Self‐Assembly of Coiled Coils in Synthetic Biology: Inspiration and Progress

Abstract

AbstractBiological self‐assembly is very complex and results in highly functional materials. In effect, it takes a bottom‐up approach using biomolecular building blocks of precisely defined shape, size, hydrophobicity, and spatial distribution of functionality. Inspired by, and drawing lessons from self‐assembly processes in nature, scientists are learning how to control the balance of many small forces to increase the complexity and functionality of self‐assembled nanomaterials. The coiled‐coil motif, a multipurpose building block commonly found in nature, has great potential in synthetic biology. In this review we examine the roles that the coiled‐coil peptide motif plays in self‐assembly in nature, and then summarize the advances that this has inspired in the creation of functional units, assemblies, and systems.