The development of intricate and complex self-assembling structures in the
micrometer range, such as biomorphs, is a major challenge in materials
science. Although complex structures can be obtained from self-assembling
materials as they segregate from solution, their size is usually in the
nanometer range or requires accessory techniques. Previous studies with
intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) have shown that the active interplay
of different molecular interactions provides access to new and more complex
nanostructures. As such, it is hypothesized that enriching the variety of
intra- and intermolecular interactions in a model IDP will widen the landscape
of sophisticated intermediate structures that can be accessed. In this
study, a model silk-elastin-like recombinamer capable of interacting via three
non-covalent interactions, namely hydrophobic, ion-pairing, and H-bonding
is built. This model material is shown to self-assemble into complex stable
micrometer-sized biomorphs. Variation of the block composition, pH, and
temperature demonstrates the necessary inte
