Researchers have proven that even very small changes in the structure of a molecule can significantly affect the way peptide-based molecules organize and function.
This approach could help develop adaptable peptide-based nanomaterials that could be used in biosensing, bioimaging, smart optical materials, optoelectronics, and molecular electronics.
Peptides are the building blocks of proteins. They can self-organize to form well-ordered structures at the nanoscale. However, controlling this process to achieve desired structures and properties remains a major challenge.
A study by the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology, found that adding just one methylene (–CH₂–) unit between a peptide and a fluorescent pyrene unit can change the structure of the molecule and its self-organisation behaviour.
The research, led by Dr. Gautam Ghosh and his PhD scholar Saurav Moira at the Bengaluru-based centre, also included collaborations with Tarak Nath Das of the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru, and Dr. Ravindra Nath Manna of Ghatal Rabindra Shatvarshiki Mahavidyalaya, West Bengal. The research found that adding a single carbon atom changed the relative positions of various components of the molecule. This resulted in marked variations in molecular packing, supramolecular chirality, fluorescence lifetime behavior, and nanoscale organization, without altering the fundamental peptide structure.
This research presents a useful strategy for developing functional soft materials by controlling the arrangement of molecules rather than making extensive chemical modifications. The research is published in the Royal Society of Chemistry’s journal Polymer Chemistry.
This study demonstrates that even small changes in molecular structure can effectively control the arrangement of molecules and the function of materials. This opens new possibilities for the development of next-generation functional and environmentally responsive biomaterials.