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Ultra-sensitive binding response: Superselectivity and the role of combinatorial entropy in binding

Stefano Angioletti-Uberti¹; Tine Curk^2
1Department of Materials, Imperial College London, UK
²Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, USA

Commentary on

F. Martinez-Veracoechea and D. Frenkel, “Designing super selectivity in multivalent nano-particle binding”, PNAS, 108:10963 (2011), https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1105351108

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Statement of Significance

Multivalency refers to the possibility of both synthetic and natural constructs, e.g., nanoparticles or viruses, to bind their target via multiple ligand-receptor bonds. Super-selectivity is a peculiar property of multivalent binding, first rationalised by Martinez-Veracoechea and Frenkel, and refers to the almost step-like response of the binding probability with respect to the number of receptors on the target. This commentary discusses the physical origins of this phenomenon, and how (combinatorial) entropy provides a fruitful point of view to understand ultra-sensitive responses involving multivalent agents.

How to cite

Cite the commentary as:

S. Angioletti-Uberti & T. Curk, "Ultra-sensitive binding response: Superselectivity and the role of combinatorial entropy in binding",
KIM REVIEW, Volume 2, Article 02, 2024. DOI: 10.25950/4f38ca7d