Towards filling the gap between organocatalysis and biocatalysis — catalysis by folded peptides and miniproteins

Recent significant successes in organocatalysis and biocatalysis have been observed. However, medium-sized catalysts, i.e., those larger than small molecules and smaller than enzymes, remain poorly explored. In this mini-review, several successful cases of catalyst development based on folded peptides or miniproteins with a sequence length of 10 to 100 residues are described. Molecules of various molecular complexities, ranging from secondary structures, via aggregates, to higher-order structures, are discussed. These catalyst classes often combine the advantages of small molecules and enzymes, thereby demonstrating great potential. Given significant progress in the computational design of protein structures, the discussed field of catalysis is expected to develop rapidly in the coming years.