Self-assembling peptide motifs for nanostructure design and applications

This chapter highlights current trends in supramolecular peptide design with an emphasis on the technological aspects of self-assembling peptide systems. The discussion covers progress made over the last few years while providing necessary background information within an unlimited timeframe. Fundamental principles of de novo design form the bedrock of the discussion which is built around specific self-assembled structures and their mainstream applications. Comparisons to naturally occuring analogues guide the rationale for choosing a particular assembly type or material. Therefore, the choice of reviewed designs is biased towards biologically relevant assemblies whose application properties are defined at the supramolecular or nanometer scale. Further comparisons are given in relation to non-peptide materials derived from other molecular classes that are somewhat more traditional for commercial applications. Individual sections are arranged according to application and nanomaterial forms as well as the types of core self-assembly processes. A section describing basic principles of peptide self-assembly gives an introduction to the subject.