All articles tagged with #molecular knot
Scientists have created the world's tightest molecular knot, a trefoil made of 54 atoms, which is 15 atoms smaller than the previous record. The accidental discovery, detailed in a study published in Nature Communications, has practical implications for understanding DNA and other naturally knotting molecules in the human body.
Chemists from the University of Western Ontario and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have accidentally created the smallest and tightest molecular knot ever, consisting of just 54 atoms forming a 'trefoil' knot with no loose ends, surpassing the previous record of 69 atoms. This breakthrough in molecular knot synthesis could have implications for understanding natural knots in DNA, RNA, and proteins, as well as for developing improved plastics and polymers. The knot, made of gold atoms, assembles itself and has a backbone crossing ratio (BCR) of 18, indicating its strength. This achievement could motivate further research into self-assembling molecular structures.