New materials from proteins and peptides
Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 20, 2026

A Tripeptide-Stabilized Nanoemulsion of Oleic Acid
Published on: February 27, 2019
1Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA.
Abstract:
In this review we highlight recent accomplishments in the design of materials from proteins and peptides. Examples include hydrogels made from aggregating designed β-hairpin peptides, whose physical properties respond to small changes in the amino acid composition of the peptide; materials that combine different segments of natural elastomeric proteins - such as elastin, resilin, silk fibroin whose bulk properties are dictated in unanticipated ways by their composition; and hydrogels formed by strings or arrays of protein modules, which are cross-linked by multivalent versions of their peptide ligands, and which may exhibit exquisite stimuli-responsive behavior. The suitability of the unique properties of such new materials for practical applications is also considered.
Related Concept Videos
Peptide Identification Using Tandem Mass Spectrometry
This technique helps gather information regarding the protein from which the peptide was obtained and to study the peptides’ amino acid sequence. Identifying peptides from a complex mixture is an important component of the growing field of...
Peptide Bonds
Protein Folding
Protein Structure Is Critical to Its Biological Function
Proteins perform a wide range of biological functions such as catalyzing chemical reactions, providing...
Proteins: From Genes to Degradation
Transcription is the synthesis of RNA molecules by RNA...
Proteins: From Genes to Degradation
Transcription is the synthesis of RNA molecules by RNA...
Protein Digestion

