In Chemistry

In chemistry a molecular knot (knotane) is a mechanically-interlocked molecular architecture that is analogous to a macroscopic knot. A molecular knot in a trefoil knot configuration is chiral, having at least two enantiomers. Examples of naturally formed knotanes are DNA and certain proteins. Lactoferrin has an unusual biochemical reactivity compared to its linear analogue. Other synthetic molecular knots have a distinct globular shape and nanometer sized dimensions that make it potential building blocks in nanotechnology. Molecular knots are also referred to by some chemists as "knotanes".