Peptide-Tetrapyrrole Supramolecular Self-Assemblies: State of the Art

Abstract

The covalent and noncovalent association of self-assembling peptides and tetrapyrroles was explored as a way to generate systems that mimic Nature’s functional supramolecular structures. Different types of peptides spontaneously assemble with porphyrins, phthalocyanines, or corroles to give long-range ordered architectures, whose structure is determined by the features of both components. The regular morphology and ordered molecular arrangement of these systems enhance the photochemical properties of embedded chromophores, allowing applications as photo-catalysts, antennas for dye-sensitized solar cells, biosensors, and agents for light-triggered therapies. Chemical modifications of peptide and tetrapyrrole structures and control over the assembly process can steer the organization and influence the properties of the resulting system. Here we provide a review of the field, focusing on the assemblies obtained from different classes of self-assembling peptides with tetrapyrroles, their morphologies and their applications as innovative functional materials.