Balancing the intermolecular forces in peptide amphiphiles for controlling self-assembly transitions.

ABSTRACT: While the influence of alkyl chain length and headgroup size on self-assembly behaviour has been well-established for simple surfactants, the rational control over the pH- and concentration-dependent self-assembly behaviour in stimuli responsive peptides remains an elusive goal. Here, we show that different amphiphilic peptides can have similar self-assembly phase diagrams, providing the relative strengths of the attractive and repulsive forces are balanced. Using palmitoyl-YYAAEEEEK(DO3A:Gd)-NH₂ and palmitoyl-YAAEEEEK(DO3A:Gd)-NH₂ as controls, we show that reducing hydrophobic attractive forces through fewer methylene groups in the alkyl chain will lead to a similar self-assembly phase diagram as increasing the electrostatic repulsive forces via the addition of a glu

SUBMITTER: Buettner CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6432923 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature