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Updated: Oct 6, 2025

Formation of Ordered Biomolecular Structures by the Self-assembly of Short Peptides
Published on: November 21, 2013
pH-Dependent Self-Assembly of Human Neuropeptide Hormone GnRH into Functional Amyloid Nanofibrils and Hexagonal
Durga Dharmadana1,2, Nicholas P Reynolds3, Charlotte E Conn2
1School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, VIC 3083, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
Abstract:
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is a short human neuropeptide involved in the regulation of sex hormones. We report that GnRH self-assembles into reversible β-sheet-based nanofibrils, with pH-dependent kinetics. At high concentrations, these nanostructures form arrays arranged in liquid crystalline hexagonal phases. Histidine deprotonation with increasing pH can mediate the formation of β-sheet-based precipitates. Our results are relevant to functional amyloids in general, to the intracellular storage process of GnRH within secretory granules, and to peptide hormone drug delivery.
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