Multicomponent self-assembly as a tool to harness new properties from peptides and proteins in material design

Abstract

Nature is enriched with a wide variety of complex, synergistic, and highly functional protein-based multicomponent assemblies. As such, nature has served as a source of inspiration for using multicomponent self-assembly as a platform to create highly ordered, complex, and dynamic protein and peptide-based nanostructures. Such an assembly system relies on the initial interaction of distinct individual building blocks leading to the formation of a complex that subsequently assembles into supramolecular architectures. This approach not only serves as a powerful platform for gaining insight into how proteins co-assemble in nature but also offers huge opportunities to harness new properties not inherent in the individual building blocks. In the past decades, various multicomponent self-assembly strategies have been used to extract synergistic properties from proteins and peptides. This review highlights the updates in the field of multicomponent self-assembly of proteins and peptides and summarizes various strategies, including covalent conjugation, ligand-receptor interactions, templated/directed assembly and non-specific co-assembly, for driving the self-assembly of multiple proteins and peptide-based building blocks into functional materials. In particular, we focus on peptide- or protein-containing multicomponent systems that, upon self-assembly, enable the emergence of new properties or phenomena. The ultimate goal of this review is to highlight the importance of multicomponent self-assembly in protein and peptide engineering, and to advocate its growth in the fields of materials science and nanotechnology.

Growth‐Factor Free Multicomponent Nanocomposite Hydrogels That Stimulate Bone Formation

“…Furthermore, given the complex anatomy and physiology of bone, the hydrogel should hold multifunctional properties to recreate key features of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and stimulate cell types of interest. In this context, multicomponent self‐assembly offers an attractive avenue to design hydrogels with multiple building‐blocks, functionalities, and the molecular precision of self‐assembly 29,30…”

“…In this context, multicomponent self-assembly offers an attractive avenue to design hydrogels with multiple building-blocks, functionalities, and the molecular precision of self-assembly. [29,30] In this study, we have developed a three-component selfassembling system that integrates hyaluronic acid (HA), peptide amphiphiles (PAs), and Laponite (Lap). HA is a large ECM polysaccharide ubiquitous in tissues and organs that has been extensively used as a biomaterial due to its biocompatibility and biodegradability.…”

Investigation of α/γ hybrid peptide self‐assembled structures with antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties

“…The cationic peptides, which are amphiphilic in nature, have been reported to self‐assemble and display the antibacterial activity as well as biofilm inhibition with improved stability . The presence of aromatic amino acids in the peptides plays a significant role in the self‐assembling process . Recently, it has been reported that the self‐assembled dipeptide H 2 N‐Phe‐Phe‐COOH (Phe‐Phe) nanostructure displays the antibacterial activity .…”

“…The self-assembling peptides have been proved as versatile molecules to generate different kinds of supramolecular structures with tunable functionality. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] The process of self-assembling in peptides is entirely driven by the properties of the amino acid sequence involving the intermolecular interactions through hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interaction, electrostatic interaction, and π-π interactions. [8][9][10][11] The peptides offer easier structural manipulation, a high degree of conformational control and predictable assembling pattern.…”

A Self‐Assembling Two‐Dimensional Protein Array is a Versatile Platform for the Assembly of Multicomponent Nanostructures

“…Biological macromolecules that undergo spontaneous or programmed self-assembly offer remarkable opportunities to understand how the interplay of sequence, structure, kinetics, and energetics control the outcomes of assembly, while providing useful scaffolds for the fabrication of hierarchical structures, materials, and devices. [1][2][3][4][5] DNA, [6] RNA, [7] peptides, [8] and proteins [9] have all been used to create building blocks that self-or co-associate into well-defined supramolecular assemblies directly upon mixing, or following a change in the external milieu (e.g., pH, temperature, or buffer composition). The resulting structures may be one, two, or three-dimensional, composed of a single or of multiple species, and they may require additional elements such as inorganic or biological interfaces to reach a final assembled state.…”