One of the most attractive areas in inorganic chemistry is the synthesis of polyoxometalates (POMs) exhibiting new properties and applications. Since the impact of POMs in biochemistry and related fields of research has increased in last years, there is a special interest in this topic. Significant progress in biological applications has been made where the interaction of POMs with amino acids, peptides and proteins is relevant. Versatile POMs play a series of different roles in the interaction with these biomolecules as described in this review. Various types of interactions are established, depending on the POM shape and charge, the amino acid side chain, peptide sequence or protein structure. The experimental conditions such as temperature, acidity, solvent, etc. are also important factors that influence the binding/reactivity of POM with biomolecules, as described herein. This understanding allows the adequate design of the POM-biomolecule couple for tailoring and controlling the mechanism of action such as catalysis, inhibition, aggregation or crystallising agent.

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