Photo-assembling cyclic peptides for dynamic light-driven peptide nanotubes

Cyclic peptides containing a β-unsaturated amino acid are programmed to switch between monomeric form and self-assembled peptide nanotube structures upon light irradiation. The process is triggered by the reversible E-Z isomerization of the unsaturated β-amino acid that forces the peptide to swap from the folded (unassembled) to the flat conformation (assembled). The process is also tuned by the pH media, which provides a double checkpoint control in the molecular assembly of the peptide nanotubes. The light-driven assembly process can be triggered in a confined environment, and the resulting nanotubes allow the inter-vesicle communication, providing droplets with self-fusiogenic properties.