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Updated: Apr 18, 2026

Formation of Ordered Biomolecular Structures by the Self-assembly of Short Peptides
Published on: November 21, 2013
Stacking interactions by two Phe side chains stabilize and orient assemblies of even the minimal amphiphilic β-sheet
Shlomo Zarzhitsky, Zarzhitsky Shlomo1, T P Vinod
1Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel. hannarap@bgu.ac.il.
Abstract:
Here we demonstrate that the smallest possible motif of the amphiphilic and pleated β-strand structure can be generated using tri-peptides stabilized by π-π stacking interactions. Monitoring the early stages of Phe-Glu-Phe fibril formation revealed unique angular orientations. Phe-Glu-Phe fibrils were further exploited as adsorbing templates for metal ions.
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