Proton coupled electron transfer and beta hairpin maquettes: Biomimetic prototypes for artificial energy conversion

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With this award, the Chemistry of Life Processes program and the MPS Office of Multidisciplinary Activities supports the research of Professor Bridgette Barry of Georgia Institute of Technology. The Barry group will design and assemble bio-inspired, peptide constructs for light-driven energy conversion. Proton coupled electron transfer (PCET) reactions are critical in a variety of important biological processes, including photosynthesis, respiration, DNA synthesis and repair, and prostaglandin synthesis. The Barry group seeks to assemble nanoscale, peptide-based devices, which can carry out similar reactions. These maquettes (or models) will provide water-soluble, stable redox agents with tunable redox potentials, kinetics, and directional control of charge transfer. These model studies are designed to generate fundamental new insights relevant to artificial energy conversion, and enzymatic catalysis.The broad scientific goal of these studies is to improve our understanding of proton coupled electron transfer. There are translational implications of the work, i.e. the construction of nanoscale prototype peptides has the long term potential to lead to manmade devices, to be used in artificial solar energy conversion, nanowires, diodes, and fuel cells. The educational broader impact of these activities lies in an inherently interdisciplinary training environment that takes its cues from biology, but seeks to use a combination of peptide chemistry and biophysical chemistry to develop minimalist peptide-based systems to elucidate fundamental aspects of PCET. Professor Barry will continue to strive to provide an environment that promotes broadening the scientific participation of underrepresented groups.