Direct observation of early-time hydrogelation in β-hairpin peptide self-assembly

Triggered hydrogelation of MAX1 peptide, (VK)(4)-(VPPT)-P-D-(KV)(4)-NH2, proceeds through peptide intramolecular folding into beta-hairpins and concomitant self-assembly into branched clusters of well-defined (uniform, 3 nm cross section), semiflexible, beta-sheet-rich nanofibrils. Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy indicates that dangling fibrils extend from one growing cluster to another and lead to early, intercluster communication in solution. At the apparent percolation threshold, the dynamic shear modulus measured by oscillatory theology (G'(omega), G ''(omega) proportional to omega(n)) and the field-intensity autocorrelation function measured by dynamic light scattering (g(1)(tau) proportional to tau(-beta)) show power-law behavior with comparable critical dynamic exponents (n approximate to 0.47 and beta' approximate to 0.45). Finite interpenetration of percolating clusters with smaller clusters, along with permanent intercluster entanglements, increase the network rigidity. The self-assembly of MAX1 peptide was compared and contrasted with the assembly of other biopolymeric networks in literature.