Bacteriorhodopsin as a Photochromic Retinal Protein for Optical Memories
Bacteriorhodopsin as a Photochromic Retinal Protein for Optical Memories
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DOI：
10.1002/chin.200029273
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发表时间：
2000-07
期刊：
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
N. Hampp
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
N. Hampp
就不同模型的数量而言，光致变色蛋白在自然界中非常罕见。然而，这些少数蛋白质在光合作用和视觉感知中发挥着关键作用，例如光反应中心和视色素。由于它们的重要性，人们进行了大量的研究来阐明这些分子的功能、它们与光的相互作用，以及光能如何转化为化学能或生理信号的机制。人们发现分子机制相当复杂，但在接近物理极限时非常有效。在一个极端的生态位中，大约三十年前发现了光致变色蛋白类的一个相当简单的代表，它被命名为细菌视紫红质（BR）。 1 细菌视紫红质 (BR) 由盐细菌产生，是其光合作用能力的关键蛋白质。在其发现后不久，就提出了该蛋白质的第一个技术应用建议。从那时起，几个研究小组就开始探索 BR 的各种技术应用，特别是光学应用。本文对BR的光致变色应用领域进行了综述。是否可以认为 BR 的技术应用是现实的？是什么让 BR 比其他蛋白质和传统的无机或有机光致变色材料如此有吸引力？首先，BR野生型（自然界中发现的形式）已经具有相当有吸引力的特性。其中之一是它以二维晶体的形式出现，这导致其对化学和热降解具有惊人的稳定性。但更重要的是，这种生物光色素的光敏性和对光照的循环性远远超出了合成材料。其次，BR 可以进行很大程度的改性，并可作为全新材料类别的平台。其关键在于，如今人们已经在分子水平上了解了 BR 的物理机制，并且已经开发出了重新设计蛋白质的遗传工具。这些原因使 BR 不仅成为技术应用中第一个光致变色生物分子的有吸引力的候选者，而且还允许探索如何将具有技术上有趣的物理功能的生物材料用作技术设备的组件的策略。基因技术
Photochromic proteins are very rare in nature as far as the number of different models is regarded. However, those few proteins play a key role in photosynthesis and visual perception, eg photo reaction centers and visual pigments. Due to their enormous importance, numerous studies have been done to elucidate the function of these molecules, their interaction with light, and the mechanisms of how the light energy is transformed into chemical energy or into physiological signals. The molecular mechanisms have been found to be rather complicated as well as very effectivesoften close to the physical limits. In an extreme ecological niche, a rather simple representative of the class of photochromic proteins was discovered about 3 decades ago, which was named bacteriorhodopsin (BR). 1 Bacteriorhodopsin (BR) is produced by halobacteria and is the key protein of their photosynthetic capabilities. Rather soon after its discovery, the first proposals for technical applications of this protein were brought up. Various technical and in particular optical applications of BR have been explored since that time in several research groups. In this paper the area of photochromic applications of BR is reviewed. Is it possible to consider a technical use of BR to be realistic? What makes BR so attractive over other proteins and conventional inorganic or organic photochromic materials? First, BR wild-typesthe form which is found in naturesalready has quite attractive properties. One of these is that it occurs as a twodimensional crystal, which causes its astonishing stability toward chemical and thermal degradation. But even more important is that the photosensitivity and cyclicity to illumination of this biological photochrome is far beyond that of synthetic materials. Second, BR can be modified to a large extent and serves as a platform for a whole new class of materials. The key to this is that the physical mechanisms of BR are understood on a molecular level today and the genetic tools to redesign the protein have been developed. These reasons make BR not only an attractive candidate to be the first photochromic biomolecule in a technical application but also allow exploration of strategies how biomaterials with technically interesting physical functions can be used as components in technical devices. Gene technology