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Updated: May 30, 2026

Formation of Ordered Biomolecular Structures by the Self-assembly of Short Peptides
Published on: November 21, 2013
The role of self-assembling polypeptides in building nanomaterials
Lei Liu1, Katerina Busuttil, Shuai Zhang
1Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Ny Munkegade 118, Building 152, Aarhus C, Denmark.
Abstract:
Polypeptides are functional biomolecules that play a key role in life science, where they can act as hormones and signaling molecules. They can self-assemble into a variety of nanostructures, including two dimensional (2D) lamellae, one dimensional (1D) nanofibrils and nanotubes, and zero dimensional (0D) nanospheres. The driving force behind these advanced nanomaterials involves weak non-covalent interactions that include hydrogen bonding, and hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions. Here we discuss each of the interactions in relation to self-assembly and provide examples of some novel applications in engineering materials, tissue engineering and nanoelectronics. The overall aim is to provide a comprehensive, yet easily accessible review of the known nanomaterials produced by self-assembling polypeptides, which may lead to the construction of more advanced polypeptide nanostructures for future applications.
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