Highly ordered protein cage assemblies: A toolkit for new materials

Abstract

Protein capsids are specialized and versatile natural macromolecules with exceptional properties. Their homogenous, spherical, rod‐like or toroidal geometry, and spatially directed functionalities make them intriguing building blocks for self‐assembled nanostructures. High degrees of functionality and modifiability allow for their assembly via non‐covalent interactions, such as electrostatic and coordination bonding, enabling controlled self‐assembly into higher‐order structures. These assembly processes are sensitive to the molecules used and the surrounding conditions, making it possible to tune the chemical and physical properties of the resultant material and generate multifunctional and environmentally sensitive systems. These materials have numerous potential applications, including catalysis and drug delivery. This article is categorized under: Biology‐Inspired Nanomaterials > Protein and Virus‐Based Structures

Two-tier supramolecular encapsulation of small molecules in a protein cage

“…De novo design has provided access to an array of novel protein assemblies by traversing unexplored sequence, structure, and fitness landscapes 41 , 42 . Introducing other molecular building blocks to designed assemblies increases the dimensionality of this parameter space exponentially 17 , 18 , 43 – 45 . The emergent properties that result can take us one step closer to matching the structural sophistication and functional elegance that we see in nature.…”

Biomolecule‐Directed Carbon Nanotube Self‐Assembly

“…Proteins fulfil structural, recognition, transport, and catalytic functions, and their self-assembly results in a wide range of materials. [14,[86][87][88][89] Protein-SWCNT biohybrids were widely reported elsewhere [22,[90][91][92] and reviewed for their use in nanobiotechnology, material science, and bioelectronics. [93][94][95] Therefore, this section is limited to the preparation of highly ordered structures that have not yet been reviewed in detail.…”

“…[9,10] Interest in biohybrids research has grown rapidly over the past decades, bridging the fields of chemistry, physics, materials science, nanoscience, biology, and medicine. [11][12][13][14] Biohybrids combine the highly sophisticated functions of biomolecules with the chemical and physical properties of the synthetic component. Among the vast selection of synthetic materials, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) hold a prominent place due to their high conductivity, strength, and elasticity, and relative chemical inertness.…”

Protein cages as building blocks for superstructures

“…The work associated with protein cages that has been summarised in other reviews includes connectability [1], artificial design [29], construction of virus-based protein cages [30], the length scale of the assembly [2], suggested functional manner (e.g. enzyme encapsulation [31]), and the platform of advanced materials [32]. In this review, we will present recent work on protein cage supramolecular self-assembly and categorise the works based on three most widely used strategies that include two non-covalent interactions as the driving force of the assembly (i.e., electrostatic interactions and metal-ligand coordination) and modifications based on the inherent symmetry of protein cages.…”