Spheroidal and nanocrystal structures created from carbodiimide crosslinking reaction with RADA16

RADA16 is a widely studied polypeptide known for its ability to self-assemble into β-sheets that form nanofibers. Here we show that it is possible to self-crosslink the molecule via 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) as aqueous solutions. The product results in a mix of nanocrystals and near micron-size spherules. SEM and TEM pictures provide a view of the structures and nano tracking analysis gives their size distributions. FTIR analysis provides evidence for the existence of a crosslinking reaction.