Self‐assembly of peptides and biomolecular systems into functional nanomaterials
Author(s)
Fares, Malak
Al Musaimi, Othman
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Peptide self-assembly represents a versatile and programmable strategy for generating functional nanomaterials with broad biomedical relevance. This review outlines the physicochemical principles governing assembly, highlighting cooperative noncovalent interactions, hydrogen bonding, π–π stacking, electrostatics and hydrophobic forces that drive hierarchical organisation into supramolecular structures. Key analytical techniques for characterising peptide assemblies and nanostructures are also summarised. The contribution of secondary structural motifs, particularly α-helices and β-sheets, is explored in relation to morphology, stability and biological function. α-Helical coiled-coil peptides form well-defined nanotubular architectures suitable for cargo encapsulation, whereas β-sheet peptides assemble into nanofibrillar networks and hydrogels with tuneable mechanical properties and sustained release profiles, as illustrated by systems such as RQDL10. Beyond peptides, protein and DNA self-assembly further expand the biomolecular design space. Protein-based systems leverage hydrophobic and Debye–Hückel electrostatic interactions to build hierarchical, functional architectures. DNA platforms enable programmable, stimulus-responsive assembly, including enzyme- and logic-controlled activation and hybridisation-driven formation of reversible higher-order nanostructures. Applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine are discussed alongside challenges such as limited in vivo stability, proteolytic degradation and scalability. Emerging approaches—including rational design, sequence engineering and advanced fabrication—aim to improve predictability and reproducibility, positioning biomolecular self-assembly as a unified platform for next-generation biomaterials.
Date Issued
2026-06-01
Date Acceptance
2026-04-29
Citation
Journal of Peptide Science, 2026, 32 (6)
ISSN
1075-2617
Publisher
Wiley
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Peptide Science
Volume
32
Issue
6
Copyright Statement
© 2026 The Author(s). Journal of Peptide Science published by European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
License URL
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
e70101
Date Publish Online
2026-05-06