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.

生物材料计划在范德比尔特大学材料研究部的奖项是为了研究光系统I（PSI），以实现太阳能转换中的潜在应用。 PSI是植物和光合细菌中的主要大分子系统，用于将太阳光转换为可用能量。 该项目的主要目标是了解光合作用期间电子转移的基本机制和来自固定的PSI单层和多层膜的基本机制。 通过此奖项，将开发方法来研究PSI的高阶多层结构，并模仿大规模的生物结构。 PSI的沉积膜将通过分子线连接，以更好地连通性和电子电导率。该项目将进行以下研究：1）PSI附着在用作分子电线的金电极上； 2）通过电化学催化优化PSI单层的光转换效率； 3）通过扫描电化学显微镜对PSI的功能成像； 4）研究模拟大规模生物结构（例如类囊体膜）的功能多层结构的机制。 拟议的研究预计将通过自下而上的？处理，同时保持PSI系统的功能。 提出的仿生方法可能导致阳光转化为潜在的可用能源。预计该项目有望增强对生物结构与控制良好的模型有机材料之间界面的基本理解。将研究新的共价和仿生固定，以及二维晶体和策略，并通过电化学程序测量其影响。该多学科研究团队由田纳西州最大的HBCU范德比尔特大学和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，这些机构的大量研究生和本科生将由研究小组培训。 高中教师和学生通过不同的计划（例如为教师和范德比尔特夏季学院的NSF资助的研究经验）参与研究活动，这是该项目的另一个方面。