Peptide-Assembled Single-Chain Atomic Crystal Enhances Pluripotent Stem Cell Differentiation to Neurons

Abstract

Nanomaterials hybridized with biological components havewidespreadapplications. among many candidates, peptides are attractive in thattheir peptide sequences can self-assemble with the surface of targetmaterials with high specificity without perturbing the intrinsic propertiesof nanomaterials. Here, a 1D hybrid nanomaterial was developed throughself-assembly of a designed peptide. A hexagonal coiled-coil motifgeometrically matched to the diameter of the inorganic nanomaterialwas fabricated, whose hydrophobic surface was wrapped along the axisof the hydrophobic core of the coiled coil. Our morphological andspectroscopic analyses revealed rod-shaped, homogeneous peptide-inorganicnanomaterial complexes. Culturing embryonic stem cells on surfacescoated with this peptide-assembled single-chain atomic crystal increasedthe growth and adhesion of the embryonic stem cells. The hybridizednanomaterial also served as an ECM for brain organoids, acceleratingthe maturation of neurons. New methods to fabricate hybrid materialsthrough peptide assembly can be applied.