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Updated: Apr 21, 2026

Formation of Ordered Biomolecular Structures by the Self-assembly of Short Peptides
Published on: November 21, 2013
Toll-like receptor agonist lipopeptides self-assemble into distinct nanostructures
Ian W Hamley1, Steven Kirkham, Ashkan Dehsorkhi
1Dept of Chemistry, University of Reading, Whiteknights Reading, RG6 6AD, UK. I.W.Hamley@reading.ac.uk.
Abstract:
The self-assembled structure of toll-like receptor agonist lipopeptides containing the CSK4 peptide sequence is examined in aqueous solution. A remarkable dependence of morphology on the number of attached hexadecyl lipid chains is demonstrated, with spherical micelle structures for mono- and di-lipidated structures observed, but flexible wormlike micelles for the homologue containing three lipid chains. The distinct modes of assembly may have an important influence on the bioactivity of this class of lipopeptide.
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