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Deformation and failure of protein materials in physiologically extreme conditions and disease

Nature Materials volume 8, pages 175–188 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Biological protein materials feature hierarchical structures that make up a diverse range of physiological materials. The analysis of protein materials is an emerging field that uses the relationships between biological structures, processes and properties to probe deformation and failure phenomena at the molecular and microscopic level. Here we discuss how advanced experimental, computational and theoretical methods can be used to assess structure–process–property relations and to monitor and predict mechanisms associated with failure of protein materials. Case studies are presented to examine failure phenomena in the progression of disease. From this materials science perspective, a de novo basis for understanding biological processes can be used to develop new approaches for treating medical disorders. We highlight opportunities to use knowledge gained from the integration of multiple scales with physical, biological and chemical concepts for potential applications in materials design and nanotechnology.

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Figure 1: Examples of hierarchical multiscale structures of biological protein materials.
Figure 2: Formation and assembly of biological protein materials, including cellular expression of proteins and assembly into larger-scale hierarchical structures.
Figure 3: Universality and diversity of biological protein materials.
Figure 4: Tools for characterization and modelling of deformation and failure of biological protein materials.
Figure 5: Chemomechanical behaviour of protein constituents.
Figure 6: Integration of theory, simulation and experimental techniques.
Figure 7: Role of changes in biological protein material properties in diseases.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Army Research Office (W911NF-06-1-0291), the National Science Foundation (CAREER Grant CMMI-0642545 and MRSEC DMR-0819762), the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (FA9550-08-1-0321), the Office of Naval Research (N00014-08-1-00844) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) (HR0011-08-1-0067). M.J.B. acknowledges support through the Esther and Harold E. Edgerton Career Development Professorship. We thank L. Kreplak, U. Aebi, H. Herrmann, P. Fratzl, M. Rief, H. Gaub, T. Scheibel and K. Dahl for communications.

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  1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Laboratory for Atomistic and Molecular Mechanics, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, 02139, Massachusetts, USA

    Markus J. Buehler

  2. Center for Computational Engineering, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, 02139, Massachusetts, USA

    Markus J. Buehler

  3. Center for Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, 02139, Massachusetts, USA

    Markus J. Buehler

  4. Laboratory for Cell and Tissue Engineering, Harvard University, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, 40 Oxford Street, 415 ESL, Cambridge, 02138, Massachusetts, USA

    Yu Ching Yung

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Correspondence to Markus J. Buehler.

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Buehler, M., Yung, Y. Deformation and failure of protein materials in physiologically extreme conditions and disease. Nature Mater 8, 175–188 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat2387

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