Surface-mediated supramolecular self-assembly of protein, peptide and nucleoside derivatives: from surface design to underlying mechanism and tailored functions

Amongst the many parameters that have been explored to exercise control over self-assembly processes, the influence of surface properties on self-assembly has been recognized as important but has received considerably less attention than other factors. This is particularly true for biomolecule-derived self-assembling molecules such as protein, peptide or nucleobase derivatives. Due to their relevance for biomaterial and drug delivery applications, interest in these materials is increasing. As the formation of supramolecular structures from these biomolecule derivatives inevitably brings them into contact with surfaces of surrounding materials, understanding and control of the impact of the properties of these surfaces on the self-assembly process is important. In this review, we present an overview of the different surface parameters that have been used and studied for the direction of the self-assembly of protein, peptide and nucleoside-based molecules. The current mechanistic understanding of these processes will be discussed and potential applications of surface-mediated self-assembly will be outlined