title: Enzyme-triggered hydrogelation via self-assembly of alternating peptides.
abstract: α-Chymotrypsin catalyzed oligomerization of the "dipeptide lego" KL-ethyl ester (OEt) in aqueous media triggers a rapid sol-gel transition due to formation of alternating (KL)x. Resulting mixed chain oligomers, at alkaline pH, self-assemble into β-sheets. Thereafter, intermolecular backbone hydrogen bonding between peptides causes formation of physically entangled nanofibrillar networks.
authors.affiliation: Center for Biocatalysis and Bioprocessing of Macromolecules, The Polytechnic Institute of New York University, Six Metrotech Center, Brooklyn, New York 11201, USA.
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Wenchun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Sai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Jiali
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Han
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Glenn L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Butterfoss
authors.forename: Anne C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Khuong
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Gross
mesh_terms: D002918:Chymotrypsin / Q000737:chemistry*; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D010206:Papain / Q000737:chemistry; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D009842:Oligopeptides; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D002918:Chymotrypsin; C117608:alpha-chymotrypsin; D010206:Papain