Peptide‐Based Nanotubes and Their Applications in Bionanotechnology

Abstract

In nature, biological nanomaterials are synthesized under ambient conditions in a natural microscopic‐sized laboratory, such as a cell. Biological molecules, such as peptides and proteins, undergo self‐assembly processes in vivo and in vitro, and these monomers are assembled into various nanometer‐scale structures at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The self‐assembled peptide nanostructures can be further organized to form nanowires, nanotubes, and nanoparticles via their molecular‐recognition functions. The application of molecular self‐assemblies of synthetic peptides as nanometer‐scale building blocks in devices is robust, practical, and affordable due to their advantages of reproducibility, large‐scale production ability, monodispersity, and simpler experimental methods. It is also beneficial that smart functionalities can be added at desired positions in peptide nanotubes through well‐established chemical and peptide syntheses. These features of peptide‐based nanotubes are the driving force for investigating and developing peptide nanotube assemblies for biological and non‐biological applications.

Synthesis and Characterization of Various Protein <i>α</i>-Lactalbumin Nanotubes Structures by Chemical Hydrolysis Method

“…In this regard S. Banta et al in 2007 researched about engineering of protein and peptide building blocks for nanotechnology usage [7] and the interactions that lead to the formation of these structures include chiral dipole-dipole interactions, π-π stacking, hydrogen bonds, nonspecific Van der Waals interactions, hydrophobic forces, electrostatic interactions, and repulsive steric forces [8]. Biological molecules such as peptides and proteins undergo self-assembly processes in vivo and in vitro, and these monomers are assembled into various nanometer-scale structures at room temperatures and atmospheric pressure [9]. The self-assembled protein and peptide nanostructures can be further organized to form various nanowires, nanotubes, and nanoparticles via their molecular-recognition functions.…”

Genetically Modified Collagen‐like Triple Helix Peptide as Biomimetic Template THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN RETRACTED

“…Nanowires grown on biomolecular templates received attention since the recognition functions of these biomolecules with specific ligands can be tuned to wire molecular electronic devices with desired geometries. [1][2][3] Most of the biomolecular-nanowire templates from DNAs or peptides need to be fabricated for them to function in a suitable electric device, and there is an extensive effort to coat them with metals and semiconductors. [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] While these biomolecular-nanowire templates appear to be promising building blocks for nanodevices, it is essential to have size monodispersity, rigidness, and product yield to impact the real world.…”

Atomistic organization and characterization of tube-like assemblies comprising peptide–polymer conjugates: computer simulation studies

“…Self-assembled peptide-based nanotubes have gained broad attention because of their high biocompatibility and the extraordinary ability to control their properties through modications introduced to the monomeric unit. 22 Although small linear peptides [23][24][25] and even protein fragments extracted from natural motifs [26][27][28][29][30] (e.g. le-handed b-helices) can be also used as organizer units of pepide-based nanotubes (Fig.…”