The disaccharide trehalose can be found in many organisms that are able to survive in extreme cold or arid environments. According to the “hydration hypothesis,” trehalose interacts with the glycerol/phosphate regions of lipid bilayers and replaces water molecules, therefore preventing ice crystals from puncturing the cell membrane. Glucose, the monomer of trehalose, does not exhibit the same cryoprotective power. In this study, we aim to mimic the cryoprotective properties of trehalose by tethering two glucose molecules together using spacers of up to 20 carbons in length. We hypothesize that long spacers will be able to reach down to the hydrophobic region of the membrane, thus pulling the two glucose moieties within proximity of one another on the membrane surface. A naphthalimide attached to each glucose molecule is designed to act as a water-sensitive fluorescence probe. The effects of these molecules on membrane dynamics, as studied by fluorescence spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry, will be presented. Long-term, these molecules may be useful in cryopreservation of red blood cells.

Tethered glucose molecules in membranes: Can a longer spacer lead to closer approach?

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.