Honeycomb self-assembled peptide scaffolds by the breath figure method

The self-assembly of molecules into desired architectures is currently a challenging subject for the development of supramolecular chemistry. Here we present a facile "breath figure" assembly process through the use of the self-assembled peptide building block diphenylalanine (L-Phe-L-Phe, FF). Macroporous honeycomb scaffolds were fabricated, and average pore size could be regulated, from (1.00±0.18) μm to (2.12±0.47) μm, through the use of different air speeds. It is indicated that the honeycomb formation is humidity-, solvent-, concentration-, and substrate-dependent. Moreover, water molecules introduced from "breath figure" intervene in the formation of hydrogen bonds during FF molecular self-assembly, which results in a hydrogen bond configuration transition from antiparallel β sheet to parallel β sheet. Meanwhile, as a result of the higher polarity of water molecules, the FF molecular array is transformed from laminar stacking into a hexagonal structure. These findings not only elucidate the FF molecule self-assembly process, but also strongly support the mechanism of breath figure array formation. Finally, human embryo skin fibroblast (ESF) culture experiments suggest that FF honeycomb scaffolds are an attractive biomaterial for growth of adherent cells with great potential applications in tissue engineering.     

Folding versus self-assembling

Model foldable polymers with sequences of rigid hydrophobic chromophores and flexible hydrophilic tetra(ethylene glycol) were synthesized and used as a paradigm for studying molecular-folding and self-assembly phenomena. Our results demonstrate that intramolecular association or folding prevails over intermolecular interaction or self-assembling in the concentration region from 1 microM to 0.1 M. Importantly, folded polymeric nanostructures have absorption and fluorescence properties that are distinct from those of unfolded polymers or free monomers. We hypothesize that the origins of folding and self-assembly come from interactions between molecular units, and that the key parameter that regulates the on-and-off of such interactions is the distance R separating the two molecular units. Each molecular unit produces a characteristic force field, and when another molecular unit enters this field, the probability that the two units will interact increases significantly. A preliminary estimate of the radius of such a force field for the perylene tetracarboxylic diimide chromophore is about 90-120 A. As a result, phenomena associated with folding or self-assembly of molecular species are observed when these conditions are met in solution.     

The effect of polarization on multiple hydrogen-bond formation in models of self-assembling materials

We report density functional theory calculations at the B3LYP/D95(d,p) level on several different cyclic H-bonding dimers, where the monomers of each are connected by a pair of N-H···O=C H-bonding interactions, and the H-bonding donors and acceptors on each monomer are separated by polarizable spacers. Depending on the structures, the individual H-bonds vary in strength (enthalpy) by over a factor of four, from 2.41 to 10.99 kcal/mol. We attribute most of the variation in interaction energies to differences in the extent of polarization due to each of the H-bonds, which can either combine constructively or destructively. The dipole-dipole interactions between the pair of H-bonds also contribute somewhat to the relative stabilities. The relevance of these results to the design of self-assembling materials is discussed.     

Self-assembled light-harvesting peptide nanotubes for mimicking natural photosynthesis

Light-harvesting peptide nanotubes are synthesized by the self-assembly of diphenylalanine with THPP and platinum nanoparticles (nPt; see picture; TEOA = triethanolamine). The light-harvesting peptide nanotubes are suitable for mimicking photosynthesis because of their structure and electrochemical properties that are similar to the ones of photosystem?I in natural photosynthesis.     

Interactions of KLVFF-PEG peptide conjugate with fibrinogen in neutral aqueous solutions

In this work we report on the interaction of KLVFF-PEG with fibrinogen (Fbg) in neutral aqueous solutions at 20 degrees C, for particular ratios of KLVFF-PEG to Fbg concentration, Delta = c(KLVFF-PEG)/c(Fbg). Our results show the formation of Fbg/KLVFF-PEG complexes for Delta > 0, such that there is not an extended network of complexes throughout the solution. In addition, cleaved protein and Fbg dimers are identified in the solution for Delta >or= 0. There is a dramatic change in the tertiary structure of the Fbg upon KLVFF-PEG binding, although the KLVFF-PEG binds to the Fbg without affecting the secondary structure elements of the glycoprotein.     

High-tech applications of self-assembling supramolecular nanostructured gel-phase materials: from regenerative medicine to electronic devices

It is likely that nanofabrication will underpin many technologies in the 21st century. Synthetic chemistry is a powerful approach to generate molecular structures that are capable of assembling into functional nanoscale architectures. There has been intense interest in self-assembling low-molecular-weight gelators, which has led to a general understanding of gelation based on the self-assembly of molecular-scale building blocks in terms of non-covalent interactions and packing parameters. The gelator molecules generate hierarchical, supramolecular structures that are macroscopically expressed in gel formation. Molecular modification can therefore control nanoscale assembly, a process that ultimately endows specific material function. The combination of supramolecular chemistry, materials science, and biomedicine allows application-based materials to be developed. Regenerative medicine and tissue engineering using molecular gels as nanostructured scaffolds for the regrowth of nerve cells has been demonstrated in vivo, and the prospect of using self-assembled fibers as one-dimensional conductors in gel materials has captured much interest in the field of nanoelectronics.     

Self-assembly of amylin(20-29) amide-bond derivatives into helical ribbons and peptide nanotubes rather than fibrils

Uncontrolled aggregation of proteins or polypeptides can be detrimental for normal cellular processes in healthy organisms. Proteins or polypeptides that form these amyloid deposits differ in their primary sequence but share a common structural motif: the (anti)parallel beta sheet. A well-accepted approach for interfering with beta-sheet formation is the design of soluble beta-sheet peptides to disrupt the hydrogen-bonding network; this ultimately leads to the disassembly of the aggregates or fibrils. Here, we describe the synthesis, spectroscopic analysis, and aggregation behavior, imaged by electron microscopy, of several backbone-modified amylin(20-29) derivatives. It was found that these amylin derivatives were not able to form fibrils and to some extent were able to inhibit fibril growth of native amylin(20-29). However, two of the amylin peptides were able to form large supramolecular assemblies, like helical ribbons and peptide nanotubes, in which beta-sheet formation was clearly absent. This was quite unexpected since these peptides have been designed as soluble beta-sheet breakers for disrupting the characteristic hydrogen-bonding network of (anti)parallel beta sheets. The increased hydrophobicity and the presence of essential amino acid side chains in the newly designed amylin(20-29) derivatives were found to be the driving force for self-assembly into helical ribbons and peptide nanotubes. This example of controlled and desired peptide aggregation may be a strong impetus for research on bionanomaterials in which special shapes and assemblies are the focus of interest.     

自组装短肽GFS-2构建新型三维细胞培养支架材料

典型的自组装短肽在水中可形成稳定的β-sheet二级结构,在生理性环境下则能够形成稳定的纳米纤维,可进一步形成含水量达99%的水凝胶,具有高纯度、可降解及无免疫反应等突出优点,能模拟生物体内的三维基质环境而作为细胞三维培养的新型生物材料。本文主要采用了圆二色谱仪、原子力显微镜、倒置显微镜等探究新型短肽GFS-2的自组装性能及其在细胞三维培养中的应用。此研究可能会启发设计更多的新型自组装短肽服务于化学、生物材料、医学工程等领域。     

Alpha,alpha-disubstituted glycines bearing a large hydrocarbon ring: peptide self-assembly through hydrophobic recognition

A method was developed for synthesizing alpha,alpha-disubstituted glycine residues bearing a large (more than 15-membered) hydrophobic ring. The ring-closing metathesis reactions of the dialkenylated malonate precursors proceed efficiently, particularly when long methylene chains tether both terminal olefin groups. Surprisingly, the amino groups of these alpha,alpha-disubstituted glycines are inert to conventional protective reactions (e.g., N-tert-butoxycarbonyl (Boc) protection: Boc(2)O/4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP)/CH(2)Cl(2); N-benzyloxycarbonyl (Z) protection: Z-Cl/DMAP/CH(2)Cl(2)). Curtius rearrangement of the carboxylic acid functionality of the malonate derivative after ring-closing metathesis leads to formation of an amine functionality and can be catalyzed by diphenylphosphoryl azide. However, only the intermediate isocyanates can be isolated, even in the presence of alcohols such as benzyl alcohol. The isocyanates obtained by Curtius rearrangement in an aprotic solvent (benzene) were isolated in high yields and treated with 9-fluorenylmethanol in a high-boiling-point solvent (toluene) under reflux to give the N-9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc)-protected aminomalonate derivatives in high yield. These hydrophobic amino acids can be incorporated into a peptide by Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis and the acid fluoride activation method. The stability of the monomeric alpha-helical structure of a 17-amino-acid peptide was enhanced by replacement of two alanine residues with two hydrophobic amino acid residues bearing a cyclic 18-membered ring. The results of sedimentation equilibrium studies suggested that the peptide assembles into hexamers in the presence of 100 mM NaCl.