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Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Formation of Ordered Biomolecular Structures by the Self-assembly of Short Peptides
Published on: November 21, 2013
Folding and self-assembly of aromatic and aliphatic urea oligomers: towards connecting structure and function
Lucile Fischer1, Gilles Guichard
1Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, Université de Bordeaux-CNRS UMR5248, CBMN, 2 rue R. Escarpit, 33607, Pessac.
Abstract:
Folding and self-assembly of biomacromolecules has inspired the development of discrete, non-natural oligomers that fold and/or self-assemble in a controlled manner. Though aromatic and aliphatic oligoamides remain unmatched for structural diversity and synthetic versatility, oligomers based on amide bond surrogates, such as urea backbones, also demonstrated a propensity for folding and self-assembly. In this Perspective, we review the advances in the design of oligomeric aromatic and aliphatic urea sequences (essentially N,N'-linked) that fold and/or self-assemble. Whenever applicable, the relationship between structure and function will be highlighted.
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