title: Directed three-dimensional patterning of self-assembled peptide fibrils.
abstract: Molecular self-assembly is emerging as a viable "bottom-up" approach for fabricating nanostructures. Self-assembled biomolecular structures are particularly attractive, due to their versatile chemistry, molecular recognition properties, and biocompatibility. Among them, amyloid protein and peptide fibrils are self-assembled nanostructures with unique physical and chemical stability, formed from quite simple building blocks; their ability to work as a template for the fabrication of low resistance, conducting nanowires has already been demonstrated. The precise positioning of peptide-based nanostructures is an essential part of their use in technological applications, and their controlled assembly, positioning, and integration into microsystems is a problem of considerable current interest. To date, their positioning has been limited to their placement on flat surfaces or to the fabrication of peptide arrays. Here, we propose a new method for the precise, three-dimensional patterning of amyloid fibrils. The technique, which combines femtosecond laser technology and biotin-avidin mediated assembly on a polymeric matrix, can be applied in a wide variety of fields, from molecular electronics to tissue engineering.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, P.O. Box 527, Vassilika Vouton, 711 10 Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dinca
authors.forename: Emmanouil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kasotakis
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Catherine
authors.forename: Areti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mourka
authors.forename: Anthi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ranella
authors.forename: Aleksandr
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ovsianikov
authors.forename: Boris N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Chichkov
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farsari
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mitraki
authors.forename: Costas
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fotakis
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D001665:Binding Sites; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D010316:Particle Size; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D011485:Protein Binding; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D010455:Peptides