Peptide-Based Electronic Materials

Dear Colleagues,

As a cornerstone of biochemistry, electron transfer in proteins and peptides is continually attracting much attention. Experimental studies on distance-dependent electron tunneling through bioorganic molecules and on the 3D-structural dependence for the charge transport process in proteins have been carried out, providing evidence that covalently bound pathways can facilitate electron or charge migration in folded polypeptide chains. Likewise, theoretical models based on an electron tunneling model and experimental studies have allowed the identification of the dominant electron coupling pathway in proteins and have revealed the importance of intramolecular hydrogen bonds in the charge transfer process. Moreover, the long-distance charge transfer in peptides is attributed to a hopping mechanism between neighboring amino acid building blocks.

In this regard, peptide helices have attracted much attention, because their assemblies are universal motifs found in biological charge transfer systems and play important roles in long-range electron transfer. Indeed, the spatial organization of the electron donor and electron acceptor groups in peptides and proteins, as well as the dynamics of the charge transmitting properties of the hydrogen bonds between them, critically depends on the 3D structure of the polymeric chain.

In addition, bioorganometallic compounds, especially bioconjugates of ferrocene with amino acids and peptides, have found extensive application. Conjugation with metal centers with different oxidation states at predetermined positions of an organic frame are of great interest due to potential applications in molecular electronics. Introduction of redox-active components into folded peptides could allow electrochemical control of the conformational preferences of the foldamers and of those factors responsible for the extent of donor–acceptor interaction.

This Special Issue is focused on presenting the recent advances of peptide-based electronic materials. Original articles or review papers dealing with the following themes are welcomed: synthetic peptides of well-defined geometry and functionality for the study of the electron and charge transfer processes, comprehension of fundamental biological aspects, application in molecular electronics, solid-state applications of peptide-based nanomaterials, conductive nanostructures of self-assembling peptides, peptide-based biomaterials for biomedical applications, and single-molecule bioelectronics.

I look forward to receiving your submissions for this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Saverio Santi
Guest Editor

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• electron transfer
• charge transfer
• conjugated peptides
• foldamers
• nanomaterials
• molecular electronics
• bioelectronics