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Review
. 2021 Sep 28:11:268-282.
doi: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2021.09.029. eCollection 2022 May.

Peptide-based nanomaterials: Self-assembly, properties and applications

Tong Li  1   2 , Xian-Mao Lu  1   2   3 , Ming-Rong Zhang  4 , Kuan Hu  2   4 , Zhou Li  1   2   3
Affiliations
Review

Peptide-based nanomaterials: Self-assembly, properties and applications

Tong Li et al. Bioact Mater. .

Abstract

Peptide-based materials that have diverse structures and functionalities are an important type of biomaterials. In former times, peptide-based nanomaterials with excellent stability were constructed through self-assembly. Compared with individual peptides, peptide-based self-assembly nanomaterials that form well-ordered superstructures possess many advantages such as good thermo- and mechanical stability, semiconductivity, piezoelectricity and optical properties. Moreover, due to their excellent biocompatibility and biological activity, peptide-based self-assembly nanomaterials have been vastly used in different fields. In this review, we provide the advances of peptide-based self-assembly nanostructures, focusing on the driving forces that dominate peptide self-assembly and assembly mechanisms of peptides. After that, we outline the synthesis and properties of peptide-based nanomaterials, followed by the applications of functional peptide nanomaterials. Finally, we provide perspectives on the challenges and future of peptide-based nanomaterials.

Keywords: Biosensing; Drug delivery; Peptide-based nanomaterials; Self-assembly; Supercapacitor.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest

Figures

Image 1
Graphical abstract
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The patterns of forces involved in self-assembly and its generated structures [52].
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Factors of influencing self-assembly.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Synthesis of Peptide Nanomaterials (a) The dipeptide monomer dissolved in an organic solvent is applied to siliconized glass, resulting in the formation of a vertically arranged array of peptide nanotubes [94].(b) Schematic of the vapor deposition technique [95]. (c) Control the alignment of FF nanotubes through external fields or different crystallization modes [94,96]. (d) Growth and control of vertical FF peptide microrod array [97].
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Properties of Peptide Nanomaterials. (a)Photostability and optical waveguiding of cyclo-FW crystals [124]. [][](b) Mechanical measurements of Boc-FF crystal [125]. (c) Emission wavelengths in the visible region of PNA [139]. [][](d) Mechanism of the origin of the SP and the predictable FE [148].
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
(a) Schematic illustration for fabrication of the peptide@TiO2 capacitor device [157]. (b) Preparation for peptide-Co9S8 core-shell nanostructures and TENG/SC system [159]. (c)Schematics of the polypeptide-based organic battery [162].
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Application of peptide nanomaterials as biosensing (a) Design of the pathogen-sensor platform assembled from peptide nanotubes [164]. (b) Schematic of the procedure used to manufacture enzymatic electrodes based on peptide nanotubes [165]. (c) Schematic of the peptide-based biosensor for MMP-2 detection [166].
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Application of Drug delivery (a) Schematic representation of the chemical structure and self-assembled PA nanofibers of a classic peptide amphiphile [10]. (b) Schematic presentation of the Wpc peptide [178]. (c) The mechanism of peptide molecular specific recognition, molecular cleavage and in-situ self-assembly [181].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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