Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology Commons^™

Using Simple Self-Assembling Peptides To Attain Novel Protein-Like Functions, Tyler Smith

Honors Capstone Projects - All

Proteins carry out many extremely efficient functions, including catalysis and biomolecule recognition. Underlying this efficiency is their extraordinary complexity and ability to fold into unique three-dimensional structures. Attempts to replicate this efficiency through de novo design have only shown moderate success, and it is unclear how modern-day proteins may have evolved. However, short peptides that alternate hydrophobic and hydrophilic residues can self-assemble into amyloid fibrils to achieve well-defined secondary structure. These aggregates may have served as a template from which the first proteins were derived. We designed self-assembling seven-residue peptides that are able to act as Zn²⁺-dependent esterases. …