Abstract
Enzymatic reactions and supramolecular (i.e., noncovalent) interactions are two fundamental non-genetic attributes of life. Enzymatic noncovalent synthesis (ENS) refers a process that enzymatic reactions control intermolecular noncovalent interactions for spatial organization of higher-order molecular assemblies that exhibit emergent properties. Like enzymatic covalent synthesis (ECS), which enzyme catalyzes the formation of covalent bond to generate individual molecules, ENS is a unifying theme for understanding the functions and locations of molecular ensembles in cellular environments. The works in this thesis intends to provide representative examples to show that nature uses ENS, as a rule of life, to create the ensembles of biomacromolecules for emergent properties in a myriad of cellular functions and processes. The works in this thesis focus on ENS of man-made (or synthetic) molecules in cell-free conditions and in the context of cells by discussing intercellular and subcellular ENS for cell molecular imaging, cancer therapy, and other applications. This thesis aims to serve as an updated introduction for researchers who are interested in exploring noncovalent synthesis for developing molecular science and technologies to address the societal needs.