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Updated: Feb 23, 2026

Author Spotlight: Improving the Production of Self-Assembling Fibers and Peptide Hydrogels for Superior Biocompatibility
Published on: September 6, 2024
Understanding the metal mediated assembly and hydrogel formation of a β-hairpin peptide
Luis M De Leon-Rodriguez1, Yacine Hemar, Alok K Mitra
1School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, 3 Symonds St, Auckland, New Zealand. l.deleon@auckland.ac.nz.
Abstract:
We report the design and characterization of a peptide that assembles as β-hairpins and forms hydrogels under physiological conditions. These hydrogels formed both in the absence and presence of several metal ions and displayed characteristic sheer-thinning properties. In particular, in the presence of Zn2+, we observed a novel hydrogel that proceeded via an intermolecular metal-coordination mechanism - intermolecular assembly that was previously reported instead to promote amyloid type aggregates.
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