Scalable Biosynthesis of Peptide Building Blocks and Nano Materials

• Isabella Leite, , University of Delaware

• April Kloxin, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering & Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware
• Wilfred Chen, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware
• Christopher Kloxin, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering & Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware

The field of nanotechnology has witnessed remarkable advancements, driving significant breakthroughs in diverse applications such as biomedicine, electronics, and energy. Central to these innovations are the synthesis of peptide building blocks and nano materials, which serve as the foundation for constructing complex nanostructures with tailored properties. Bundlemers are a prime example of this innovation. 

Bundlemers are synthetic peptide bundles formed through the controlled self-assembly of designed coiled-coil sequences. The advantage of using bundlemers lies in their predictable and programmable properties. Through computational design, we can precisely tailor the bundlemers’ characteristics, such as thermal stability, mechanical strength, and surface functionality. 

The coiled-coil motif of Bundlemers is characterized by two or more alpha helices wrapped around each other in a rope-like manner. This motif imparts stability and rigidity to the overall structure and plays a crucial role in various biological functions, such as molecular recognition, signal transduction, and mechanical support. In recent years, researchers have recognized the potential of coiled-coil motifs as versatile building blocks for the design and engineering of Bundlemers. These materials can range from nanoscale assemblies to macroscopic structures, all with tunable properties based on the choice of amino acid sequences and modifications.

However, the conventional synthesis methods often suffer from limitations in scalability, efficiency, and cost, hindering their widespread adoption for large-scale applications. This research presents approaches for the scalable biosynthesis of peptide building blocks and nano materials, namely in Bundlemers. My goal in conducting this research was to investigate ways to scale up the process of protein expression and production while remaining time and cost efficient.