Fabrication of biomolecule–copolymer hybrid nanovesicles as energy conversion systems
Abstract
This work demonstrates the integration of the energy-transducing proteins bacteriorhodopsin (BR) from Halobacterium halobium and cytochrome c oxidase (COX) from Rhodobacter sphaeroides into block copolymeric vesicles towards the demonstration of coupled protein functionality. An ABA triblock copolymer-based biomimetic membrane possessing UV-curable acrylate endgroups was synthesized to serve as a robust matrix for protein reconstitution. BR-functionalized polymers were shown to generate light-driven transmembrane pH gradients while pH gradient-induced electron release was observed from COX-functionalized polymers. Cooperative behaviour observed from composite membrane functionalized by both proteins revealed the generation of microamp-range currents with no applied voltage. As such, it has been shown that the fruition of technologies based upon bio-functionalizing abiotic materials may contribute to the realization of high power density devices inspired by nature.
Additional Information
© Institute of Physics 2005 Received 10 May 2005, in final form 8 September 2005, Published 11 November 2005, Print publication: Issue 12 (December 2005) This work was supported by DARPA grant N66001-02-C-8402. The authors gratefully acknowledge the Ferguson-Miller group for the engineered COX strains. The authors would also like the thank Mr Hyo-Jick Choi for TEM assistance.Files
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Additional details
- Eprint ID
- 2028
- Resolver ID
- CaltechAUTHORS:HODnano05
- Created
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2006-03-02Created from EPrint's datestamp field
- Updated
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2022-07-12Created from EPrint's last_modified field