Anti-microbial supramolecular structures
Supramolecular structures comprising noncovalently associated peptide amphiphiles and lipids are provided. In particular, provided herein are supramolecular nanostructures of peptide amphiphiles and lipids, co-assembly of which is driven by anion-π interactions, and methods of preparation and use (e.g., as an antimicrobial agent) thereof.
1. A peptide amphiphile comprising a non-peptide hydrophobic tail, a structural peptide segment, and a charged peptide segment, wherein one amino acid in the peptide amphiphile is a pentafluorophenylalanine (Z) residue, wherein the hydrophobic tail is linked to the N-terminus of the structural peptide segment, and the C-terminus of the structural peptide segment is linked to the N-terminus of the charged peptide segment, wherein (1) the structural peptide segment comprises ZVVAAA (SEQ ID NO: 1), VZVAAA (SEQ ID NO: 2), VVZAAA (SEQ ID NO: 3), VVVZAA (SEQ ID NO: 4), VVVAZA (SEQ ID NO: 5), or VVVAAZ (SEQ IS NO: 6), (2) the charged peptide segment comprises ZE (SEQ ID NO: 29), EZ (SEQ ID NO: 30), ZEE (SEQ ID NO: 31), EZE (SEQ ID NO: 32), or EEZ (SEQ ID NO: 33), or (3) both (1) and (2).
2. The peptide amphiphile of claim 1 , wherein the non-peptide hydrophobic tail comprises an acyl chain of 6 to 24 carbons in length.
3. The peptide amphiphile of claim 1 , wherein the structural peptide segment and the charged peptide segment comprise ZVVAAAEEE (SEQ ID NO: 9), VZVAAAEEE (SEQ ID NO: 10), VVZAAAEEE (SEQ ID NO: 11), VVVZAAEEE (SEQ ID NO: 12), VVVAZAEEE (SEQ ID NO: 13), VVVAAZEEE (SEQ ID NO: 14), VVVAAAZEE (SEQ ID NO: 15), VVVAAAEZE (SEQ ID NO: 16), or VVVAAAEEZ (SEQ ID NO: 17).
4. A nanofiber comprising the peptide amphiphile of claim 1 .
5. A supramolecular structure comprising a peptide amphiphile of claim 1 and a lipid molecule.
6. The supramolecular structure of claim 5 , wherein the lipid molecule is a fatty acid.
7. The supramolecular structure of claim 5 , wherein the fatty acid and the non-peptide hydrophobic tail have an equal number of carbon atoms.
8. A method of treating a bacterial infection comprising administering a supramolecular structure of claim 5 to a subject in need thereof.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the bacteria is antibiotic resistant.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein the supramolecular structure is administered with an antibiotic agent.