Nanotube formation by hydrophobic dipeptides.
A wide range of applications has been suggested for peptide-based nanotubes, which first attracted considerable interest as model systems for membrane channels and pores. The intriguing and unprecedented observation of nanotube formation by supramolecular self-assembly of the four dipeptides L-Leu-L-Leu, L-Leu-L-Phe, L-Phe-L-Leu and L-Phe-L-Phe is described here. These simple compounds crystallize with hydrogen-bonded head-to-tail chains in the shape of helices with four to six peptide molecules per turn. The resulting structures have chiral hydrophilic channels with a van der Waals' diameter up to 10 A.
Görbitz
C H
CH
Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Norway. c.h.gorbitz@kjemi.uio.no
D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D019281:Dimerization; D004151:Dipeptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D008958:Models, Molecular; D015394:Molecular Structure; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D012995:Solubility
D004151:Dipeptides; D007473:Ion Channels