Catalytic peptides in water: Bridging organocatalysis and enzyme catalysis

Aqueous media offer a sustainable framework for catalysis, spanning the continuum from single amino acid-based organocatalysis to complex enzymatic systems. Within this landscape, catalytic peptides have emerged as a pivotal intermediary class. This field is rapidly expanding, driven by the inherent modularity of peptide sequences and advancements in synthetic methodology. Notably, the catalytic efficacy of these systems is inextricably linked to their folding and aggregation behavior in water. Investigating these peptide-based architectures provides critical insights into non-covalent catalytic networks, ultimately refining our understanding of enzymatic mechanisms and facilitating the design of biomimetic catalysts.