The Plot Thickens: Gelation by Phenylalanine in Water and DimethylSulfoxide

Karol P. Nartowski, Susana M. Ramalhete, Peter C. Martin, Jamie Foster, Margaux Heinrich, Mark D. Eddleston, Hayley Green, Graeme M. Day, Yaroslav Z. Khimyak*, Gareth O. Lloyd

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

22 Citations (Scopus)
60 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Phenylalanine (Phe) is an amino acid of great interest as coupling of an aromatic group with a chiral hydrophilic region imparts a number of unique properties. Recently there has been an increased interest in the crystalline and gel forms of this compound, part as a result of the complex and undetermined structures of the resulting materials and the relationship of the solid forms of Phe with the disease phenylketonuria. In this report, we highlight the relationship between gelation, crystallization, and the dynamics of self-assembly processes of Phe. We do this by describing the gelation of the amino acid, the gel to crystal relationship, crystal structure predictions for this relatively simple compound, and the dynamics of assembly as determined by NMR in both water and dimethyl sulfoxide. This will provide guidance to future research into Phe assemblies, possible treatments for phenylketonuria, and diseases related to formation of amyloid-like fibers.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)4100-4109
Number of pages10
JournalCrystal Growth and Design
Volume17
Issue number8
Early online date30 Jun 2017
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2 Aug 2017

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Chemistry(all)
  • Materials Science(all)
  • Condensed Matter Physics

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The Plot Thickens: Gelation by Phenylalanine in Water and DimethylSulfoxide'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this