Nucleic acids play central roles in heredity, protein synthesis, and the regulation of cellular activities, inspiring the development of nanotechnology platforms to integrate and realize their biofunctionality. Desirable features for nucleic acid immobilization and biological applications include the loading of nucleic acids of varying sizes and structures, high biocompatibility, and mild fabrication conditions. Herein, we leverage the universal binding affinity of polyphenols and the cell-penetrating capability of cationic polypeptides to develop a versatile approach, whereby diverse types of nucleic acids are readily assembled into nanoparticles through complexation with polyphenols (e.g., tannic acid, TA) followed by capping with a cationic polypeptide (i.e., polyarginine, PArg). The nucleic acids include small-interfering RNA (siRNA), messenger RNA (mRNA), and plasmid DNA (pDNA). The TA–PArg–nucleic acid nanoparticles are primarily stabilized by hydrophobic interactions and electrostatic interactions, enabling a nucleic acid encapsulation efficiency of up to ∼90%. The nanoparticles also display cell-binding affinity, pH-responsiveness, and buffering capacity. These features collectively enable efficient cell internalization of the nanoparticles, pH-responsive release of nucleic acids (e.g., 74% mRNA release at pH 4 vs <20% at pH 7), and endosomal escape, resulting in robust intracellular transfection of siRNA, mRNA, and pDNA. This work provides a pathway to integrate genetic components into polyphenol networks, paving the way for advances in both fundamental and applied research on hybrid biofunctional nanoparticles.
M. Lu, Jingqu Chen, Zhixing Lin et al.· Chemistry of Materials· 0 citations
Securing global food production while reducing environmental burdens demands materials that combine high nutrient use efficiency with sustainability. Polyphenols, a class of natural plant-derived molecules, provide redox activity, multidentate interactions, and strong interfacial adhesion, making them versatile building blocks for bio-derived agricultural systems. This review summarizes recent advances in the molecular design and multifunctional applications of polyphenol-inspired materials across diverse agriculture sectors, including soil remediation, seed coating, nutrient delivery, crop protection, sensing, nitrification inhibition, and food preservation. It focuses on interfacial assembly, structure-property relationships, and environmental interactions of polyphenol-enabled materials, which collectively govern their performance from laboratory tests to field conditions. Key challenges in current agricultural practice-including low precision and high labor dependence, environmental degradation and ecological imbalance, instability under extreme environmental conditions, and low economic efficiency and unsustainability-are also discussed. Finally, future directions centered on precision and smart agriculture, ecosystem protection, climate-resilient plant interfaces, and circular bioeconomy are outlined. This review presents a comprehensive framework that connects molecular innovation to system-level applications, offering a roadmap for future research and the deployment of polyphenols in agriculture.
Haofu Liu, Omid Mazaheri, Zhixing Lin et al.· Advances in Materials· 0 citations
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