structures is highly desired. In addition, development in such fields will open a door
to the preparation of advanced functional biomaterials, which is eagerly demanded
in medicaland biorelated areas.
It is evident that the bioapplication of polypeptide assemblies is one of the most
promising and important directions for research. Based on the ordering packing
of polypeptide segments with α-helix and β-sheet conformations, novel
superstructures in the forms of LCs, gels, and micelles have been sucessfully
created. Although started about 60 years ago in the late 1940s, the ordering of
polypeptides in the fabrication of diverse structures is still at a early stage. The
assembly mechanisms behind the phenomena for LCs, gels, and micelles have not
been well understood. The combination of experiments with computer simulations
is a promising strategy for unveiling the fundamental principles of polypeptide
assembly behavior. The application potential of the polypeptide assemblies has also
not been well evaluated. More research is needed to implement the applications of
polypeptide assemblies, which will further push the advance of polypeptide assembly research. Moreover, since polypeptides resemble proteins in structure, mimicking proteins is a charming aspect of polypeptide research, which could be helpful
for investigating complex protein systems.
Acknowledgements This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China
(50925308 and 21234002), Key Grant Project of Ministry of Education (313020), and National
Basic Research Program of China (No. 2012CB933600). Support from projects of Shanghai
municipality (10GG15 and 12ZR1442500) is also appreciated.
References
1. Deming TJ (1997) Polypeptide materials: new synthetic methods and applications. Adv
Mater 9:299–311
2. Mart RJ, Osborne RD, Stevens URV (2006) Peptide-based stimuli-responsive biomaterials.
Soft Matter 2:822–835
3. Osada K, Kataoka K (2006) Drug and gene delivery based on supramolecular assembly of
PEG-polypeptide hybrid block copolymers. Adv Polym Sci 202:113–153
4. Schlaad H (2006) Solution properties of polypeptide-based copolymers. Adv Polym Sci
202:53–73
5. Carlsen A, Lecommandoux S (2009) Self-assembly of polypeptide-based block copolymer
amphiphiles. Curr Opin Colloid Interface Sci 14:329–339
6. Deming TJ (2007) Synthetic polypeptides for biomedical applications. Prog Polym Sci
32:858–875
7. Banwell EF, Abelardo ES, Adams DJ, Birchall MA, Corrigan A (2009) Rational design and
application of responsive α-helical peptide hydrogels. Nat Mater 8:596–600
8. He C, Zhuang X, Tang Z, Tian H, Chen X (2012) Stimuli-sensitive synthetic polypeptidebased materials for drug and gene delivery. Adv Healthc Mater 1:48–78
9. Lowik DWPM, Leunissen EHP, van den Heuvel M, Hansen MB, van Hest JCM (2010)
Stimulus responsive peptide based materials. Chem Soc Rev 39:3394–3412
10. Choe U-J, Sun VZ, Tan JKY, Kamei DT (2012) Self-assembly polypeptide and polypeptide
hybrid vesicles: from synthesis to application. Top Curr Chem 310:117–134
Ordering of Polypeptides in Liquid Crystals, Gels and Micelles
193
to the preparation of advanced functional biomaterials, which is eagerly demanded
in medicaland biorelated areas.
It is evident that the bioapplication of polypeptide assemblies is one of the most
promising and important directions for research. Based on the ordering packing
of polypeptide segments with α-helix and β-sheet conformations, novel
superstructures in the forms of LCs, gels, and micelles have been sucessfully
created. Although started about 60 years ago in the late 1940s, the ordering of
polypeptides in the fabrication of diverse structures is still at a early stage. The
assembly mechanisms behind the phenomena for LCs, gels, and micelles have not
been well understood. The combination of experiments with computer simulations
is a promising strategy for unveiling the fundamental principles of polypeptide
assembly behavior. The application potential of the polypeptide assemblies has also
not been well evaluated. More research is needed to implement the applications of
polypeptide assemblies, which will further push the advance of polypeptide assembly research. Moreover, since polypeptides resemble proteins in structure, mimicking proteins is a charming aspect of polypeptide research, which could be helpful
for investigating complex protein systems.
Acknowledgements This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China
(50925308 and 21234002), Key Grant Project of Ministry of Education (313020), and National
Basic Research Program of China (No. 2012CB933600). Support from projects of Shanghai
municipality (10GG15 and 12ZR1442500) is also appreciated.
References
1. Deming TJ (1997) Polypeptide materials: new synthetic methods and applications. Adv
Mater 9:299–311
2. Mart RJ, Osborne RD, Stevens URV (2006) Peptide-based stimuli-responsive biomaterials.
Soft Matter 2:822–835
3. Osada K, Kataoka K (2006) Drug and gene delivery based on supramolecular assembly of
PEG-polypeptide hybrid block copolymers. Adv Polym Sci 202:113–153
4. Schlaad H (2006) Solution properties of polypeptide-based copolymers. Adv Polym Sci
202:53–73
5. Carlsen A, Lecommandoux S (2009) Self-assembly of polypeptide-based block copolymer
amphiphiles. Curr Opin Colloid Interface Sci 14:329–339
6. Deming TJ (2007) Synthetic polypeptides for biomedical applications. Prog Polym Sci
32:858–875
7. Banwell EF, Abelardo ES, Adams DJ, Birchall MA, Corrigan A (2009) Rational design and
application of responsive α-helical peptide hydrogels. Nat Mater 8:596–600
8. He C, Zhuang X, Tang Z, Tian H, Chen X (2012) Stimuli-sensitive synthetic polypeptidebased materials for drug and gene delivery. Adv Healthc Mater 1:48–78
9. Lowik DWPM, Leunissen EHP, van den Heuvel M, Hansen MB, van Hest JCM (2010)
Stimulus responsive peptide based materials. Chem Soc Rev 39:3394–3412
10. Choe U-J, Sun VZ, Tan JKY, Kamei DT (2012) Self-assembly polypeptide and polypeptide
hybrid vesicles: from synthesis to application. Top Curr Chem 310:117–134
Ordering of Polypeptides in Liquid Crystals, Gels and Micelles
193