Amyloid fibrils as building blocks for functional materials

Peptides and proteins can self-assemble into amyloid fibrils, which are generally associated with diseases but also have beneficial functions in nature, called “functional amyloid”. Thanks to nanotechnologies, functional amyloid materials can be processed and used for different promising applications such as food, packaging and health. In this study we used self-assembling small cysteine-rich proteins - Vmh2, a class I hydrophobin extracted from the fungus Pleurotus ostreatus, and PAC3, extracted from the marine fungus Acremonium sclerotigenum - in combination with electrospinning to create non-woven textiles. The goal is to develop sustainable, functional materials with unique properties.