Supramolecular hydrogels formed by the conjugates of nucleobases, Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptides, and glucosamine

Here we report the generation of a novel class of supramolecular hydrogelators based on the integration of nucleobases, Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptides, and glucosamine in a single molecule. These novel small molecule hydrogelators self-assemble in water to form stable supramolecular nanofibers/hydrogels and exhibit useful biostability. This approach provides a new opportunity for systematic exploration of the self-assembly of small biomolecules by varying any individual segment to generate a large array of supramolecular hydrogels for biological functions and for biomedical applications.