Figure 1. Molecular structure and 3D-AFM visualization of self-assembled dodecapeptide hydration shells. (IMAGE)
Caption
Figure 1. Molecular structure and 3D-AFM visualization of self-assembled dodecapeptide hydration shells. a Schematic illustration of water organization adjacent to the peptide assemblies, highlighting the formation of highly ordered hydration structures within the interfacial hydration zone. b Schematic of 3D-AFM applied to self-assembled peptide nanostructures on HOPG, showing extraction of 2D xz and xy slices from the reconstructed 3D volume map. The probe performs synchronized lateral (xy) and vertical (z) scanning, with a fast sinusoidal modulation superimposed on the z-position during image acquisition and force mapping. As the probe approaches the surface, characteristic oscillatory force profiles appear c, reflecting discrete, ordered hydration layers that are progressively penetrated near the self-assembled peptide structures. d Extended molecular structure of the GrBP5-WT peptide shown in stick–ball representation alongside its amino acid sequence. The hydropathy map reveals three chemically distinct domains within the peptide. The inset in panel a presents a 3D-AFM volumetric map showing the molecular-resolution spatial organization of interfacial water surrounding peptide assemblies, including in-plane (xy) and cross-sectional (xz) views.
Credit
Yurtsever A., et al., Nat Commun (2026)
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