Molecular monolayer nanotubes produced by self‐assembly of an amphiphile modified with a 2‐nitrobenzyl group as a photoresponsive unit are able to encapsulate dinucleotides via electrostatic attraction. Upon photoirradiation, the 18 nm inner diameter of the nanotubes shrinks to less than 2 nm as a result of photochemical cleavage of the 2‐nitrobenzyl group in the amphiphile. This shrinking of the nanotube channels leads to a propulsive release of the dinucleotides into the bulk solution and simultaneously accelerates formation of the dinucleotide duplexes. The larger nanotube channels without photoirradiation merely release each dinucleotide into the bulk solution, indicating that the squeezing via transportation in the narrow nanotube channels is necessary for duplex formation. In addition to the size effect, water with a lower polarity confined within the narrow nanotube channels helps to stabilize the energetically unfavorable hydrogen‐bonded base pair between the dinucleotides. This system should enable researchers to perform biological reactions that occur only in specific environments and conditions in living organisms.

中文翻译：

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用于短核苷酸双链形成的可收缩纳米管

通过将2-硝基苄基修饰为光响应单元的两亲物自组装而产生的分子单层纳米管能够通过静电吸引将二核苷酸包封。光辐照后，由于两亲物中2-硝基苄基的光化学裂解，纳米管的18 nm内径缩小到小于2 nm。纳米管通道的这种收缩导致二核苷酸推进释放到本体溶液中，同时加速了二核苷酸双链体的形成。没有光辐射的较大的纳米管通道仅将每个二核苷酸释放到本体溶液中，这表明在狭窄的纳米管通道中通过运输进行挤压对于形成双链体是必需的。除了尺寸效果之外，限制在窄纳米管通道内的极性较低的水有助于稳定双核苷酸之间在能量上不利的氢键碱基对。该系统应使研究人员能够进行仅在特定环境和条件下发生在生物体内的生物反应。