Telluropeptide synthesis and self-assembly: microstructural organization and oxidative response

Self-assembling short peptides have appeared as versatile molecular systems for constituting well-ordered nanostructures with potential applications in materials science, biotechnology, and nanotechnology. Among them, chalcogen (O, S, Se)-containing peptide residues are of specific interest due to their capability in modulating stability, reactivity, and supramolecular arrangements of peptides. However, tellurium-incorporated peptides remain largely unexplored. Therefore, we report the synthesis of a Te-containing tripeptide Ac-Tec(4-MeC 6 H 4 )-Gly-Ala-NH 2 , which organizes into well-defined tape-like microstructures after incubation in a phosphate buffer (pH ~7.4) solution. Interestingly, these tape-like microstructures undergo a morphological transformation into chain-like and random microstructures upon oxidation with hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). These findings highlight the potential of telluropeptides as emerging organochalcogen motifs for tunable supramolecular design. • Synthesis of a novel telluropeptide 2 [Ac-Tec(4-MeC 6 H 4 )-Gly-Ala-NH 2 ], through solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) method. • At pH ~7.4, telluropeptide 2 was self-assembled into tape-like fiber morphology observed under electron microscopies. • Telluropeptide 2 was subsequently oxidized and the resulting oxidized product was characterized utilizing ESI-MS and 125 Te NMR spectroscopy. • Tape-like fiber self-assembly of 2 transformed into chain-like fragments, subsequently reorganizing into irregular morphological patterns upon oxidation.