Self-Assembling Peptides, Conjugates, and Mimics: A Versatile Platform for Materials and Beyond
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Recommendations P eptides are fundamental components of biological systems that are also readily synthesized chemically.Alongside polypeptides, proteins, and their mimics, peptides have emerged over the past few decades as versatile and indispensable molecular building blocks for creating myriad functional materials.While early studies on peptide assembly focused primarily on their pathological roles, such as the formation of amyloid fibrils implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, their potential as materials gained broader recognition in the 1990s.[1][2][3][4][5] Their ability to mediate a wide range of intermolecular interactions�hydrophobic, electrostatic, hydrogen bonding, and more�makes peptides uniquely suited not only for creating advanced functional materials with intricate internal structures and surface patterns but also for exploring fundamental scientific concepts, such as complex phase behavior and dynamic interfacial phenomena.With nearly all the chemical functionalities of proteins, but generally of smaller size and structural simplicity, peptides are readily conjugated with other moieties such as fatty acids, lipids, drugs, sugars, or synthetic macromolecules, to engineer new molecular architectures.2,3,6 This thematic issue of Accounts of Chemical Research highlights cutting-edge peptide materials research, showcasing how these molecular building blocks are leveraged to drive innovations across diverse scientific and technological domains.The selected Accounts in this collection emphasize the chemical principles underlying the development of structures and materials formed through the self-assembly of peptides, polypeptides, proteins, and their mimics.For example, Xu and colleagues delve into enzyme-instructed self-assembly (EISA), where enzymatic reactions guide the formation of local peptide assemblies.7 By leveraging chemistry at the molecular scale, EISA enables the creation of dynamic, stimuli-responsive materials with applications in cancer therapeutics.The insights provided by this work illuminate how enzymatic catalysis can be a powerful tool for controlling peptide assembly and functionality.Similarly, Deming highlights sulfur-containing amino acids as chemical switches that modulate polypeptide material properties under physiologically relevant conditions.8 This strategy integrates chemical specificity with material functionality, enabling applications ranging from therapeutics to diagnostics.Next, Yan and co-workers examine the transition from ordered to disordered peptide assemblies, providing molecular-level insights into how chemical factors drive these transitions.9 Their work highlights the potential of peptide chemistry in developing sustainable biomaterials.
Source: Accounts of Chemical Research
Authors: Honggang Cui, Matthew Tirrell
Language: English
Subfield: Biomaterials
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4406680958