Communication

Nanofibers and Lyotropic Liquid Crystals from a Class of Self-Assembling β-Peptides†

  1. William C. Pomerantz2,
  2. Virany M. Yuwono1,
  3. Claire L. Pizzey3,
  4. Jeffery D. Hartgerink Prof.1,
  5. Nicholas L. Abbott Prof.3,
  6. Samuel H. Gellman Prof.2

Article first published online: 8 JAN 2008

DOI: 10.1002/anie.200704372

Issue

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Volume 47, Issue 7, pages 1241–1244, February 1, 2008

Additional Information

How to Cite

Pomerantz, William C., Yuwono, Virany M., Pizzey, Claire L., Hartgerink, Jeffery D., Abbott, Nicholas L. and Gellman, Samuel H. (2008), Nanofibers and Lyotropic Liquid Crystals from a Class of Self-Assembling β-Peptides. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 47: 1241–1244. doi: 10.1002/anie.200704372

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street MS60, Houston, TX 77005, USA, Fax: (+1) 713-348-4201

  2. 2

    Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706, USA, Fax: (+1) 608-265-4534

  3. 3

    Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA, Fax: (+1) 608-262-5434

  1. †

    This research was supported by University of Wisconsin-Madison Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center (NSF grant DMR-0425880). V.M.Y. was supported by the Welch Foundation research grant C-1557. Authors kindly thank PepTech for a generous supply of several β-amino acids at a discounted price and Arun Yethiraj for helpful conversations during the preparation of this manuscript.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 25 JAN 2008
  2. Article first published online: 8 JAN 2008
  3. Manuscript Received: 21 SEP 2007

Funded by

  • University of Wisconsin-Madison Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center
  • NSF. Grant Number: DMR-0425880

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Keywords:

  • liquid crystals;
  • lyotropic phases;
  • nanofibers;
  • peptides;
  • self-assembly
Thumbnail image of graphical abstract

More than a pretty phase: A class of helical β-peptides has been discovered that form lyotropic liquid-crystalline (LC) phases in water. The β-peptide sequence strongly affects the mode of assembly and ultimately whether a LC phase is formed. For a non-globally amphiphilic β-peptide that can form a LC phase, cryo-TEM revealed thin fibers several micrometers in length, consistent with Onsager theory.

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