Macromolecular self-assembly is the process according to which Nature ensures efficient mechanisms and the building of functional structures from complex tissues such as skin down to biomacromolecules. For instance, nucleic acids, which are the universal carriers of the genetic information, are also involved in several biochemical processes such as cellular recognition mediated by cell surface receptors. Another example is the class of amyloids, which are proteinaceous fibrils. When functional, these anchor microbes to surfaces and further stabilize the bacterial biofilm. However, amyloids might also be pathogenic. These have indeed been identified in several diseases named amyloidoses such as neurodegenerative disorders, diabetes and cataract.<br/><br/>Amyloids aggregation occurs according to the nucleation polymerization of peptides or proteins. This mechanism can thus be compared to the crystallization driven self-assembly of rod-coil copolymers. Along this line, we therefore adopt both biophysical and biomimetic approaches to both advance the establishment of the mechanism of amyloids aggregation and to eventually identify efficient ways to either prevent amyloids aggregation or disassemble readily formed fibrils. We further consider this mode of amyloids disassembly to identify cures against several diseases in the future and to develop antibacterial surfaces for applications in the biomedical and energy fields (biocorrosion). In parallel, the development of antimicrobial surfaces is studied by either tuning both the intrinsic surface and bulk mechanical properties of soft material or by surface tethering of polymer biohybrids of antimicrobial peptides. Amphiphilic biohybrids of peptide and nucleic acids of suitable composition are of further interest since they do self-assemble in dilute aqueous solution, being the function of the biomacromolecule retained subsequent to suitable grafting and self-assembly. The resulting functional structures are of high potential for application as carriers for sustained and targeted delivery and as biosensors.

Functional self-assembly of biomacromolecules and of their polymer hybrids for applications in the biomedical, environmental and energy fields

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

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