Dynamic microfluidic control of supramolecular peptide self-assembly

Area of Science:

• Supramolecular chemistry
• Materials science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Supramolecular polymers exhibit dynamic organization crucial for their function.
• Controlling the dimensions and polarity of these nano-assemblies remains a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate precise control over the growth and shrinkage of diphenylalanine nano-assemblies.
• To explore the use of microfluidics for fine-tuning nano-assembly dimensions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized minimalistic diphenylalanine building blocks for nano-assembly formation.
• Employed microfluidics with micron-scale pillars to create differential local environments.
• Subjected peptide nanotubes to varying monomer flow saturation levels to control assembly and disassembly.
• Applied a simplified kinetic model and direct real-time microscopy for analysis.
• Conducted atomistic simulations to understand growth mechanisms.

Main Results:

• Achieved controlled growth and shrinkage of peptide nano-assemblies via microfluidic manipulation.
• Observed unidirectional or bidirectional axial dimension variations in different peptide derivatives.
• Atomistic simulations revealed that end-group asymmetry dictates unidirectional growth, correlating with crystalline symmetry.

Conclusions:

• Established a method for rational control of nano-material dimensions using microfluidics.
• The findings lay the groundwork for advanced applications in biomedicine and material science.
• Demonstrated the potential of diphenylalanine as a versatile building block for tunable nano-structures.