Peptide-Assembled Single-Chain Atomic Crystal Enhances Pluripotent Stem Cell Differentiation to Neurons

Nanomaterials hybridized with biological components have widespread applications. among many candidates, peptides are attractive in that their peptide sequences can self-assemble with the surface of target materials with high specificity without perturbing the intrinsic properties of nanomaterials. Here, a 1D hybrid nanomaterial was developed through self-assembly of a designed peptide. A hexagonal coiled-coil motif geometrically matched to the diameter of the inorganic nanomaterial was fabricated, whose hydrophobic surface was wrapped along the axis of the hydrophobic core of the coiled coil. Our morphological and spectroscopic analyses revealed rod-shaped, homogeneous peptide-inorganic nanomaterial complexes. Culturing embryonic stem cells on surfaces coated with this peptide-assembled single-chain atomic crystal increased the growth and adhesion of the embryonic stem cells. The hybridized nanomaterial also served as an ECM for brain organoids, accelerating the maturation of neurons. New methods to fabricate hybrid materials through peptide assembly can be applied.