Biomaterials Interfaces for Photoactive Proteins

光活性蛋白质的生物材料界面

• 批准号: 0907619
• 负责人: David Cliffel
• 金额: $ 42万
• 依托单位: Vanderbilt University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-07-01 至 2013-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0907619&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Biomaterials; Interfaces; Photoactive; Proteins

This award by the Biomaterials program in the Division of Materials Research to Vanderbilt University is to study PhotoSystem I (PSI) for potential applications in solar energy conversion. PSI is the primary macromolecular system in plants and photosynthetic bacteria for the conversion of sun light to useable energy. The main goal of the project will be to understand the fundamental mechanisms of electron transfer to and from immobilized PSI monolayer and multilayer films during the photosynthesis. With this award, methods will be developed to study higher order oriented multilayer structures of PSI with that mimic larger scale biological structures. The deposited films of PSI will be linked through molecular wires for better connectivity and electron conductivity. The following studies will be carried out with this project: 1) attachment of PSI to gold electrodes that are used as molecular wires; 2) optimization of the photoconversion efficiency for PSI monolayers by electrochemical catalysis; 3) functional imaging of PSI by scanning electrochemical microscopy; and 4) study the mechanism of functional multilayer structures that mimic the larger scale biological structures like the thylakoid membranes. The proposed studies are expected to integrate functional biological systems with molecular and mesoscale materials through ?bottom-up? processing, while maintaining the function of the PSI system. The biomimetic approaches proposed could result in converting sunlight to be a potential useable source of energy.The proposed project is expected to enhance the fundamental understanding of the interface between biological structures and well-controlled, model organic materials. New covalent and biomimetic attachments, along with 2-D crystals and strategies will be investigated and their effects measured through electrochemical procedures. This multidisciplinary research team consists of chemical and biomolecular engineers and chemists from Vanderbilt University and Tennessee State University, the largest HBCU in Tennessee. In addition, a large number of graduate and undergraduate students from these institutions will be trained by the research team. Participation of high school teachers and students in the research activities through different programs such as NSF-funded Research Experiences for Teachers and Vanderbilt Summer Academy is another aspect of the project.

该奖项由范德比尔特大学材料研究部生物材料项目授予，旨在研究PhotoSystem I（PSI）在太阳能转换中的潜在应用。 PSI是植物和光合细菌中将太阳光转化为可用能量的主要大分子系统。 该项目的主要目标是了解光合作用过程中电子转移到固定化PSI单层和多层膜的基本机制。 有了这个奖项，将开发方法来研究更高阶的PSI取向的多层结构，模仿更大规模的生物结构。 PSI的沉积膜将通过分子线连接，以获得更好的连接性和电子导电性。本项目将开展以下研究：1）将PSI连接到用作分子导线的金电极上; 2）通过电化学催化优化PSI单分子膜的光转换效率; 3）通过扫描电化学显微镜对PSI进行功能成像; 4）研究功能多层结构的机制，以模拟更大规模的生物结构，如类囊体膜。 拟议的研究预计将整合功能生物系统与分子和中尺度材料，通过？自下而上处理，同时保持PSI系统的功能。 提出的仿生方法可以将阳光转化为潜在的可用能源。拟议的项目预计将提高对生物结构和良好控制的模型有机材料之间界面的基本理解。新的共价和仿生附件，沿着与2-D晶体和战略将被调查，并通过电化学程序测量其效果。这个多学科的研究团队由来自范德比尔特大学和田纳西州最大的HBCU田纳西州立大学的化学和生物分子工程师和化学家组成。此外，来自这些机构的大量研究生和本科生将接受研究团队的培训。 该项目的另一个方面是高中教师和学生通过不同的方案参与研究活动，如国家科学基金会资助的教师研究经验和范德比尔特暑期学院。