Photoinduced Morphological Transformation in the Azobenzene-Cored Hybrid Peptides

Abstract

Template-directed peptide self-replication provides new insights into origin of life research. We present stimuli-responsive pseudopeptides that undergo reversible morphological transformation upon photoirradiation. These pseudopeptides form vesicles, fibers, and spherical aggregates depending upon the amino acid attached. The light-induced isomerization leads to the morphological changes which strikes similarity to biological self-replication.