Uncovering Design Principles of Intermediate Filaments, a Self- Assembling Biomaterial: Lessons in Nanoscale Materials Design

摘要

Our broad long-term objective is to create novel biomaterials that advance the technical capabilities of the U.S. Army. In the short term, we seek to design self-assembling biomaterials that are adaptable in their structure and function. To do so, we must understand the molecular physicochemical aspects of biomaterials design, and we use three different systems to study this issue: 1) intermediate filaments, a class of protein with a broad range of structural roles from the nanometer to macroscale, as a model system; (2) self- assembled virus-based nanostructures, and (3) adiponectin, an adipocyteproduced hormone that serves as a soluble model system of higher order collagen. Such proteins may be harnessed for military purposes (eg. protective self-healing materials or nanoscale scaffolds) if one had a better understanding of how molecular structure determines material properties. In this final progress report, we summarize our studies on these systems.