Energy converting proteins in biomimetic systems: Construction and characterization.

摘要

Our aim was testing the feasibility of the next generation battery device which utilizes nature's most preserved energy conversion centers (electron/proton transporter proteins) in modifiable artificial environment. The proteins of interests are electron transporter, cytochrome c oxidase and light actuated proton pump, bacteriorhodopsin. In the assembled system, bacteriorhodopsin creates proton gradient upon the presence of light, converting light energy to chemical energy, then this chemical energy is consumed by cytochrome c oxidase to generate electrons. Eventually, these electrons are going to be attracted to the reservoir which serves as a battery.; To show the viability of the suggested nano-hybrid device, series of experiments were done to test the structure, network, and preserved protein functionality in these artificial membranes. Lipid vesicle system was first proved to maintain the enzymes' viability as the most nature-like artificial membrane. The activities of enzymes were shown by fluoremetric & spectrometric observations, and oxymeter. We explore the possibility of block copolymer membrane (ABA) as the alternative but more versatile biomimetic system. The ideal ratio among bacteriorhodopsin molecules, polymer molecules and the aqueous buffer was investigated. Considering the efficiency of the final device, an attempt to orient proton pumps (Bacteriorhodopsin) in the uni-direction was made by differentiating the pH condition of the buffer medium (pH≤2.35). The planar assembly of the functional biomimetic membranes was also tested by Langmuir-Blodgett method and impedance analysis and visualized under TEM and SEM. With some variability, enzymes were successfully reconstituted into the biomimetic membranes with preserved activities.; This study shows one more possibility of exploiting light energy from the sun by hybrid battery device composed of proteins and biomimetic membranes.