title: Polypeptide nanoribbon hydrogels assembled through multiple supramolecular interactions.
abstract: We investigated the formation of nanoribbon hydrogels in a mixed system of zinc ions, bis(ligand)s, and triblock peptide copolymers. Using a combination of experimental techniques: dynamic light scattering, cryo-transmission electron microscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering and circular dichroism, we arrived at a model for the formation of nanoribbon hydrogels in which well-defined nanoribbons are formed out of multiple supramolecular interactions: (1) metal coordination that yields supramolecular polyelectrolytes; (2) electrostatic complexation between the supramolecular polyelectrolytes and the oppositely charged blocks of the peptide copolymers; (3) hydrogen bond and (4) hydrophobic interactions that support the secondary and ternary structure of the ribbons; (5) van der Waals interactions that enable bundling of the ribbons.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Colloid Science, Wageningen University, Dreijenplein 6, 6703 HB Wageningen, The Netherlands. yunyan@pku.edu.cn
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Arie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Keizer
authors.forename: Aernout A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Martens
authors.forename: Cristiano Luis Pinto
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Jan Skov
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: Frits A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: de Wolf
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Drechsler
authors.forename: Martien A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cohen Stuart
authors.forename: Nicolaas A M
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Besseling
mesh_terms: D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D036103:Nanotechnology; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D020100:Hydrogels; D010455:Peptides