本项目拟利用原子力显微镜纳米操纵技术，探讨机械力在纳米尺度上控制多肽分子有序自组装的方法及其物理、化学机制。本项目的实现，将有可能在固体表面形成有序的多肽纳米结构，控制多肽纳米纤维在表面上的纳米级精度的定位、定向生长，同时实现多肽纳米纤维缺陷的实时修复，还将生成由两种或者多种多肽分子组成的、不同组分的多肽在纤维上的位置可控的"杂合"纤维。进一步研究这些自组装结构的形成机制，为我们了解多肽分子之间及其与固体表面的相互作用，正确理解机械力等物理刺激如何影响多肽分子的聚集行为提供帮助，有重要的学术价值。申请人在纳米操纵和多肽分子自组装领域的研究积累将为本项目的顺利进行提供坚实的基础。

The current project intends to develop the methodology as well as to investigate the inherent mechanism of mechanical force-induced peptide self-assembly process on solid-liquid interfaces on the nanometer scale. On one hand, the applicant would develop methods for construction of ordered peptide nanostructures on solid surface based on atomic force microscope (AFM) nanomanipulation. The mechanical force applied by the AFM tips will be used as physical stimuli to induce the formation of nucleation seeds that would extend to longer peptide fibrils at designated locations and directions. In addition, AFM-based nanomanipulation method would be used to repair the defects on preformed peptide fibrils. Moreover, by inserting peptide monomers into the gaps on a preformed fibrils generated by mechanical force, it is possible to fabricate hybrid fibrils composed of different kinds of peptide monomers. On the other hand, the applicant expects to understand the roles of the mechanical force in the peptide self-assembly process. Studies on the interactions between the peptide molecules, the solid substrates, and AFM tips will be carried out. ..The applicant believe that successful completion of the current project would lead to a general approach for fabricating ordered peptide nanostructures on solid substrates, and improve our understanding toward the molecular mechanism of the peptide fibril formation.