Photoswitchable binding of substrates to proteins : photoregulated binding of α-D-mannopyranose to concanavalin A modified by a thiophenefulgide dye

Macromolecules exhibiting photoswitchable physical or chemical properties are extensively examined as information storage and signal amplification materials. Photoregulated "on-of" biomaterials provide a novel means to design targeted therapeutic agents activated and deactivated by external light signals. Various means to photoregulate biotransformations by light-switchable enzymes have been described and include the modification of the enzyme active site and protein backbone by photochromic components and immobilization of enzymes in photochromic copolymers. Here we wish to report on the photoregulation of the binding properties of a protein by its chemical modification with photochromic units. We describe the photoswitchable binding of saccharides to concanavalin A modified by thiophenefulgide dye