
-helix, in myosins and other proteins
Michelle Peckham and Peter J. Knight,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 2493
DOI: 10.1039/b822339d
This Highlight reviews single -helices (SAHs), how they are misidentified as coiled-coil domains, how to recognise them, and how they might act as force transducers in proteins.
Colloidal particles composed of amphiphilic molecules binding gadolinium complexes and peptides as tumor-specific contrast agents in MRI: physico–chemical characterization
Mauro Vaccaro, Gaetano Mangiapia, Aurel Radulescu, Karin Schillén, Gerardino D'Errico, Giancarlo Morelli and Luigi Paduano,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 2504
DOI: 10.1039/b820804b
Novel design of selective contrast agents for MRI based on amphiphilic nanostructures is presented. Different morphologies of such aggregates are observed depending on the environmental conditions.
Review
Thermo- and photo-responsive polymeric systems
Sheng Dai, Palaniswamy Ravi and Kam Chiu Tam,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 2513
DOI: 10.1039/b820044k
A review on the recent development of the synthesis, properties and applications of thermo- and photo-responsive polymers, amphiphiles, microgels, hybrids and nanostructures.
Communications
Micro-structure–macro-response
relationship in swollen block copolymer films
Julia Gensel, Clemens Liedel, Heiko G. Schoberth and Larisa Tsarkova,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 2534
DOI: 10.1039/b907332a
Confinement strongly affects the fundamental physical properties of polymer materials. Block copolymer films are shown to exhibit a specific microresponse towards swelling on the level of confined microdomains, as well as film thickness-dependent macroscopic swelling behavior.
DNA gel nanoparticles: preparation and controlling the size
M. C. Morán, F. R. Baptista, A. Ramalho, M. G. Miguel and B. Lindman,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 2538
DOI: 10.1039/b822169c
A simple and novel method has been used for the preparation of nano-/micro-sized DNA gel particles by nebulisation of a solution of DNA (single- or double-stranded) into an oppositely charged surfactant (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) or protein (lysozyme, protamine sulfate) solution.
A facile synthesis of aramide–peptide amphiphiles
Helga Seyler, Christof Storz, Robert Abbel and Andreas F. M. Kilbinger,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 2543
DOI: 10.1039/b903488a
A solid-phase synthesis of well defined aramide–peptide conjugates was developed as a new strategy for preparing peptide amphiphiles that self-assemble into rod-like micelles in water.
Using matrix metalloprotease-9 (MMP-9) to trigger supramolecular hydrogelation
Zhimou Yang, Manlung Ma and Bing Xu,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 2546
DOI: 10.1039/b908206a
Here we report the first example of using MMP-9 to catalyze the formation and self-assembly of a supramolecular hydrogelator and subsequent hydrogelation.
Papers
Wetting and friction on superoleophobic surfaces
Laurent Joly and Thierry Biben,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 2549
DOI: 10.1039/b821214g
The peculiar wetting and friction properties of superoleophobic surfaces are investigated using a free-energy approach, and general optimization principles are suggested accordingly.
A general approach to directing assembly behavior of gold colloids by co-polymer molecules, and tracking and imaging solution nanostructures of the polymer molecules
Ziyi Zhong, Hongting Lee, Shoucang Shen and Aharon Gedanken,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 2558
DOI: 10.1039/b903327k
Self-assembly behaviors of nanosized gold nanoparticles capped with lysine molecules can be directed by that of the co-polymer molecules via creating H-bonding interaction between the lysine and the polymer molecules.
A model liquid crystalline system based on rodlike viruses with variable chirality and persistence length
Edward Barry, Daniel Beller and Zvonimir Dogic,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 2563
DOI: 10.1039/b822478a
Modification of a single amino acid of the major coat protein of filamentous bacteriophage fd changes the chirality and flexibility of the virus, and dramatically alters its macroscopic liquid crystalline phase behavior.
A parameter-free description of the kinetics of formation of loop-less branched structures and gels
Francesco Sciortino, Cristiano De Michele, Silvia Corezzi, John Russo, Emanuela Zaccarelli and Piero Tartaglia,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 2571
DOI: 10.1039/b901436e
A numerical study of the aggregation process in a mixture of particles with functionalities of two and three shows that the kinetics of formation of branched loop-less structures proceeds via a sequence of equilibrium steps, connecting aging and equilibrium properties.
An ion-channel-containing model membrane: structural determination by magnetic contrast neutron reflectometry
Stephen A. Holt, Anton P. Le Brun, Charles F. Majkrzak, Duncan J. McGillivray, Frank Heinrich, Mathias Lösche and Jeremy H. Lakey,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 2576
DOI: 10.1039/b822411k
The resolution in neutron reflection studies on a multi-component ion-channel-containing model membrane tethered to gold substrates has been enhanced by the application of magnetic contrast, enabling the reliable determination of layer thicknesses with Ĺngström precision and of component volume fractions at the 1% level.
Location of probe molecule in double-chain surfactant aggregates in absence and presence of water-soluble polymer by NMR
Yuxia Luan, Aixin Song and Guiying Xu,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 2587
DOI: 10.1039/b900816k
The location of benzyl alcohol in two structurally similar surfactant, sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate and sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate in the absence and presence of water-soluble polymer, poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) is investigated by NMR.
The role of water in transport of ionic liquids in polymeric artificial muscle actuators
Jing Li, Kyle G. Wilmsmeyer, Jianbo Hou and Louis A. Madsen,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 2596
DOI: 10.1039/b904443d
Water dramatically influences ionic liquid behaviors in ionomer membrane actuators. We sensitively quantify water content and its influence on ion diffusionvia in situ NMR spectroscopy and diffusometry.
Modulation of electroactive polymer film dynamics by metal ion complexation and redox switching
Joăo Tedim, Cristina Freire and A. Robert Hillman,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 2603
DOI: 10.1039/b903509e
Viscoelastic properties of [Ni(salen)(crown ether)] conducting polymer films respond to redox state and barium ion complexation. Gravimetrically and viscoelastically controlled acoustic wave resonator responses reveal the underlying compositional explanation.
Static and dynamic structural probing of swollen polyacrylamide ferrogels
J. A. Galicia, F. Cousin, E. Dubois, O. Sandre, V. Cabuil and R. Perzynski,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 2614
DOI: 10.1039/b819189a
Structural and dynamic probing of 
-Fe2O3 nanoparticle distribution in hybrid ferrogels based on polyacrylamide networks shows that local organizations can be either homogeneous or heterogeneous depending on synthesis conditions.
Self-organization of curved living polymers: FtsZ protein filaments
Alfonso Paez, Pedro Tarazona, Pablo Mateos-Gil and Marisela Vélez,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 2625
DOI: 10.1039/b902935d
Monte Carlo simulations of a living-polymer lattice model reproduce the complex patterns observed with atomic force microscopy of FtsZ protein filaments on mica.
Molecular dynamics simulations of polyaminoamide (PAMAM) dendrimer aggregates: molecular shape, hydrogen bonds and local dynamics
Paola Carbone and Florian Müller-Plathe,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 2638
DOI: 10.1039/b820908a
Hydrogen bonds and local dynamics in PAMAM aggregates are studied using Molecular Dynamics simulations. The third generation dendrimers show a flat shape and less interpenetration than the fourth generation ones.
Smart hydrogels based on double responsive triblock terpolymers
Stefan Reinicke, Joachim Schmelz, Alain Lapp, Matthias Karg, Thomas Hellweg and Holger Schmalz,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 2648
DOI: 10.1039/b900539k
Smart hydrogels based on double stimuli-responsive triblock terpolymers show an unique gel–sol–gel transition upon heating, which is accompanied by a strengthening of the hydrogel.
Prediction of solvent dependent 
-roll formation of a self-assembling silk-like protein domain
Marieke Schor, Aernout A. Martens, Frits A. deWolf, Martien A. Cohen Stuart and Peter G. Bolhuis,
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 2658
DOI: 10.1039/b902952d
Replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations predict that the structure of a silk-like polypeptide is solvent dependent. In methanol, the -sheet is stable (left); in water, it transforms into a -roll (right).
Back matter
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 2666
DOI: 10.1039/b911314m
Back cover
Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 2667
DOI: 10.1039/b911315k
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