Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 22, 2026

07:26
Formation of Ordered Biomolecular Structures by the Self-assembly of Short Peptides
Published on: November 21, 2013
Possible cage-like nanostructures formed by amino acids
Cui-hong Wang1, Qi Wu, Wen-jie Fan
1Department of Physics and Materials Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry
|May 24, 2012
Summary
Researchers discovered stable, cage-like nanostructures from serine amino acids. These biocompatible structures show potential for targeted drug delivery applications.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Computational Chemistry
- Materials Science
Background:
- Amino acids can self-assemble into complex structures.
- Cage-like nanostructures are of interest for various applications, including drug delivery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the formation and stability of cage-like nanostructures from serine amino acids.
- To explore the potential of these nanostructures for drug delivery.
Main Methods:
- Density functional tight-binding (DFTB) method for binding energy calculations.
- Molecular dynamic simulations to analyze structural stability.
- Vibrational mode analysis to confirm structural properties.
Main Results:
- Identified stable cage-like nanostructures formed by serine octamers and decamers.
- Determined that hydrogen bonds, specifically -COOH···O=C-, stabilize these structures.
- Demonstrated the potential application of these nanostructures for delivering molecules like C(20) and cycloserine.
Conclusions:
- Serine can form stable, cage-like nanostructures with potential for drug delivery.
- The identified stabilization mechanism provides insights for designing novel biocompatible delivery systems.
Related Concept Videos
Protein Organization
Overview
Protein Organization
Proteins are polymers of amino acid residues. They are versatile and responsible for different cellular functions, including DNA replication, molecular transport, catalysis, and structural support. Proteins have a hierarchical structure comprising at least three levels of organization: primary, secondary, and tertiary structure. Some large proteins have a quaternary structure where individual protein subunits are linked together.
The primary structure of a protein is its amino acid sequence.
The primary structure of a protein is its amino acid sequence.
Amyloid Fibrils
Amyloid fibrils are aggregates of misfolded proteins. Under most circumstances, misfolded proteins are either refolded by chaperone proteins or degraded by the proteasome. However, in the case of a mutation or a disease, these proteins can accumulate to form large clusters and often further assemble to form elongated fibers, called 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...
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 Folding
Overview
Protein Folding
Proteins are chains of amino acids linked together by peptide bonds. Upon synthesis, a protein folds into a three-dimensional conformation, critical to its biological function. Interactions between its constituent amino acids guide protein folding, and hence the protein structure is primarily dependent on its amino acid sequence.
Protein Structure Is Critical to Its Biological Function
Proteins perform a wide range of biological functions such as catalyzing chemical reactions, providing...
Protein Structure Is Critical to Its Biological Function
Proteins perform a wide range of biological functions such as catalyzing chemical reactions, providing...
Protein and Protein Structure
Proteins are one of the most abundant organic molecules in living systems and have the most diverse range of functions of all macromolecules. Proteins may be structural, regulatory, contractile, or protective. They may serve in transport, storage, or membranes; or they may be toxins or enzymes. Their structures, like their functions, vary greatly. They are all, however, amino acid polymers arranged in a linear sequence.
A protein's shape is critical to its function. For example, an enzyme can...
A protein's shape is critical to its function. For example, an enzyme can...

