Chapter 2 - Preparation and applications of self-assembled natural and synthetic nanostructures

Abstract

Nanostructures fabricated from biological building blocks have attracted a lot of researchers’ attention due to their potential application in nanobiotechnology. Self-assembly of such nanostructures is a spontaneous process by which molecules/nanophase entities will materialize into organized aggregates. Many biomolecules, such as proteins and peptides, can interact and self-assemble into highly ordered supramolecular architectures with functionalities that form helical ribbons, fibrous scaffolds, and many more. Proteins and peptides show good interaction with metals, semiconductors, and ions, paving the way for design of new smart materials. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a biomolecule that can be combined with other entities through chemical self-assembly to form desired nanomaterials. The unique structure and self-recognition property of DNA can be utilized to generate self-assembling DNA nanostructures of specific shapes using a “bottom-up” approach. The unique information storage capacity of DNA is used for various applications, for example, as a logic sensor for multiple sequence signals. These nanostructures can be studied by circular dichroism spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, rheology, cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering and atomic force microscopy, fluorescence resonance energy transfer, and laser scanning confocal microscopy. In this chapter we highlight the preparation of such nanostructures as nanotubes, nanofibrils, nanowires, spherical vesicles, and hybrids through self-assembly, the subsequent improvement of their properties and their possible applications.