Themed collection Peptide and protein nanotechnology

Guest editors Rein Ulijn and Roman Jerala introduce the Peptide and protein nanotechnology themed issue of Chemical Society Reviews.

This article highlights the conformation-specific properties and functions of synthetic polypeptides derived from N-carboxyanhydrides.

Successful integration of chemical and physical networks through template assisted replication processes as well as mutualistic associations between polymers facilitates the translation of the macromolecular functions of biology into synthetic frameworks.

This review explores recent efforts in the experimental and computational mapping and searching of the peptide sequence space, or directed discovery, of functional peptide based nanoscale systems and materials.

The cage-forming protein lumazine synthase is readily modified, evolved and assembled with other components.

Nature is enriched with a wide variety of complex, synergistic and highly functional protein-based multicomponent assemblies.

This review presents recent efforts in the development of multicomponent supramolecular peptide assemblies with a focus on multicomponent assemblies derived from β-sheet peptides, low molecular weight peptides, peptide amphiphiles, coiled coil peptides, collagen, and related systems.

The self-assembly of bio-inspired supramolecular polymers can be unravelled using molecular dynamics simulations combined with experiments.

This review summarizes recent advancements in electrical properties and applications of natural proteins and mutated variants, synthetic oligopeptides and peptide–π conjugates.

Peptides can self-assemble to form catalytic aggregates with activities comparable to those of natural enzymes.

Peptide-based nanoprobes can improve the diagnosis, staging, treatment, management, and prognosis of numerous diseases by interfacing with and/or sensing of disease-relevant biomolecules.

Assembly of protein cages across multiple length scales is described, with an emphasis on their use as functional biomaterials.

Peptide– and protein–nanoparticle conjugates have emerged as powerful tools for biomedical applications, enabling the treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of disease.

We review the role of mechanical force in the protein life cycle and give an outlook on mechanochemistry and mechanopharmacology.

This review illustrates the current state in designing coiled-coil-based proteins with an emphasis on coiled coil protein origami structures and their potential.

Silks are natural fibrous protein polymers that are spun by silkworms and spiders. This tutorial review summarizes and highlights recent advances in the use of silkworm silk-based materials in bio-nanotechnology.

Protein engineering provides a means to alter protein structure leading to new functions.

Direct intracellular delivery of proteins using inorganic nanoparticle–protein supramolecular assemblies.

This review highlights the recent advances and future perspective of minimalistic peptide supramolecular co-assembly for nanotechnology.

We discuss the current state of characterising multicomponent low molecular weight gels across all length scales, and the effectiveness of the different techniques that have been used.