Supramolecular functional assemblies: dynamic membrane transporters and peptide nanotubular composites

NOTICE: This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Fuertes A, Juanes M, Granja J, Montenegro J. Supramolecular functional assemblies: dynamic membrane transporters and peptide nanotubular composites. Chem Commun. 2017;53(56):7861-7871. [doi: 10.1039/C7CC02997G]. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with RSC Terms and Conditions for self-archivingThe fabrication of functional molecular devices constitutes one of the most important current challenges for chemical sciences. The complex processes accomplished by living systems continuously demand the assistance of non-covalent interactions between molecular building blocks. Additionally, these building blocks (proteins, membranes, nucleotides) are also constituted by self-assembled structures. Therefore, supramolecular chemistry is the discipline required to understand the properties of the minimal self-assembled building blocks of living systems and to develop new functional smart materials. In the first part of this feature article, we highlight selected examples of the preparation of supramolecular membrane transporters with special emphasis in the application of dynamic covalent bonds. In the second section of the paper we review recent breakthroughs in the preparation of peptide nanotubes hybrids with functional applications. The development of these devices constitutes an exciting process from where we can learn how to understand and manipulate supramolecular functional assembliesWe acknowledge funding from the Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) (CTQ2014-59646-R and CTQ2016-78423-R), the Xunta de Galicia (ED431G/09 and 2016-AD031) and the ERDF. A. F. and M. J. received F. P. U. and F. P. I. fellowships from MECD and MINECO. J. M. received a Ramon y Cajal Grant (RYC-2013-13784), an ERC Starting Investigator Grant (DYNAP-677786) and a Young Investigator Grant from the Human Frontier Research Program (RGY0066/2017)S