Intelligent peptide‐based nanomaterials for targeted antibacterial therapy: Design, properties and applications

Abstract Bacterial infections pose a major threat to human health as well as livestock production. Traditional antibiotics face significant limitations in the complex in vivo environment, including toxic side effects, non‐specific accumulation, and poor pharmacokinetic profiles, posing considerable challenges to effective antibacterial therapy. In this context, intelligent peptide‐based nanomaterials (IPBNs), which can specifically respond to pathological features or external stimuli to target the infection microenvironment are becoming emerging alternatives in the field of antibacterial therapy. However, a comprehensive summary of recent advances in IPBNs for antibacterial applications is still lacking. To this end, we first introduce the non‐covalent interactions that drive the stimuli‐responsive behavior of IPBNs. Subsequently, the response mechanisms and design strategies of IPBNs for different stimuli, including endogenous stimuli, exogenous stimuli, and multiple stimuli, are systematically discussed. In addition, a description of applications related to antimicrobial therapy is included. Finally, the biological properties, challenges, and future development trends of IPBNs are discussed. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive overview of IPBNs from the perspectives of design, mechanisms, properties and applications, aiming to promote more development work and explore their potential in fields such as biomedicine and animal husbandry.