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

Nanomaterials hybridized with biological components have
widespread
applications. among many candidates, peptides are attractive in that
their peptide sequences can self-assemble with the surface of target
materials with high specificity without perturbing the intrinsic properties
of nanomaterials. Here, a 1D hybrid nanomaterial was developed through
self-assembly of a designed peptide. A hexagonal coiled-coil motif
geometrically matched to the diameter of the inorganic nanomaterial
was fabricated, whose hydrophobic surface was wrapped along the axis
of the hydrophobic core of the coiled coil. Our morphological and
spectroscopic analyses revealed rod-shaped, homogeneous peptide–inorganic
nanomaterial complexes. Culturing embryonic stem cells on surfaces
coated with this peptide-assembled single-chain atomic crystal increased
the growth and adhesion of the embryonic stem cells. The hybridized
nanomaterial also served as an ECM for brain organoids, accelerating
the maturation of neurons. New methods to fabricate hybrid materials
through peptide assembly can be applied.