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Spatially Controlled Supramolecular Polymerization of Peptide Nanotubes by Microfluidics
Author(s) -
MéndezArdoy Alejandro,
BayónFernández Alfonso,
Yu Ziyi,
Abell Chris,
Granja Juan R.,
Montenegro Javier
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.202000103
Subject(s) - polymerization , supramolecular chemistry , microfluidics , circular dichroism , materials science , nanotechnology , monomer , self assembly , supramolecular assembly , polymer , chemical engineering , chemistry , crystallography , molecule , organic chemistry , engineering , composite material
Despite the importance of spatially resolved self‐assembly for molecular machines, the spatial control of supramolecular polymerization with synthetic monomers had not been experimentally established. Now, a microfluidic‐regulated tandem process of supramolecular polymerization and droplet encapsulation is used to control the position of self‐assembled microfibrillar bundles of cyclic peptide nanotubes in water droplets. This method allows the precise preferential localization of fibers either at the interface or into the core of the droplets. UV absorbance, circular dichroism and fluorescence microscopy indicated that the microfluidic control of the stimuli (changes in pH or ionic strength) can be employed to adjust the packing degree and the spatial position of microfibrillar bundles of cyclic peptide nanotubes. Additionally, this spatially organized supramolecular polymerization of peptide nanotubes was applied in the assembly of highly ordered two‐dimensional droplet networks.