Bioinspired materials articles from across Nature Portfolio

Near-infrared-I/II fluorescent proteins (NIR-I/II FPs) are crucial for in vivo imaging, but their availability is still scarce. Here, the authors make use of protein-seeking NIR-II dyes as chromophores, which covalently bind to tag proteins and thus creating biomimetic NIR-II FPs.

CXCR4-targeted therapies have been proposed for the treatment of cancer metastasis. Here the authors propose a CXCR4-targeted strategy based on interactable polymer nanothreads, showing inhibition of metastasis in preclinical cancer models.

Integrating heterogeneous single atom nanozyme (SAzyme) configurations and homogeneous enzyme-like mechanism is promising for optimizing SAzymes but elusive. Here the authors address this issue by developing a spatial engineering strategy to fabricate dual-sites SAzymes incorporating single atom Fe active centers (Fe–N₄) and Cu atomic sites (Cu–N₄) in a vertically stacked Fe–N₄ and Cu–N₄ geometry.

The authors describe how to prepare antimicrobial phage-based microgels, using polystyrene film templates, and detail their use to kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria in food contamination tests as an example application.

Metallic surfaces are often coated with corrosion inhibitors to prevent damage but these are typically toxic to the environment. Here, a recombinant adhesive cement protein from barnacles is shown to effectively protect steel against corrosion under marine environment conditions.

The cryopreservation of biological samples is hindered by ice formation and the need to maintain samples under cryogenic conditions during storage and transportation. Silicification offers a simple method for preserving life within refractory, amorphous silicon dioxide, which is analogous to vitreous ice but does not melt and thereby avoids cold-chain issues.

By drawing inspiration from ion transport in biology, researchers have developed highly selective channels for the separation and enrichment of Li⁺ ions from complex aqueous solutions.

The balance of ‘outside–in’ and ‘inside–out’ signaling is critical in tissue development and regeneration. This Comment highlights emerging strategies to engineer and manipulate this delicate equilibrium and fine-tune cellular responses using complementary tools in biomaterials design and synthetic biology.

Drawing inspiration from helical structures in nature, researchers have developed a cobalt-based complex able to twist and untwist, converting between nanohelix and nanowire structures.

A safe, inhalable formulation of mucin-interacting hydrogel microparticles creates a dense protective network in the lungs against viral infections.

Supramolecular assemblies of peptides with differing morphologies and properties are formed by varying the synthetic route to the fibrous assemblies.