Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Directed Assembly of Elastin-like Proteins into defined Supramolecular Structures and Cargo Encapsulation In Vitro
Published on: April 8, 2020
De novo design of supercharged, unfolded protein polymers, and their assembly into supramolecular aggregates
Anke Kolbe1, Loretta L del Mercato, Azhar Z Abbasi
1Department of Polymer Chemistry, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
Here we report for the first time the design and expression of highly charged, unfolded protein polymers based on elastin-like peptides (ELPs). Positively and negatively charged variants were achieved by introducing lysine and glutamic acid residues, respectively, within the repetitive pentapeptide units. Subsequently it was demonstrated that the monodisperse protein polyelectrolytes with precisely defined amino acid compositions, sequences, and stereochemistries can be transferred into superstructures exploiting their electrostatic interactions. Hollow capsules were assembled from oppositely charged protein chains by using the layer-by-layer technique. The structures of the capsules were analyzed by various microscopy techniques revealing the fabrication of multilayer containers. Due to their low toxicity in comparison to other polyelectrolytes, supercharged ELPs are appealing candidates for the construction of electrostatically induced scaffolds in biomedicine.
Related Concept Videos
Protein Folding
Protein Structure Is Critical to Its Biological Function
Proteins perform a wide range of biological functions such as catalyzing chemical reactions, providing...
Protein Folding
Protein Complex Assembly
Many viruses self-assemble into a fully functional unit using the infected host cell to...
Molecular Chaperones and Protein Folding
The...
Amyloid Fibrils
Amyloid deposits were observed as early as 1639 in the liver and the spleen. In 1854, Rudolph Virchow performed iodine staining, normally used to...
Protein Organization

