Peptide nanofibers modified with a protein by using designed anchor molecules bearing hydrophobic and functional...

Self-assembly of peptides and proteins is a key feature of biological functions. Short amphiphilic peptides designed with a beta-sheet structure can form sophisticated nanofiber structures, and the fibers are available as nanomaterials for arranging biomolecules. Peptide FI (H-PKFKIIEFEP-OH) self-assembles into nanofibers with a coiled fine structure, as reported in our previous work. We have constructed anchor molecules that have both a binding moiety for the fiber structure and a functional unit capable of capturing target molecules, with the purpose of arranging proteins on the designed peptide nanofibers. Designed anchors containing an alkyl chain as a binding unit and biotin as a functional moiety were found to bind to peptide fibers FI and F2i (H-ALEAKFAAFEAKLA-NH(2)). The surface-exposed biotin moiety on the fibers could capture an anti-biotin antibody. Moreover, hydrophobic dipeptide anchor units composed of iminodiacetate connected to Phe-Phe or Ile-Ile and a peptide composed of six histidine residues connected to biotin could also connect FI peptide fibers to the anti-biotin antibody through the chelation of Ni(2+) ions. This strategy of using designed anchors opens a novel approach to constructing nanoscale protein arrays on peptide nanomaterials.