Sequence Decoding of 1D to 2D Self-Assembling Cyclic Peptides

Abstract

The inherent ability of peptides to self-assemble with directional and rationally predictable interactions has fostered a plethora of synthetic two-dimensional (2D) supramolecular biomaterials. However, the design of peptides with hierarchical assembly in different dimensions across mesoscopic lengths remains a challenging task. We here describe the structural exploration of a d/l-alternating cyclic octapeptide capable of assembling one-dimensional (1D) nanotubes in water, which subsequently pack laterally to form giant 2D nanosheets up to 500 μm long with a constant 3.2 nm thickness. Specific amino acid mutations allowed the mapping of structure–assembly relationships that determine 2D self-assembly. Nine peptide modifications were studied, revealing key features in the peptide sequence that nanosheets tolerated, while a total of three peptide variants included modifications that compromised their 2D arrangement. These lessons will serve as guide and inspiration for new 2D supramolecular peptide designs.