Abstract Self-assembling peptides (SAP) are ideal components for biomedical devices. However, their practical applications have been limited due to their intrinsic unstable, low-performance, and low-stress response given by non-covalent interactions involved in self-assembling. Herein, a library of SAPs featuring different self-assembled nanostructures was successfully cross-linked with genipin, allowing to produce nanofibrous hydrogels with enhanced mechanical properties (G′ ≥ 0.2 MPa, stress-failure ≥ 3.5 kPa) and enhanced thermostability (≥100 °C) while maintaining their native nanoarchitecture. Cross-linking dramatically changed the optical properties of SAPs: it triggered new absorption/fluorescence bands in the visible spectral range, which are attributed to charge transfer between peptide chains. Genipin cross-linking, fitted for different classes of SAPs, could be a powerful tool to obtain biomimetic SAP scaffolds with tunable stiffness and thermostability. Lastly, because of the changed absorption/emission properties and relaxation kinetics of cross-linked SAPs, genipin cross-linking may bestow novel optical properties to several well-known lysine-containing SAPs, with intriguing potential for biomedical imaging, photonics and optoelectronics.

中文翻译：

---

交联仿生自组装肽异质库的优异机械和光学性能

摘要 自组装肽（SAP）是生物医学设备的理想组件。然而，由于自组装中涉及的非共价相互作用所产生的内在不稳定、低性能和低应力响应，它们的实际应用受到了限制。在此，具有不同自组装纳米结构的 SAP 库成功地与京尼平交联，从而生产出具有增强的机械性能（G′≥0.2 MPa，应力失效 ≥ 3.5 kPa）和增强的热稳定性（≥100°）的纳米纤维水凝胶。 C) 同时保持其原生纳米结构。交联极大地改变了 SAP 的光学特性：它在可见光谱范围内触发了新的吸收/荧光带，这归因于肽链之间的电荷转移。京尼平交联，适用于不同类别的 SAP，可能是获得具有可调刚度和热稳定性的仿生 SAP 支架的有力工具。最后，由于交联 SAPs 的吸收/发射特性和弛豫动力学发生了变化，京尼平交联可能赋予几种众所周知的含有赖氨酸的 SAPs 新的光学特性，具有用于生物医学成像、光子学和光电子学的有趣潜力。