Maximilian Schuler, Ayan Chatterjee, David Y. W. Ng, Tanja Weil
{"title":"Bridging stimulus-responsive and dissipative peptide assemblies to build complex interactive biomaterials","authors":"Maximilian Schuler, Ayan Chatterjee, David Y. W. Ng, Tanja Weil","doi":"10.1038/s41570-026-00846-3","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41570-026-00846-3","url":null,"abstract":"Self-assembling peptides are versatile building blocks for biomaterials owing to their programmable sequences and ability to form complex supramolecular architectures. Designing systems that operate dynamically at the biological interface is particularly compelling, as living systems rely on both stimulus responsiveness and continuous energy dissipation to regulate structure and function. However, most synthetic peptide assemblies remain confined to near-equilibrium behaviour, whereas chemically fuelled dissipative systems often lack compatibility with biological environments. In this Review, we discuss recent advances in stimulus-responsive and dissipative peptide assemblies, highlighting their distinct design principles and functional capabilities. We compare sequence-encoded and trigger-based strategies with chemically fuelled reaction networks that enable transient assembly. Finally, we outline emerging strategies to bridge these approaches, including improving bioorthogonality, tuning concentration regimes, and integrating cellular processes. Together, these concepts provide a framework for developing interactive peptide biomaterials with life-like functions. Self-assembling peptides offer programmable routes to biomaterials with dynamic behaviour. Here, we compare stimulus-responsive and dissipative peptide assemblies, outline their design principles, and highlight strategies to integrate them, enabling complex, interactive biomaterials that emulate the non-equilibrium functions of living systems.","PeriodicalId":18849,"journal":{"name":"Nature reviews. Chemistry","volume":"10 8","pages":"558-576"},"PeriodicalIF":51.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148451400","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Devising a divisome for synthetic cells","authors":"Joris Dommisse, Rafael B. Lira, Cees Dekker","doi":"10.1038/s41570-026-00848-1","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41570-026-00848-1","url":null,"abstract":"Cell division is a fundamental process essential for life, underpinning reproduction, development and tissue maintenance across all organisms and enabling population growth and evolutionary adaptation. Recreating this capability is, therefore, a central challenge in bottom–up synthetic biology, wherein the aim is to construct functional synthetic cells. In recent years, substantial progress has been made toward building a synthetic divisome through partial reconstitution of the protein machinery underlying cell division in vitro. Here, we review current strategies to mimic the key stages of division: symmetry breaking to define the division site, membrane deformation to drive constriction and, thus, shape changes of the cell, and the final abscission event. We critically assess the successes and limitations of these approaches and discuss how integrating multiple modules may enable the realization of a minimal, functional division system for synthetic cells. Cell division consists of three elementary steps: symmetry breaking, membrane constriction and abscission. Here, we review current strategies for achieving these steps in synthetic cells, assessing their successes and limitations with a view to integrating them within a divisome for synthetic cells.","PeriodicalId":18849,"journal":{"name":"Nature reviews. Chemistry","volume":"10 9","pages":"606-619"},"PeriodicalIF":51.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148432928","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Guoxing Chen (, ), Yang Dong (, ), Tao Shao (, ), Ying Zhou (, ), Anke Weidenkaff
{"title":"Unlocking the potential of plastic in e-waste","authors":"Guoxing Chen \u0000 (, ), Yang Dong \u0000 (, ), Tao Shao \u0000 (, ), Ying Zhou \u0000 (, ), Anke Weidenkaff","doi":"10.1038/s41570-026-00858-z","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41570-026-00858-z","url":null,"abstract":"Plastic is a rapidly growing, yet overlooked, resource of electronic waste. It should be redefined as a chemically rich feedstock for high-value materials, rather than a disposal challenge. Realizing this potential requires advances in conversion technologies, system-level process integration, and policy frameworks enabling circular materials use and resource-efficient value chains.","PeriodicalId":18849,"journal":{"name":"Nature reviews. Chemistry","volume":"10 9","pages":"597-599"},"PeriodicalIF":51.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148432927","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Feeling the force","authors":"Maria Kaeek","doi":"10.1038/s41570-026-00857-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41570-026-00857-0","url":null,"abstract":"Maria Kaeek explains the workings of a custom-built surface forces balance, a tool capable of measuring the van der Waals forces between two atomically smooth surfaces just a few nanometres apart with an unrivalled resolution.","PeriodicalId":18849,"journal":{"name":"Nature reviews. Chemistry","volume":"10 8","pages":"519-519"},"PeriodicalIF":51.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148422629","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Dyeing and drying, but not dying","authors":"Neil Robertson","doi":"10.1038/s41570-026-00856-1","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41570-026-00856-1","url":null,"abstract":"In 2015, Freitag and colleagues serendipitously discovered that dye-sensitized solar cells with copper-complex electrolytes continued to function after drying out, performing as well as their liquid predecessors. This launched a new class of sold-state devices, ‘zombie’ cells, with power-conversion efficiencies over 10% in sunlight and approaching 40% under indoor light.","PeriodicalId":18849,"journal":{"name":"Nature reviews. Chemistry","volume":"10 8","pages":"521-522"},"PeriodicalIF":51.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148422584","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Tales of total synthesis","authors":"K. C. Nicolaou, Stephanie Greed","doi":"10.1038/s41570-026-00854-3","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41570-026-00854-3","url":null,"abstract":"Ahead of his 80th birthday, Kyriacos Costa (K. C.) Nicolaou, Harry C. and Olga K. Wiess Professor of Chemistry at Rice University, spoke about his career in science.","PeriodicalId":18849,"journal":{"name":"Nature reviews. Chemistry","volume":"10 8","pages":"517-518"},"PeriodicalIF":51.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148387872","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A trigger that feeds itself","authors":"Avinav Biswas","doi":"10.1038/s41570-026-00853-4","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41570-026-00853-4","url":null,"abstract":"Most reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive prodrug linkers consume the oxidant that triggers them. A new self-immolative linker instead regenerates it, coupling drug release to signal amplification in one component.","PeriodicalId":18849,"journal":{"name":"Nature reviews. Chemistry","volume":"10 8","pages":"520-520"},"PeriodicalIF":51.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148361694","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Dhanya Karipal Padinjare Veedu,Flynn C Attard,Esteban Suárez-Picado,Saurabh K Ahirwar,Lara R Malins
{"title":"Advances in electrochemical peptide synthesis and modification.","authors":"Dhanya Karipal Padinjare Veedu,Flynn C Attard,Esteban Suárez-Picado,Saurabh K Ahirwar,Lara R Malins","doi":"10.1038/s41570-026-00834-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41570-026-00834-7","url":null,"abstract":"To meet demand for bioactive, homogeneously modified peptides for both fundamental research and therapeutic development, synthetic methods that are programmable, broadly applicable and inherently sustainable are urgently needed. The mild reaction conditions and precise tunability of electrochemical transformations provide appealing opportunities to carefully navigate the rich redox-active landscape of canonical and non-canonical amino acid functionalities. Modern technological breakthroughs in synthetic electro-organic chemistry are further expanding capabilities, propelling the field of electrochemical peptide modifications into an era of accelerating innovation. This Review highlights recent advances (2020-present) in electrochemical peptide synthesis and residue-specific modifications in a graphically rich format that emphasizes the expanding diversity of available electrochemical strategies and their broader compatibility with complex peptide substrates. Outstanding challenges and opportunities for further innovation are discussed.","PeriodicalId":18849,"journal":{"name":"Nature reviews. Chemistry","volume":"29 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":36.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148322596","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Making chemistry sing with AI","authors":"Oliver Steinbock","doi":"10.1038/s41570-026-00849-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41570-026-00849-0","url":null,"abstract":"Artificial intelligence (AI) opens up classroom creativity, enabling students and instructors to generate chemistry-themed songs with ease. This playful approach may enhance engagement, support memorization of complex concepts, and prompt critical reflection on the role of generative AI in education.","PeriodicalId":18849,"journal":{"name":"Nature reviews. Chemistry","volume":"10 8","pages":"515-516"},"PeriodicalIF":51.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148331341","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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