Brian M Wall

US Patent:

20120101022, Apr 26, 2012

Filed:

Apr 2, 2010

Appl. No.:

13/262742

Inventors:

John Dayton Tovar - Baltimore MD, US
Stephen Robert Diegelmann - Baltimore MD, US
Brian D. Wall - Baltimore MD, US
Geeta Sophie Vadehra - Los Angeles CA, US

Assignee:

THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY - Baltimore MD

International Classification:

A61K 38/02
C07K 7/06
B32B 3/00
C07K 2/00
C07K 1/04
B82Y 40/00
B82Y 5/00

US Classification:

514 11, 530323, 428220, 977788, 977925, 977840

Abstract:

The aqueous self-assembly of oligopeptide-flanked π-conjugated molecules into discrete one-dimensional nanostructures is described. Unique to these molecules is the fact that the π-conjugated unit has been directly embedded within the peptide backbone by way of a synthetic amino acid with π-functionality that is compatible with standard Fmoc-based peptide synthesis or by way of a diacid or other bis(electrophile) that can covalently cross-link peptide chains presented on a synthesis support. The peptide-based molecular designs enforce intimate π-π communication within the aggregates after charge-screening and self-assembly, making these nanostructures attractive for optical or electronic applications in biological environments. In other embodiments, a convenient method to incorporate π-electron units into peptides that assemble into amyloid-like supramolecular polymers is disclosed. Self-assembly manipulates these “electronic peptides” into delocalized sub-10 nm one dimensional (1-D) nanostructures under completely aqueous conditions.