Characterization and functionalization of pilin-derived protein nanotubes

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Nanotechnology has progressed significantly over the past decade, based largely on the unique properties of carbon nanotubes. The development of biologically relevant nanomachines and their building blocks has, in general, focused on the addition of biological functionality to carbon nanotube scaffolds. However, despite the unique chemical properties of carbon nanotubes, their use in biological systems remains limited due to issues with direct and/or indirect toxicity. My research program focuses on identifying and engineering protein-based systems as an alternative approach to the development of biologically accepted nanostructures. This method has several advantages over the carbon nanotube adaptation, including access to modern protein engineering tools and the ready biological acceptance of a structure that is itself biotic in origin. I recently discovered the assembly of a protein nanotube from an engineered form of the type IV pilin protein from the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which represents the first instance of the controlled generation of a nanotube from a soluble monomeric protein under physiological conditions. The current proposal aims at characterizing the assembly and structure of these novel protein nanotubes, adding specific functionalities to the protein nanotubes through protein engineering, and examining the oligomerization of protein nanotubes on conducting and semi-conducting surfaces. These studies will greatly increase our understanding into the assembly of these unique nanostructures and provide a significant step forward in the development of protein nanotubes for bionanotechnology applications.