Biocatalytic Pathway Selection in Transient Tripeptide Nanostructures.

Area of Science:

• Biomimetic chemistry
• Supramolecular chemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Living systems adapt through competing pathways driving molecular assembly/disassembly fueled by chemical energy.
• Understanding these mechanisms is key to designing artificial adaptive systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create a simple biomimetic system demonstrating transient, sequence-dependent supramolecular nanostructure formation.
• To investigate the role of biocatalysis and chemical fuels in controlling assembly dynamics.

Main Methods:

• Utilized α-chymotrypsin as a biocatalyst for peptide formation and hydrolysis.
• Employed dipeptide aspartyl-phenylalanine-methyl ester (aspartame) as a chemical fuel source.
• Analyzed sequence-dependent kinetics and lifetime of self-assembling tripeptides.

Main Results:

• Observed transient supramolecular nanostructures formed via self-assembling tripeptides.
• Demonstrated switch-like pathway selection controlled by peptide sequence.
• Showcased kinetic component selection over thermodynamic control in competing pathways.

Conclusions:

• The developed system mimics biological adaptation by controlling nanostructure dynamics through biocatalysis and peptide sequence.
• Kinetic control, rather than thermodynamic equilibrium, governs component selection in this artificial system.
• This work provides insights into designing responsive and adaptive soft matter.