Peptide-based methods for the preparation of nanostructured inorganic materials.

With their unique sequence-specific self-assembly and their substrate recognition properties, peptides play critical roles in controlling the biomineralization of inorganic nanostructures in natural systems and in directing the assembly of important soft matter. These attributes render them particularly useful molecules for the fabrication of new materials. Researchers from many scientific disciplines now use peptides to direct the synthesis of new inorganic nanostructures and the assembly of soft biomaterials. In this Review we describe the developments in this field and focus on the versatility of peptides and their ability to direct the composition and structure of new inorganic materials.