A Hexapeptide Motif that Electrostatically Binds to the Surface of Titanium

With its light weight and toughness, titanium (Ti) holds a special place among the biomaterials used for medical implants. But although it is now routinely used for dental implants and artificial joints, there are still problems with its biocompatibility. With the long-term goal of developing artificial proteins that improve the biocompatibility of materials, we set out to isolate peptide motifs that bind to the surface of Ti. Here, we describe our use of peptide phage display methodology to isolate a peptide aptamer that electrostatically interacts with the amphoteric surface of Ti.