title: Multi-hierarchical self-assembly of a collagen mimetic peptide from triple helix to nanofibre and hydrogel.
abstract: Replicating the multi-hierarchical self-assembly of collagen has long-attracted scientists, from both the perspective of the fundamental science of supramolecular chemistry and that of potential biomedical applications in tissue engineering. Many approaches to drive the self-assembly of synthetic systems through the same steps as those of natural collagen (peptide chain to triple helix to nanofibres and, finally, to a hydrogel) are partially successful, but none simultaneously demonstrate all the levels of structural assembly. Here we describe a peptide that replicates the self-assembly of collagen through each of these steps. The peptide features collagen's characteristic proline-hydroxyproline-glycine repeating unit, complemented by designed salt-bridged hydrogen bonds between lysine and aspartate to stabilize the triple helix in a sticky-ended assembly. This assembly is propagated into nanofibres with characteristic triple helical packing and lengths with a lower bound of several hundred nanometres. These nanofibres form a hydrogel that is degraded by collagenase at a similar rate to that of natural collagen.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Chemistry and Bioengineering Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA.
authors.forename: Lesley E R
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: O'Leary
authors.forename: Jorge A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Fallas
authors.forename: Erica L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Bakota
authors.forename: Marci K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Jeffrey D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Hartgerink
mesh_terms: D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry*; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000737:chemistry*; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry*; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D011485:Protein Binding; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D055672:Static Electricity; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D003094:Collagen