Concentration-dependent and surface-assisted self-assembly properties of a bioactive estrogen receptor alpha-derived peptide
Résumé
We have synthesized a 17-mer peptide (ER17p) that is issued from the hinge region of the estrogen receptor and which activates the proliferation of breast carcinoma cells in steroid-deprived conditions. In the present paper, we show that at a concentration of similar to 50M, it rapidly forms amyloid-like fibrils with the assistance of electrostatic interactions and that at higher concentrations, it spontaneously forms a hydrogel. By using biophysical, spectral and rheological techniques, we have explored the structural, biophysical and mechanical characteristics of ER17p with respect to fibril formation and gelation.