NANOSCALE: An Electronic Component from Protein Self-Assembly

Health Research Incorporated/New York State Department Of Health, Menands NY

Investigators

Abstract

The goal of this proposal is to produce a self-assembling diode from protein. Demonstration of such a device would be an important first step to the development of a new class of biologically-based electronic components, ultimately designed to self-assemble into complex nanometer-scale devices. Intermediate tasks toward the development of the first such device are proposed as follows. 1) Optimization of the surface residues of the metaloprotein pseudoazurin to improve crystallization properties. 2) Modification of the protein to covalently cross-link within the crystal to provide mechanical stability and to improve intermolecular conduction. 3) Characterization of electric conduction properties of the crystal. 4) Modification of those properties through addition of an additional metal center, chemical modification of the protein, or some combination of these two methods. 5) Growth of modified pseudoazurin protein crystals with optimized redox and conduction properties, followed by growth of an additional layer of protein differing in those properties. 6) Characterization of the directional conduction through the resulting device.