Enhancing the biological activity of polyoxometalate–peptide nano-fibrils by spacer design

Polyoxometalates (POMs) and peptides can be conjugated to yield novel bio-hybrids with potential application as nanodrugs. However, the observed POM-induced folding of the peptide prevents its availability towards biological targets. An Anderson–Evans POM was functionalized with a bombesin analog peptide and engineered by adding a tailored hydrophilic and anionic spacer between the two moieties, to make the targeting sequence more accessible and enable an unprecedented cancer cell recognition capability.