| 초록 |
Multifunctional polymer-based hydrogels have been highlighted in various biomedical fields as it has a potential to be used in drug delivery system and tissue engineering. Despite of interest, their long-term effect in in-vivo has not been fully explored and thereby their chronic use has been impeded. Self-assembling biomolecules such as DNA and protein have great advantages for developing a new material in terms of controlling assembly structure and dynamic functionality to integrate biological complexity with tailored, high-level functions in the body (1-3). Here we rationally designed self-assembled β-peptide constructs forming a nanostructure as a hexamer unit, further developing longitudinal nanofibers into a protein-based hydrogel in aqueous solution. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) data revealed end-to-end assembling manner of β-peptide hexamers forming self-assembled nanofibers. Interestingly β-peptide nanofiber is susceptible to wrap single wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) bundles in a way of superhelical mode and sustains their helical structures even above 100 ºC. Through changing the ratio of carbon nanotubes to β-peptide fibers, we successfully modulated electro-physical and chemical properties of hydrogel. The enzymatically and electrochemically enhanced self-assembling peptides and their nanomaterial complexes hold promising future as a new type of biomaterials for biosensor, tissue engineering, and regenerative medical devices. |
