ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the strategies that may be
used to produce molecular materials based on peptides and their
derivatives. Peptides are highly versatile building blocks for the
production of functional molecular materials, as is evident from
the myriad of functional nanoscale structures encountered in living
systems that ultimately drive and sustain life at the molecular level.
Peptides are composed of sequences of amino acids, with the twenty
gene encoded amino acids representing a broad range of chemical
functionalities. The design of peptide sequences that self-assemble
to form higher order structures may be informed by peptide folding
designs found in nature. These are predominantly based on H-
bonding patterns, such as α-helix, β-sheet, and the collagen triple
helix. In addition, a number of designs have been demonstrated
using non-biological sequences, such as cyclic peptides and very
short aromatic peptide sequences. A third option is to combine
peptides with synthetic fragments, such as aromatic, aliphatic
residues, or polymers. In this chapter, a number of approaches
are covered that allow for enhanced control of the self-assembly
process, using applied stimuli such as changes in temperature, pH,
and light. In addition, the ability to drive self-assembly by catalysis
is discussed, as is the use of dynamic covalent chemistry to control
self-assembly. Finally, we discuss how supramolecular functionality
may be achieved using peptide design and applied in the context of
biological and nanotechnology applications.
