AUTHOR=Jiang Tianyue , Liu Chendan , Xu Xiao , He Bingfang , Mo Ran 

TITLE=Formation Mechanism and Biomedical Applications of Protease-Manipulated Peptide Assemblies

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology

VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/bioengineering-and-biotechnology/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2021.598050

DOI=10.3389/fbioe.2021.598050

ISSN=2296-4185

ABSTRACT=Exploiting enzyme-catalyzed reactions to manipulate molecular assembly has been considered as an attractive bottom-up nanofabrication approach to developing a variety of nano-, micro- and macroscale structures. Upon enzymatic catalysis, peptides and their derivatives transform to assemblable building blocks that form ordered architecture by noncovalent interactions. The peptide assemblies with unique characteristics have great potential for applications in bionanotechnology and biomedicine. In this mini review, we describe typical mechanisms of the protease-instructed peptide assembly via bond-cleaving or bond-forming reactions, and outline biomedical applications of the peptide assemblies, such as drug depot, sustained release, controlled release, gelation-regulated cytotoxicity and matrix construction.