Cryo-EM Visualization of Intermolecular π-Electron Interactions within π-Conjugated Peptidic Supramolecular Polymers

Rich-New, Shane T.; Wang, Runlai; Zia, Ayisha; Wang, Fengbin; Tovar, John D.

doi:10.1021/acsmacrolett.5c00360

Cryo-EM Visualization of Intermolecular π-Electron Interactions within π-Conjugated Peptidic Supramolecular Polymers

Journal Article · Mon Jul 21 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · ACS Macro Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.5c00360· OSTI ID:3004229

Rich-New, Shane T. ^[1]; Wang, Runlai ^[2]; Zia, Ayisha ^[1]; ^[1]; ^[2]

University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL (United States)
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (United States)

The self-assembly of “π-peptides” – molecules with π-electron cores substituted with two or more oligopeptide chains – brings organic electronic function into biologically relevant nanomaterials. π-Peptides assemble into fibrillar nanomaterials as driven by enthalpic peptide-based hydrogen bonding networks and pi-core-based quadrupolar interactions. A large body of spectroscopic, morphological and computational studies informs on the nature of the self-assembly process and the resulting nanostructures, but detailed structural information has remained elusive. Here, inspired by the recent use of cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to provide high-resolution structures for synthetic peptide nanomaterials, we present here the use of cryo-EM to offer ca. 3 Å resolution of π-peptide nanomaterial assemblies, visualizing for the first time the nature of the intermolecular π-core electronic interactions responsible for energy transport through these supramolecular materials.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: University of California, Irvine, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: National Cancer Institute; National Institutes of Health (NIH); National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0020322; SC0024303

OSTI ID:: 3004229

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 3004228

Journal Information:: ACS Macro Letters, Journal Name: ACS Macro Letters Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 14; ISSN 2161-1653

Publisher:: American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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