LEAPS-MPS: Expanding the Peptide Assembly Landscape using Multivalent Peptide Macrocycles with Designable Intermolecular Interfaces

University Of California - Merced, Merced CA

Investigators

Abstract

In this project managed by the Chemistry Division, Professor Merg and his students at the University of California, Merced aim to establish new approaches to the design and construction of peptide-based nanomaterials. The development of strategies that afford the ability to precisely control the physical and chemical properties of nanomaterials is a critical step in furthering their deployment for a broad range of applications in nanotechnology. The project aligns with the mission of UC Merced in serving the San Joaquin Valley, an ethnically diverse and underserved region of California. This research will support local high school and college students, a majority of whom come from underrepresented groups in STEM, through participation in immersive summer research programs and through recruiting activities at nearby high schools, minority serving institutions, and conferences. Professor Merg is developing synthetic protocols for fabricating large peptide macrocycles that comprise multiple de novo coiled coil peptide sequences. These multivalent biomolecules will be assessed for their ability to associate via specific, orthogonal coiled coil-based interactions to form various predetermined multimeric complexes. Success of the project could yield a new peptide design and assembly strategy with the potential for creating fully synthetic protein-mimetic constructs with applications in catalysis, therapeutics, and sensing. The project will leverage the role of Professor Merg as the campus coordinator of ACS Project SEED (Summer Experiences for the Economically Disadvantaged) by supporting the high school student participants with STEM workshops, invitations to conferences, and the establishment of a formal awards ceremony at the conclusion of the summer research program. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.