Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol.134, No.38, 16047-16053, 2012
Structural and Conformational Dynamics of Self-Assembling Bioactive beta-Sheet Peptide Nanostructures Decorated with Multivalent RNA-Binding Peptides
Understanding the dynamic behavior of nanostructural systems is important during the development of controllable and tailor-made nanomaterials. This is particularly true for nanostructures that are intended for biological applications because biomolecules are usually highly dynamic and responsive to external stimuli. In this Article, we investigated the structural and conformational dynamics of self-assembling bioactive beta-sheet peptide nanostructures using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The model peptide nanostructures are characterized by the cross-beta spine of beta-ribbon fibers and multiple RNA-binding bioactive peptides that constitute the shell of the nanostructures. We found first, that bioactive peptides at the shell of beta-ribbon nanostructure have a mobility similar to that of an isolated monomeric peptide. Second, the periphery of the cross-beta spine is more immobile than the distal part of surface-displayed bioactive peptides. Third, the rotational dynamics of short and long fibrils are similar; that is, the mobility is largely independent of the extent of aggregation. Fourth, peptides that constitute the shell are affected first by the external environment at the initial stage. The cross-beta spine resists its external environment to a certain extent and abruptly disintegrates when the perturbation reaches a certain degree. Our results provide an overall picture of beta-sheet peptide nanostructure dynamics, which should be useful in the development of dynamic self-assembled peptide nanostructures.