Enzymatic Hydrogelation of Small Molecules

Enzymes, a class of highly efficient and specific catalysts in Nature, dictate a myriad of reactions that constitute various cascades in biological systems. Self-assembly, a process prevalent in Nature, also plays important roles in biology, from maintaining the integrity of cells to performing cellular functions and inducing abnormalities that cause disease. To explore enzyme-regulated molecular self-assembly in an aqueous medium will help to understand and control those important biological processes. On the other hand, certain small organic molecules self-assemble in water to form molecular nanofibers and result in a hydrogel, which is referred to as a "supramolecular hydrogel" (and the small molecules are…