Self-Assembly of Coiled Coils in Synthetic Biology: Inspiration and
Progress
Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 49 (17):
2988--3005 (2010)DOI: 10.1002/anie.200904943
Zusammenfassung
Abstract Biological self-assembly is very complex and results in highly
functional materials. In effect, it takes a bottom-up approach using
biomolecular building blocks of precisely defined shape, size, hydrophobicity,
and spatial distribution of functionality. Inspired by, and drawing
lessons from self-assembly processes in nature, scientists are learning
how to control the balance of many small forces to increase the complexity
and functionality of self-assembled nanomaterials. The coiled-coil
motif, a multipurpose building block commonly found in nature, has
great potential in synthetic biology. In this review we examine the
roles that the coiled-coil peptide motif plays in self-assembly in
nature, and then summarize the advances that this has inspired in
the creation of functional units, assemblies, and systems.