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Protein and Protein Structure

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Proteins are one of the most abundant organic molecules in living systems and have the most diverse range of functions of all macromolecules. Proteins may be structural, regulatory, contractile, or protective. They may serve in transport, storage, or membranes; or they may be toxins or enzymes. Their structures, like their functions, vary greatly. They are all, however, amino acid polymers arranged in a linear sequence.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 11, 2025

Designing Silk-silk Protein Alloy Materials for Biomedical Applications

Designing Silk-silk Protein Alloy Materials for Biomedical Applications

Published on: August 13, 2014

From Protein Building Blocks to Functional Materials.

Yi Shen^1,2, Aviad Levin¹, Ayaka Kamada¹

¹Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.

|March 24, 2021

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers are exploring protein nanofibrils as sustainable building blocks for advanced materials. These natural proteins can be assembled into diverse structures, offering eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic polymers.

Keywords:

biomaterial condensate drug delivery fiber film gel microfluidic protein self-assembly

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Last Updated: Nov 11, 2025

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Area of Science:

Materials Science
Biotechnology
Supramolecular Chemistry

Background:

Proteins serve as natural high-performance materials, fulfilling structural and active roles (e.g., silk, collagen, cytoskeleton).
Increasing interest in utilizing proteins for sustainable, next-generation functional materials.
Protein nanofibrils are key supramolecular units in forming macroscopic protein-based materials.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the multiscale assembly of protein nanofibrils into novel supramolecular architectures.
To discuss the formation of diverse material systems from protein nanofibrils.
To highlight emerging processing and assembly approaches, particularly microfluidics, for tailored functionality.

Main Methods:

Review of literature on protein nanofibril assembly and material fabrication.
Focus on supramolecular chemistry principles for material design.
Emphasis on microfluidic techniques for controlled protein assembly.

Main Results:

Protein nanofibrils can be assembled into various material forms: gels, films, fibers, micro/nanogels, condensates, and active materials.
Assembly strategies enable tailored functionality beyond natural evolutionary roles.
Microfluidic approaches offer precise control over protein self-assembly.

Conclusions:

Protein nanofibrils represent a versatile platform for creating sustainable, high-performance materials.
These materials utilize natural, biocompatible, and biodegradable feedstocks.
Potential to rival synthetic polymers in performance and versatility across various applications.