Self-assembly of peptide based nanotubes

The recent advances towards the development of self-assembling peptide based nanotubes are reviewed. The design of this new class of biomaterial is based on the self-assembly of small cyclic peptide subunits. The facile construction of open-ended, hollow nanotubular structures with modifiable external surface characteristics and a hydrophilic interior is made possible with this design. The pore diameter of the nanotubes can be easily modified by simply changing the number of amino acid residues within the cyclic structure. The utility of the nanotubes has been demonstrated with applications such as ion and glucose transport through transmembrane ion channels, and a covalent capture to stabilize kinetically labile cylindrical structures. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.