Synlett 2018; 29(05): 560-565
DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1591854
letter
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Bioinspired Catalysis: Self-Assembly of a Protein and DNA as a Catalyst for the Aldol Reaction in Aqueous Media

Hongxin Liu
a   Natural Products Research Center, Chengdu Institution of Biology, Chinese Academy of Science, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P. R. of China   Email: tangzhuo@cib.ac.cn   Email: ligx@cib.ac.cn
b   University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, P. R. of China
,
Guangxun Li*
a   Natural Products Research Center, Chengdu Institution of Biology, Chinese Academy of Science, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P. R. of China   Email: tangzhuo@cib.ac.cn   Email: ligx@cib.ac.cn
b   University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, P. R. of China
,
Ying-wei Wang
c   College of Chemical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P. R. of China
,
Shiqi Zhang
c   College of Chemical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P. R. of China
,
Zhuo Tang*
a   Natural Products Research Center, Chengdu Institution of Biology, Chinese Academy of Science, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P. R. of China   Email: tangzhuo@cib.ac.cn   Email: ligx@cib.ac.cn
b   University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, P. R. of China
› Author Affiliations
We are grateful to the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21402188) and the Sichuan Province Natural Science Foundation of China (2017JY0056).
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 08 September 2017

Accepted after revision: 09 November 2017

Publication Date:
20 December 2017 (online)


Abstract

An interesting bioinspired catalyst formed from readily available DNA and a protein through electrostatic interaction in situ proved to be efficient in catalyzing aldol reactions under mild conditions in water. By using a self-assembling catalytic system formed from protamine and DNA, aldol adducts were obtained with high yields and moderate enantioselectivities. Preliminary experiments demonstrated that the chirality of the DNA could be effectively transferred to the reaction product through the bound molecules or proteins.

Supporting Information