Issue 35, 2017

Multiscale simulations for understanding the evolution and mechanism of hierarchical peptide self-assembly

Abstract

Hierarchical self-assembly, abundant in biological systems, has been explored as an effective bottom-up method to fabricate highly ordered functional superstructures from elemental building units. Biomolecules, especially short peptides consisting of several amino acids, are a type of elegant building blocks due to their advantages of structural, mechanical, and functional diversity as well as high biocompatibility and biodegradability. The hierarchical self-assembly of peptides is a spontaneous process spanning multiple time and length scales under certain thermodynamics and kinetics conditions. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms of dynamic processes is crucial to directing the construction of complicated biomimetic systems with multiple functionalities. Multiscale molecular simulations that combine and systematically link several hierarchies can provide insights into the evolution and dynamics of hierarchical self-assembly from the molecular level to the mesoscale. Herein, we provided an overview of the simulation hierarchies in the general field of peptide self-assembly modeling. In particular, we highlighted multiscale simulations for unraveling the mechanisms underlying the dynamic self-assembly process with an emphasis on weak intermolecular interactions in the process stages and the energies of different molecular alignments as well as the role of thermodynamic and kinetic factors at the microscopic level.

Graphical abstract: Multiscale simulations for understanding the evolution and mechanism of hierarchical peptide self-assembly

Article information

Article type
Perspective
Submitted
26 mar 2017
Accepted
09 máj 2017
First published
09 máj 2017

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2017,19, 23614-23631

Multiscale simulations for understanding the evolution and mechanism of hierarchical peptide self-assembly

C. Yuan, S. Li, Q. Zou, Y. Ren and X. Yan, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2017, 19, 23614 DOI: 10.1039/C7CP01923H

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements