β-Hairpin peptide fibrillation and bacteria trapping in hydrogel

Peptide fibrillation protects organisms against bacterial infectionsPeptide fibrillation is a process in which short chains of peptides self-assemble into organized structures.Originally studied in the context of misfolding that can lead to human disorders, increasing evidence now suggests that controlled fibrillation is involved in normal physiological processes.For example, the secretion of fibrillating human -defensin 6 (HD6) by intestinal Paneth cells which fights infection by forming nanonets that entrap the microbial cells; and amyloid- peptide whose expression protects against fungal and bacterial infections in animal models of Alzheimer's disease.