Evolutionary\nDesign of Self-Templated Supramolecular\nFibrils Using M13 Bacteriophage for Tissue Engineering

Biomaterials in nature form hierarchical structures and\nfunctions\nacross various length scales through binding and assembly processes.\nInspired by nature, we developed hierarchically organized tissue engineering\nmaterials through evolutionary screening and self-templating assembly.\nLeveraging the M13 bacteriophage (phage), we employed an evolutionary\nselection process against hydroxyapatite (HA) to isolate HA-binding\nphage (HAPh). The newly discovered phage exhibits a bimodal length,\ncomprising 950 nm and 240 nm, where the synergistic effect of these\ndual lengths promotes the formation of supramolecular fibrils with\nperiodic banded structures. The assembled HAPh fibrils show the capability\nof HA mineralization and the directional growth of osteoblast cells.\nWhen applied to a dentin surface, it induces the regeneration of dentin-like\ntissue structures, showcasing its potential applications as a scaffold\nin tissue engineering. The integration of evolutionary screening and\nself-templating assembly holds promise for the future development\nof hierarchically organized tissue engineering materials.