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Buscemi G, Trotta M, Vona D, Farinola GM, Milano F, Ragni R. Supramolecular Biohybrid Construct for Photoconversion Based on a Bacterial Reaction Center Covalently Bound to Cytochrome c by an Organic Light Harvesting Bridge. Bioconjug Chem 2023; 34:629-637. [PMID: 36896985 PMCID: PMC10120590 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.2c00527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
A supramolecular construct for solar energy conversion is developed by covalently bridging the reaction center (RC) from the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides and cytochrome c (Cyt c) proteins with a tailored organic light harvesting antenna (hCy2). The RC-hCy2-Cyt c biohybrid mimics the working mechanism of biological assemblies located in the bacterial cell membrane to convert sunlight into metabolic energy. hCy2 collects visible light and transfers energy to the RC, increasing the rate of photocycle between a RC and Cyt c that are linked in such a way that enhances proximity without preventing protein mobility. The biohybrid obtained with average 1 RC/10 hCy2/1.5 Cyt c molar ratio features an almost doubled photoactivity versus the pristine RC upon illumination at 660 nm, and ∼10 times higher photocurrent versus an equimolar mixture of the unbound proteins. Our results represent an interesting insight into photoenzyme chemical manipulation, opening the way to new eco-sustainable systems for biophotovoltaics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella Buscemi
- Dipartimento
di Chimica, Università degli Studi
di Bari Aldo Moro, Via
Orabona, 4, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Massimo Trotta
- Istituto
per i Processi Chimico Fisici, Consiglio
Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR-IPCF), Via Orabona, 4, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Danilo Vona
- Dipartimento
di Chimica, Università degli Studi
di Bari Aldo Moro, Via
Orabona, 4, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Gianluca M. Farinola
- Dipartimento
di Chimica, Università degli Studi
di Bari Aldo Moro, Via
Orabona, 4, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Francesco Milano
- Istituto
di Scienze delle Produzioni Alimentari, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR-ISPA), Via P. le Lecce-Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Roberta Ragni
- Dipartimento
di Chimica, Università degli Studi
di Bari Aldo Moro, Via
Orabona, 4, 70126 Bari, Italy
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2
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Vitukhnovskya LA, Zaspa AA, Semenov AY, Mamedov MD. Conversion of light into electricity in a semi-synthetic system based on photosynthetic bacterial chromatophores. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA (BBA) - BIOENERGETICS 2023; 1864:148975. [PMID: 37001791 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2023.148975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Chromatophores (Chr) from photosynthetic nonsulfur purple bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides immobilized onto a Millipore membrane filter (MF) and sandwiched between two semiconductor indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes (termed ITO|Chr - MF|ITO) have been used to measure voltage (ΔV) induced by continuous illumination. The maximum ΔV was detected in the presence of ascorbate / N,N,N'N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine couple, coenzyme UQ0, disaccaride trehalose and antimycin A, an inhibitor of cytochrome bc1 complex. In doing so, the light-induced electron transfer in the reaction centers was the major source of photovoltages. The stability of the voltage signal upon prolonged irradiation (>1 h) may be due to the maintenance of a conformation that is optimal for the functioning of integral protein complexes and stabilization of lipid bilayer membranes in the presence of trehalose. Retaining ∼70 % of the original photovoltage performance on the 30th day of storage at 23 °C in the dark under air was achieved after re-injection of fresh buffer (∼40 μL) containing redox mediators into the ITO|Chr - MF|ITO system. The approach we use is easy and can be extended to other biological intact systems (cells, thylakoid membranes) capable of converting energy of light.
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3
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van Moort MR, Jones MR, Frese RN, Friebe VM. The Role of Electrostatic Binding Interfaces in the Performance of Bacterial Reaction Center Biophotoelectrodes. ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING 2023; 11:3044-3051. [PMID: 36844753 PMCID: PMC9945312 DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.2c06769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Photosynthetic reaction centers (RCs) efficiently capture and convert solar radiation into electrochemical energy. Accordingly, RCs have the potential as components in biophotovoltaics, biofuel cells, and biosensors. Recent biophotoelectrodes containing the RC from the bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides utilize a natural electron donor, horse heart cytochrome c (cyt c), as an electron transfer mediator with the electrode. In this system, electrostatic interfaces largely control the protein-electrode and protein-protein interactions necessary for electron transfer. However, recent studies have revealed kinetic bottlenecks in cyt-mediated electron transfer that limit biohybrid photoelectrode efficiency. Here, we seek to understand how changing protein-protein and protein-electrode interactions influence RC turnover and biophotoelectrode efficiency. The RC-cyt c binding interaction was modified by substituting interfacial RC amino acids. Substitutions Asn-M188 to Asp and Gln-L264 to Glu, which are known to produce a higher cyt-binding affinity, led to a decrease in the RC turnover frequency (TOF) at the electrode, suggesting that a decrease in cyt c dissociation was rate-limiting in these RC variants. Conversely, an Asp-M88 to Lys substitution producing a lower binding affinity had little effect on the RC TOF, suggesting that a decrease in the cyt c association rate was not a rate-limiting factor. Modulating the electrode surface with a self-assembled monolayer that oriented the cyt c to face the electrode did not affect the RC TOF, suggesting that the orientation of cyt c was also not a rate-limiting factor. Changing the ionic strength of the electrolyte solution had the most potent impact on the RC TOF, indicating that cyt c mobility was important for effective electron donation to the photo-oxidized RC. An ultimate limitation for the RC TOF was that cyt c desorbed from the electrode at ionic strengths above 120 mM, diluting its local concentration near the electrode-adsorbed RCs and resulting in poor biophotoelectrode performance. These findings will guide further tuning of these interfaces for improved performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milo R. van Moort
- Biophysics
of Photosynthesis, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of
Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- LaserLaB
Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michael R. Jones
- School
of Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom
| | - Raoul N. Frese
- Biophysics
of Photosynthesis, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of
Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- LaserLaB
Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Vincent M. Friebe
- Biophysics
of Photosynthesis, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of
Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- LaserLaB
Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Campus
Straubing for Biotechnology and Sustainability, Technical University of Munich, Uferstraße 53, 94315 Straubing, Germany
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Porous silicon pillar structures/photosynthetic reaction centre protein hybrid for bioelectronic applications. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2021; 21:13-22. [PMID: 34716892 DOI: 10.1007/s43630-021-00121-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Photosynthetic biomaterials have attracted considerable attention at different levels of the biological organisation, from molecules to the biosphere, due to a variety of artificial application possibilities. During photosynthesis, the first steps of the conversion of light energy into chemical energy take place in a pigment-protein complex, called reaction centre (RC). In our experiments photosynthetic reaction centre protein, purified from Rhodobacter sphaeroides R-26 purple bacteria, was bound to porous silicon pillars (PSiP) after the electropolymerisation of aniline onto the surface. This new type of biohybrid material showed remarkable photoactivity in terms of measured photocurrent under light excitation in an electrochemical cell. The photocurrent was found to increase considerably after the addition of ubiquinone (UQ-0), an e--acceptor mediator of the RC. The photoactivity of the complex was found to decrease by the addition of terbutryn, the chemical which inhibits the e--transport on the acceptor side of the RC. In addition to the generation of sizeable light-induced photocurrents, using the PSiP/RC photoactive hybrid nanocomposite material, the system was found to be sensitive towards RC inhibitors and herbicides. This highly ordered patterned 3D structure opens new solution for designing low-power (bio-)optoelectronic, biophotonic and biosensing devices.
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Jun D, Zhang S, Grzędowski AJ, Mahey A, Beatty JT, Bizzotto D. Correlating structural assemblies of photosynthetic reaction centers on a gold electrode and the photocurrent - potential response. iScience 2021; 24:102500. [PMID: 34113832 PMCID: PMC8170006 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of biomacromolecules is a nascent development in clean alternative energies. In applications of biosensors and biophotovoltaic devices, the bacterial photosynthetic reaction center (RC) is a protein-pigment complex that has been commonly interfaced with electrodes, in large part to take advantage of the long-lived and high efficiency of charge separation. We investigated assemblies of RCs on an electrode that range from monolayer to multilayers by measuring the photocurrent produced when illuminated by an intensity-modulated excitation light source. In addition, atomic force microscopy and modeling of the photocurrent with the Marcus-Hush-Chidsey theory detailed the reorganization energy for the electron transfer process, which also revealed changes in the RC local environment due to the adsorbed conformations. The local environment in which the RCs are embedded significantly influenced photocurrent generation, which has implications for electron transfer of other biomacromolecules deposited on a surface in sensor and photovoltaic applications employing a redox electrolyte.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Jun
- Advanced Materials and Process Engineering Laboratory, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Sylvester Zhang
- Advanced Materials and Process Engineering Laboratory, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Adrian Jan Grzędowski
- Advanced Materials and Process Engineering Laboratory, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Amita Mahey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - J. Thomas Beatty
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Dan Bizzotto
- Advanced Materials and Process Engineering Laboratory, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
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Abstract
Transmembrane proteins involved in metabolic redox reactions and photosynthesis catalyse a plethora of key energy-conversion processes and are thus of great interest for bioelectrocatalysis-based applications. The development of membrane protein modified electrodes has made it possible to efficiently exchange electrons between proteins and electrodes, allowing mechanistic studies and potentially applications in biofuels generation and energy conversion. Here, we summarise the most common electrode modification and their characterisation techniques for membrane proteins involved in biofuels conversion and semi-artificial photosynthesis. We discuss the challenges of applications of membrane protein modified electrodes for bioelectrocatalysis and comment on emerging methods and future directions, including recent advances in membrane protein reconstitution strategies and the development of microbial electrosynthesis and whole-cell semi-artificial photosynthesis.
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Huang X, Vasilev C, Hunter CN. Excitation energy transfer between monomolecular layers of light harvesting LH2 and LH1-reaction centre complexes printed on a glass substrate. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:2529-2538. [PMID: 32662473 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc00156b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Light-harvesting 2 (LH2) and light-harvesting 1 - reaction centre (RCLH1) complexes purified from the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter (Rba.) sphaeroides were cross-patterned on glass surfaces for energy transfer studies. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of the RCLH1 and LH2 patterns show the deposition of monomolecular layers of complexes on the glass substrate. Spectral imaging and fluorescence life-time imaging microscopy (FLIM) revealed that RCLH1 and LH2 complexes, sealed under physiological conditions, retained their native light-harvesting and energy transfer functions. Measurements of the amplitude and lifetime decay of fluorescence emission from LH2 complexes, the energy transfer donors, and gain of fluorescence emission from acceptor RCLH1 complexes, provide evidence for excitation energy transfer from LH2 to RCLH1. Directional energy transfer on the glass substrate was unequivocally established by using LH2-carotenoid complexes and RCLH1 complexes with genetically removed carotenoids. Specific excitation of carotenoids in donor LH2 complexes elicited fluorescence emission from RCLH1 acceptors. To explore the longevity of this novel nanoprinted photosynthetic unit, RCLH1 and LH2 complexes were cross-patterned on a glass surface and sealed under a protective argon atmosphere. The results show that both complexes retained their individual and collective functions and are capable of directional excitation energy transfer for at least 60 days.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Huang
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK.
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8
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Jun D, Beatty JT, Bizzotto D. Highly Sensitive Method to Isolate Photocurrent Signals from Large Background Redox Currents on Protein‐Modified Electrodes. ChemElectroChem 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/celc.201900249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Jun
- Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyUniversity of British Columbia Vancouver BC V6T 1Z3 Canada
| | - J. Thomas Beatty
- Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyUniversity of British Columbia Vancouver BC V6T 1Z3 Canada
| | - Dan Bizzotto
- Department of Chemistry Advanced Materials and Process Engineering LaboratoryUniversity of British Columbia Vancouver BC V6T 1Z4 Canada
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9
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Zhao F, Ruff A, Rögner M, Schuhmann W, Conzuelo F. Extended Operational Lifetime of a Photosystem-Based Bioelectrode. J Am Chem Soc 2019; 141:5102-5106. [PMID: 30888806 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b13869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The development of bioelectrochemical assemblies for sustainable energy transformation constitutes an increasingly important field of research. Significant progress has been made in the development of semiartificial devices for conversion of light into electrical energy by integration of photosynthetic biomolecules on electrodes. However, sufficient long-term stability of such biophotoelectrodes has been compromised by reactive species generated under aerobic operation. Therefore, meeting the requirements of practical applications still remains unsolved. We present the operation of a photosystem I-based photocathode using an electron acceptor that enables photocurrent generation under anaerobic conditions as the basis for a biodevice with substantially improved stability. A continuous operation lifetime considerably superior to previous reports and at higher light intensities is paving the way toward the potential application of semiartificial energy conversion devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangyuan Zhao
- Analytical Chemistry - Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES), Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry , Ruhr University Bochum , Universitätsstraße 150 , D-44780 Bochum , Germany
| | - Adrian Ruff
- Analytical Chemistry - Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES), Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry , Ruhr University Bochum , Universitätsstraße 150 , D-44780 Bochum , Germany
| | - Matthias Rögner
- Plant Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology , Ruhr University Bochum , Universitätsstraße 150 , D-44780 Bochum , Germany
| | - Wolfgang Schuhmann
- Analytical Chemistry - Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES), Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry , Ruhr University Bochum , Universitätsstraße 150 , D-44780 Bochum , Germany
| | - Felipe Conzuelo
- Analytical Chemistry - Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES), Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry , Ruhr University Bochum , Universitätsstraße 150 , D-44780 Bochum , Germany
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10
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Białek R, Swainsbury DJK, Wiesner M, Jones MR, Gibasiewicz K. Modelling of the cathodic and anodic photocurrents from Rhodobacter sphaeroides reaction centres immobilized on titanium dioxide. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2018; 138:103-114. [PMID: 29971571 PMCID: PMC6208573 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-018-0550-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
As one of a number of new technologies for the harnessing of solar energy, there is interest in the development of photoelectrochemical cells based on reaction centres (RCs) from photosynthetic organisms such as the bacterium Rhodobacter (Rba.) sphaeroides. The cell architecture explored in this report is similar to that of a dye-sensitized solar cell but with delivery of electrons to a mesoporous layer of TiO2 by natural pigment-protein complexes rather than an artificial dye. Rba. sphaeroides RCs were bound to the deposited TiO2 via an engineered extramembrane peptide tag. Using TMPD (N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine) as an electrolyte, these biohybrid photoactive electrodes produced an output that was the net product of cathodic and anodic photocurrents. To explain the observed photocurrents, a kinetic model is proposed that includes (1) an anodic current attributed to injection of electrons from the triplet state of the RC primary electron donor (PT) to the TiO2 conduction band, (2) a cathodic current attributed to reduction of the photooxidized RC primary electron donor (P+) by surface states of the TiO2 and (3) transient cathodic and anodic current spikes due to oxidation/reduction of TMPD/TMPD+ at the conductive glass (FTO) substrate. This model explains the origin of the photocurrent spikes that appear in this system after turning illumination on or off, the reason for the appearance of net positive or negative stable photocurrents depending on experimental conditions, and the overall efficiency of the constructed cell. The model may be a used as a guide for improvement of the photocurrent efficiency of the presented system as well as, after appropriate adjustments, other biohybrid photoelectrodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafał Białek
- Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, ul. Umultowska 85, 61-614, Poznan, Poland.
| | - David J K Swainsbury
- School of Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Maciej Wiesner
- Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, ul. Umultowska 85, 61-614, Poznan, Poland
- NanoBioMedical Center, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, ul. Umultowska 85, 61-614, Poznan, Poland
| | - Michael R Jones
- School of Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Krzysztof Gibasiewicz
- Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, ul. Umultowska 85, 61-614, Poznan, Poland.
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11
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Sunlight photocurrent generation from thylakoid membranes on gold nanoparticle modified screen-printed electrodes. J Electroanal Chem (Lausanne) 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jelechem.2018.03.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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12
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Kowalska D, Szalkowski M, Ashraf K, Grzelak J, Lokstein H, Niedziolka-Jonsson J, Cogdell R, Mackowski S. Spectrally selective fluorescence imaging of Chlorobaculum tepidum reaction centers conjugated to chelator-modified silver nanowires. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2018; 135:329-336. [PMID: 29090426 PMCID: PMC5784008 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-017-0455-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
A polyhistidine tag (His-tag) present on Chlorobaculum tepidum reaction centers (RCs) was used to immobilize photosynthetic complexes on a silver nanowire (AgNW) modified with nickel-chelating nitrilo-triacetic acid (Ni-NTA). The optical properties of conjugated nanostructures were studied using wide-field and confocal fluorescence microscopy. Plasmonic enhancement of RCs conjugated to AgNWs was observed as their fluorescence intensity dependence on the excitation wavelength does not follow the excitation spectrum of RC complexes in solution. The strongest effect of plasmonic interactions on the emission intensity of RCs coincides with the absorption spectrum of AgNWs and is observed for excitation into the carotenoid absorption. From the absence of fluorescence decay shortening, we attribute the emission enhancement to increase of absorption in RC complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Kowalska
- Institute of Physics, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Informatics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Grudziadzka 5, Torun, Poland.
| | - Marcin Szalkowski
- Institute of Physics, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Informatics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Grudziadzka 5, Torun, Poland
| | - Khuram Ashraf
- Institute of Molecular, Cell & Systems Biology, Glasgow Biomedical Research Centre, University of Glasgow, 120 University Place, Glasgow, G12 8TA, Scotland, UK
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University, Russ Berrie Pavilion, 1150 St. Nicholas Avenue, New York, NY, 10025, USA
| | - Justyna Grzelak
- Institute of Physics, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Informatics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Grudziadzka 5, Torun, Poland
| | - Heiko Lokstein
- Institute of Molecular, Cell & Systems Biology, Glasgow Biomedical Research Centre, University of Glasgow, 120 University Place, Glasgow, G12 8TA, Scotland, UK
- Department of Chemical Physics and Optics, Charles University, Ke Karlovu 3, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Joanna Niedziolka-Jonsson
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, Warsaw, Poland
- Baltic Institute of Technology, Al. Zwycięstwa 96/98, Gdynia, Poland
| | - Richard Cogdell
- Institute of Molecular, Cell & Systems Biology, Glasgow Biomedical Research Centre, University of Glasgow, 120 University Place, Glasgow, G12 8TA, Scotland, UK
| | - Sebastian Mackowski
- Institute of Physics, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Informatics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Grudziadzka 5, Torun, Poland.
- Baltic Institute of Technology, Al. Zwycięstwa 96/98, Gdynia, Poland.
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13
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Fukuzumi S, Lee Y, Nam W. Immobilization of Molecular Catalysts for Enhanced Redox Catalysis. ChemCatChem 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/cctc.201701786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shunichi Fukuzumi
- Department of Chemistry and Nano Science Ewha Womans University Seoul 03760 Korea
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering Meijo University Nagoya Aichi 468-8502 Japan
| | - Yong‐Min Lee
- Department of Chemistry and Nano Science Ewha Womans University Seoul 03760 Korea
| | - Wonwoo Nam
- Department of Chemistry and Nano Science Ewha Womans University Seoul 03760 Korea
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14
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Ravi SK, Swainsbury DJK, Singh VK, Ngeow YK, Jones MR, Tan SC. A Mechanoresponsive Phase-Changing Electrolyte Enables Fabrication of High-Output Solid-State Photobioelectrochemical Devices from Pigment-Protein Multilayers. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2018; 30:1704073. [PMID: 29250868 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201704073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Revised: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Exploitation of natural photovoltaic reaction center pigment proteins in biohybrid architectures for solar energy harvesting is attractive due to their global abundance, environmental compatibility, and near-unity quantum efficiencies. However, it is challenging to achieve high photocurrents in a device setup due to limitations imposed by low light absorbance by protein monolayers and/or slow long-range diffusion of liquid-phase charge carriers. In an attempt to enhance the photocurrent density achievable by pigment proteins, here, an alternative solid-state device architecture enabled by a mechanoresponsive gel electrolyte that can be applied under nondenaturing conditions is demonstrated. The phase-changing electrolyte gel provides a pervading biocompatible interface for charge conduction through highly absorbing protein multilayers that are fabricated in a simple fashion. Assembled devices exhibit enhanced current stability and a maximal photoresponse of ≈860 µA cm-2 , a fivefold improvement over the best previous comparable devices under standard illumination conditions. Photocurrent generation is enhanced by directional energy transfer through extended layers of light-harvesting complexes, mimicking the modular antenna/transducer architecture of natural photosystems, and by metastable radical pair formation when photovoltaic reaction centers are embedded throughout light-harvesting regions of the device.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sai Kishore Ravi
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, 9 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore, 117575, Singapore
| | - David J K Swainsbury
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Varun Kumar Singh
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, 9 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore, 117575, Singapore
| | - Yoke Keng Ngeow
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Michael R Jones
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Swee Ching Tan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, 9 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore, 117575, Singapore
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15
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Noji T, Matsuo M, Takeda N, Sumino A, Kondo M, Nango M, Itoh S, Dewa T. Lipid-Controlled Stabilization of Charge-Separated States (P+QB–) and Photocurrent Generation Activity of a Light-Harvesting–Reaction Center Core Complex (LH1-RC) from Rhodopseudomonas palustris. J Phys Chem B 2018; 122:1066-1080. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.7b09973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tomoyasu Noji
- The OCU Advanced Research Institute for Natural Science & Technology (OCARINA), Osaka City University, Sugimoto-cho, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka 558−8585, Japan
| | - Mikano Matsuo
- Department
of Frontier Materials, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan
| | - Nobutaka Takeda
- Department
of Life Science and Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan
| | - Ayumi Sumino
- Department
of Frontier Materials, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan
| | - Masaharu Kondo
- Department
of Life Science and Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan
| | - Mamoru Nango
- The OCU Advanced Research Institute for Natural Science & Technology (OCARINA), Osaka City University, Sugimoto-cho, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka 558−8585, Japan
| | - Shigeru Itoh
- Division
of Material Sciences (Physics), Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464−8602, Japan
| | - Takehisa Dewa
- Department
of Frontier Materials, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan
- Department
of Life Science and Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan
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16
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Friebe VM, Millo D, Swainsbury DJK, Jones MR, Frese RN. Cytochrome c Provides an Electron-Funneling Antenna for Efficient Photocurrent Generation in a Reaction Center Biophotocathode. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2017; 9:23379-23388. [PMID: 28635267 PMCID: PMC5520101 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b03278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The high quantum efficiency of photosynthetic reaction centers (RCs) makes them attractive for bioelectronic and biophotovoltaic applications. However, much of the native RC efficiency is lost in communication between surface-bound RCs and electrode materials. The state-of-the-art biophotoelectrodes utilizing cytochrome c (cyt c) as a biological wiring agent have at best approached 32% retained RC quantum efficiency. However, bottlenecks in cyt c-mediated electron transfer have not yet been fully elucidated. In this work, protein film voltammetry in conjunction with photoelectrochemistry is used to show that cyt c acts as an electron-funneling antennae that shuttle electrons from a functionalized rough silver electrode to surface-immobilized RCs. The arrangement of the two proteins on the electrode surface is characterized, revealing that RCs attached directly to the electrode via hydrophobic interactions and that a film of six cyt c per RC electrostatically bound to the electrode. We show that the additional electrical connectivity within a film of cyt c improves the high turnover demands of surface-bound RCs. This results in larger photocurrent onset potentials, positively shifted half-wave reduction potentials, and higher photocurrent densities reaching 100 μA cm-2. These findings are fundamental for the optimization of bioelectronics that utilize the ubiquitous cyt c redox proteins as biological wires to exploit electrode-bound enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent M. Friebe
- Department of Physics
and Astronomy, LaserLaB Amsterdam, VU University
Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, Amsterdam 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Diego Millo
- Department of Physics
and Astronomy, LaserLaB Amsterdam, VU University
Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, Amsterdam 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - David J. K. Swainsbury
- School
of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Medical Sciences Building, University
Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, U.K.
| | - Michael R. Jones
- School
of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Medical Sciences Building, University
Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, U.K.
| | - Raoul N. Frese
- Department of Physics
and Astronomy, LaserLaB Amsterdam, VU University
Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, Amsterdam 1081 HV, The Netherlands
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17
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Tahara K, Mohamed A, Kawahara K, Nagao R, Kato Y, Fukumura H, Shibata Y, Noguchi T. Fluorescence property of photosystem II protein complexes bound to a gold nanoparticle. Faraday Discuss 2017; 198:121-134. [PMID: 28272621 DOI: 10.1039/c6fd00188b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Development of an efficient photo-anode system for water oxidation is key to the success of artificial photosynthesis. We previously assembled photosystem II (PSII) proteins, which are an efficient natural photocatalyst for water oxidation, on a gold nanoparticle (GNP) to prepare a PSII-GNP conjugate as an anode system in a light-driven water-splitting nano-device (Noji et al., J. Phys. Chem. Lett., 2011, 2, 2448-2452). In the current study, we characterized the fluorescence property of the PSII-GNP conjugate by static and time-resolved fluorescence measurements, and compared with that of free PSII proteins. It was shown that in a static fluorescence spectrum measured at 77 K, the amplitude of a major peak at 683 nm was significantly reduced and a red shoulder at 693 nm disappeared in PSII-GNP. Time-resolved fluorescence measurements showed that picosecond components at 683 nm decayed faster by factors of 1.4-2.1 in PSII-GNP than in free PSII, explaining the observed quenching of the major fluorescence peak. In addition, a nanosecond-decay component arising from a 'red chlorophyll' at 693 nm was lost in time-resolved fluorescence of PSII-GNP, probably due to a structural perturbation of this chlorophyll by interaction with GNP. Consistently with these fluorescence properties, degradation of PSII during strong-light illumination was two times slower in PSII-GNP than in free PSII. The enhanced durability of PSII is an advantageous property of the PSII-GNP conjugate in the development of an artificial photosynthesis device.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuki Tahara
- Division of Material Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8602, Japan.
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18
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Szabó T, Csekő R, Hajdu K, Nagy K, Sipos O, Galajda P, Garab G, Nagy L. Sensing photosynthetic herbicides in an electrochemical flow cell. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2017; 132:127-134. [PMID: 27709414 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-016-0314-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2016] [Accepted: 09/26/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Specific inhibitory reactions of herbicides with photosynthetic reaction centers bound to working electrodes were monitored in a conventional electrochemical cell and a newly designed microfluidic electrochemical flow cell. In both cases, the bacterial reaction centers were bound to a transparent conductive metal oxide, indium-tin-oxide, electrode through carbon nanotubes. In the conventional cell, photocurrent densities of up to a few μA/cm2 could be measured routinely. The photocurrent could be blocked by the photosynthetic inhibitor terbutryn (I 50 = 0.38 ± 0.14 μM) and o-phenanthroline (I 50 = 63.9 ± 12.2 μM). The microfluidic flow cell device enabled us to reduce the sample volume and to simplify the electrode arrangement. The useful area of the electrodes remained the same (ca. 2 cm2), similar to the classical electrochemical cell; however, the size of the cell was reduced considerably. The microfluidic flow control enabled us monitoring in real time the binding/unbinding of the inhibitor and cofactor molecules at the secondary quinone site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tibor Szabó
- Department of Medical Physics and Informatics, University of Szeged, H-6720, Rerrich B. tér 1, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Richárd Csekő
- Department of Medical Physics and Informatics, University of Szeged, H-6720, Rerrich B. tér 1, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Kata Hajdu
- Department of Medical Physics and Informatics, University of Szeged, H-6720, Rerrich B. tér 1, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Krisztina Nagy
- Biological Research Centre, Institue of Biophysics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Orsolya Sipos
- Biological Research Centre, Institue of Biophysics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Péter Galajda
- Biological Research Centre, Institue of Biophysics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Győző Garab
- Biological Research Centre, Institue of Plant Biology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
- Biofotonika R&D Ltd., Szeged, Hungary
| | - László Nagy
- Department of Medical Physics and Informatics, University of Szeged, H-6720, Rerrich B. tér 1, Szeged, Hungary.
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19
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Yaghoubi H, Schaefer M, Yaghoubi S, Jun D, Schlaf R, Beatty JT, Takshi A. A ZnO nanowire bio-hybrid solar cell. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2017; 28:054006. [PMID: 28029108 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/28/5/054006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Harvesting solar energy as a carbon free source can be a promising solution to the energy crisis and environmental pollution. Biophotovoltaics seek to mimic photosynthesis to harvest solar energy and to take advantage of the low material costs, negative carbon footprint, and material abundance. In the current study, we report on a combination of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires with monolayers of photosynthetic reaction centers which are self-assembled, via a cytochrome c linker, as photoactive electrode. In a three-probe biophotovoltaics cell, a photocurrent density of 5.5 μA cm-2 and photovoltage of 36 mV was achieved, using methyl viologen as a redox mediator in the electrolyte. Using ferrocene as a redox mediator a transient photocurrent density of 8.0 μA cm-2 was obtained, which stabilized at 6.4 μA cm-2 after 20 s. In-depth electronic structure characterization using photoemission spectroscopy in conjunction with electrochemical analysis suggests that the fabricated photoactive electrode can provide a proper electronic path for electron transport all the way from the conduction band of the ZnO nanowires, through the protein linker to the RC, and ultimately via redox mediator to the counter electrode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houman Yaghoubi
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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20
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On the mechanism of ubiquinone mediated photocurrent generation by a reaction center based photocathode. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2016; 1857:1925-1934. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2016.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2016] [Revised: 08/31/2016] [Accepted: 09/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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21
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Swainsbury DJK, Harniman RL, Di Bartolo ND, Liu J, Harper WFM, Corrie AS, Jones MR. Directed assembly of defined oligomeric photosynthetic reaction centres through adaptation with programmable extra-membrane coiled-coil interfaces. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2016; 1857:1829-1839. [PMID: 27614060 PMCID: PMC5084686 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2016.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2016] [Revised: 08/25/2016] [Accepted: 09/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
A challenge associated with the utilisation of bioenergetic proteins in new, synthetic energy transducing systems is achieving efficient and predictable self-assembly of individual components, both natural and man-made, into a functioning macromolecular system. Despite progress with water-soluble proteins, the challenge of programming self-assembly of integral membrane proteins into non-native macromolecular architectures remains largely unexplored. In this work it is shown that the assembly of dimers, trimers or tetramers of the naturally monomeric purple bacterial reaction centre can be directed by augmentation with an α-helical peptide that self-associates into extra-membrane coiled-coil bundle. Despite this induced oligomerisation the assembled reaction centres displayed normal spectroscopic properties, implying preserved structural and functional integrity. Mixing of two reaction centres modified with mutually complementary α-helical peptides enabled the assembly of heterodimers in vitro, pointing to a generic strategy for assembling hetero-oligomeric complexes from diverse modified or synthetic components. Addition of two coiled-coil peptides per reaction centre monomer was also tolerated despite the challenge presented to the pigment-protein assembly machinery of introducing multiple self-associating sequences. These findings point to a generalised approach where oligomers or longer range assemblies of multiple light harvesting and/or redox proteins can be constructed in a manner that can be genetically-encoded, enabling the construction of new, designed bioenergetic systems in vivo or in vitro. Reaction centre monomers are engineered to assemble as oligomers in vivo. A fused coiled coil bundle programs dimer, trimer and tetramer formation. Assembled oligomeric reaction centres are structurally and functionally intact. Coiled coils can be used to assemble reaction centre hetero-oligomers in vitro. Addition of two coiled-coil peptides per reaction centre monomer is tolerated.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J K Swainsbury
- School of Biochemistry, Medical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom
| | - Robert L Harniman
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Cantock's Close, Bristol BS8 1TS, United Kingdom
| | - Natalie D Di Bartolo
- School of Biochemistry, Medical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom
| | - Juntai Liu
- School of Biochemistry, Medical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom
| | - William F M Harper
- School of Biochemistry, Medical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander S Corrie
- School of Biochemistry, Medical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom
| | - Michael R Jones
- School of Biochemistry, Medical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom.
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22
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Szabó T, Magyar M, Hajdu K, Dorogi M, Nyerki E, Tóth T, Lingvay M, Garab G, Hernádi K, Nagy L. Structural and Functional Hierarchy in Photosynthetic Energy Conversion-from Molecules to Nanostructures. NANOSCALE RESEARCH LETTERS 2015; 10:458. [PMID: 26619890 PMCID: PMC4666181 DOI: 10.1186/s11671-015-1173-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2015] [Accepted: 11/23/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Basic principles of structural and functional requirements of photosynthetic energy conversion in hierarchically organized machineries are reviewed. Blueprints of photosynthesis, the energetic basis of virtually all life on Earth, can serve the basis for constructing artificial light energy-converting molecular devices. In photosynthetic organisms, the conversion of light energy into chemical energy takes places in highly organized fine-tunable systems with structural and functional hierarchy. The incident photons are absorbed by light-harvesting complexes, which funnel the excitation energy into reaction centre (RC) protein complexes containing redox-active chlorophyll molecules; the primary charge separations in the RCs are followed by vectorial transport of charges (electrons and protons) in the photosynthetic membrane. RCs possess properties that make their use in solar energy-converting and integrated optoelectronic systems feasible. Therefore, there is a large interest in many laboratories and in the industry toward their use in molecular devices. RCs have been bound to different carrier matrices, with their photophysical and photochemical activities largely retained in the nano-systems and with electronic connection to conducting surfaces. We show examples of RCs bound to carbon-based materials (functionalized and non-functionalized single- and multiwalled carbon nanotubes), transitional metal oxides (ITO) and conducting polymers and porous silicon and characterize their photochemical activities. Recently, we adapted several physical and chemical methods for binding RCs to different nanomaterials. It is generally found that the P(+)(QAQB)(-) charge pair, which is formed after single saturating light excitation is stabilized after the attachment of the RCs to the nanostructures, which is followed by slow reorganization of the protein structure. Measuring the electric conductivity in a direct contact mode or in electrochemical cell indicates that there is an electronic interaction between the protein and the inorganic carrier matrices. This can be a basis of sensing element of bio-hybrid device for biosensor and/or optoelectronic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tibor Szabó
- Department of Medical Physics and Informatics, University of Szeged, Rerrich B. tér 1., H-6721, Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Melinda Magyar
- Department of Medical Physics and Informatics, University of Szeged, Rerrich B. tér 1., H-6721, Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Kata Hajdu
- Department of Medical Physics and Informatics, University of Szeged, Rerrich B. tér 1., H-6721, Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Márta Dorogi
- Biological Research Center, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Temesvari krt.62, H-6726, Szeged, Hungary.
- Biophotonics R&D Ltd., Temesvari krt.62, H-6726, Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Emil Nyerki
- Department of Medical Physics and Informatics, University of Szeged, Rerrich B. tér 1., H-6721, Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Tünde Tóth
- Department of Medical Physics and Informatics, University of Szeged, Rerrich B. tér 1., H-6721, Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Mónika Lingvay
- Department of Medical Physics and Informatics, University of Szeged, Rerrich B. tér 1., H-6721, Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Győző Garab
- Biological Research Center, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Temesvari krt.62, H-6726, Szeged, Hungary.
- Biophotonics R&D Ltd., Temesvari krt.62, H-6726, Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Klára Hernádi
- Department of Applied and Environmental Chemistry, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.
| | - László Nagy
- Department of Medical Physics and Informatics, University of Szeged, Rerrich B. tér 1., H-6721, Szeged, Hungary.
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23
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Beam JC, LeBlanc G, Gizzie EA, Ivanov BL, Needell DR, Shearer MJ, Jennings GK, Lukehart CM, Cliffel DE. Construction of a Semiconductor-Biological Interface for Solar Energy Conversion: p-Doped Silicon/Photosystem I/Zinc Oxide. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2015; 31:10002-10007. [PMID: 26318861 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.5b02334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The interface between photoactive biological materials with two distinct semiconducting electrodes is challenging both to develop and analyze. Building off of our previous work using films of photosystem I (PSI) on p-doped silicon, we have deposited a crystalline zinc oxide (ZnO) anode using confined-plume chemical deposition (CPCD). We demonstrate the ability of CPCD to deposit crystalline ZnO without damage to the PSI biomaterial. Using electrochemical techniques, we were able to probe this complex semiconductor-biological interface. Finally, as a proof of concept, a solid-state photovoltaic device consisting of p-doped silicon, PSI, ZnO, and ITO was constructed and evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremiah C Beam
- Department of Chemistry, ‡Department of Physics and Astronomy, and §Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University , Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - Gabriel LeBlanc
- Department of Chemistry, ‡Department of Physics and Astronomy, and §Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University , Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - Evan A Gizzie
- Department of Chemistry, ‡Department of Physics and Astronomy, and §Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University , Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - Borislav L Ivanov
- Department of Chemistry, ‡Department of Physics and Astronomy, and §Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University , Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - David R Needell
- Department of Chemistry, ‡Department of Physics and Astronomy, and §Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University , Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - Melinda J Shearer
- Department of Chemistry, ‡Department of Physics and Astronomy, and §Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University , Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - G Kane Jennings
- Department of Chemistry, ‡Department of Physics and Astronomy, and §Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University , Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - Charles M Lukehart
- Department of Chemistry, ‡Department of Physics and Astronomy, and §Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University , Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - David E Cliffel
- Department of Chemistry, ‡Department of Physics and Astronomy, and §Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University , Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
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24
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Patole S, Vasilev C, El-Zubir O, Wang L, Johnson MP, Cadby AJ, Leggett GJ, Hunter CN. Interference lithographic nanopatterning of plant and bacterial light-harvesting complexes on gold substrates. Interface Focus 2015; 5:20150005. [PMID: 26464784 PMCID: PMC4590419 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2015.0005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
We describe a facile approach for nanopatterning of photosynthetic light-harvesting complexes over macroscopic areas, and use optical spectroscopy to demonstrate retention of native properties by both site-specifically and non-specifically attached photosynthetic membrane proteins. A Lloyd's mirror dual-beam interferometer was used to expose self-assembled monolayers of amine-terminated alkylthiolates on gold to laser irradiation. Following exposure, photo-oxidized adsorbates were replaced by oligo(ethylene glycol) terminated thiols, and the remaining intact amine-functionalized regions were used for attachment of the major light-harvesting chlorophyll-protein complex from plants, LHCII. These amine patterns could be derivatized with nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), so that polyhistidine-tagged bacteriochlorophyll-protein complexes from phototrophic bacteria could be attached with a defined surface orientation. By varying parameters such as the angle between the interfering beams and the laser irradiation dose, it was possible to vary the period and widths of NTA and amine-functionalized lines on the surfaces; periods varied from 1200 to 240 nm and linewidths as small as 60 nm (λ/4) were achieved. This level of control over the surface chemistry was reflected in the surface topology of the protein nanostructures imaged by atomic force microscopy; fluorescence imaging and spectral measurements demonstrated that the surface-attached proteins had retained their native functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samson Patole
- Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield, Brook Hill, Sheffield S3 7HF, UK
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Cvetelin Vasilev
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Osama El-Zubir
- Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield, Brook Hill, Sheffield S3 7HF, UK
| | - Lin Wang
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Hicks Building, Hounsfield Road, Sheffield S3 7RH, UK
| | - Matthew P. Johnson
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Ashley J. Cadby
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Hicks Building, Hounsfield Road, Sheffield S3 7RH, UK
| | - Graham J. Leggett
- Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield, Brook Hill, Sheffield S3 7HF, UK
| | - C. Neil Hunter
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
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25
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Kamran M, Akkilic N, Luo J, Abbasi AZ. RETRACTED: Monolayers of pigment-protein complexes on a bare gold electrode: Orientation controlled deposition and comparison of electron transfer rate for two configurations. Biosens Bioelectron 2015; 69:40-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2015.01.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2014] [Revised: 01/10/2015] [Accepted: 01/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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26
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Caterino R, Csiki R, Lyuleeva A, Pfisterer J, Wiesinger M, Janssens SD, Haenen K, Cattani-Scholz A, Stutzmann M, Garrido JA. Photocurrent generation in diamond electrodes modified with reaction centers. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2015; 7:8099-8107. [PMID: 25836362 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.5b00711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Photoactive reaction centers (RCs) are protein complexes in bacteria able to convert sunlight into other forms of energy with a high quantum yield. The photostimulation of immobilized RCs on inorganic electrodes result in the generation of photocurrent that is of interest for biosolar cell applications. This paper reports on the use of novel electrodes based on functional conductive nanocrystalline diamond onto which bacterial RCs are immobilized. A three-dimensional conductive polymer scaffold grafted to the diamond electrodes enables efficient entrapment of photoreactive proteins. The electron transfer in these functional diamond electrodes is optimized through the use of a ferrocene-based electron mediator, which provides significant advantages such as a rapid electron transfer as well as high generated photocurrent. A detailed discussion of the generated photocurrent as a function of time, bias voltage, and mediators in solution unveils the mechanisms limiting the electron transfer in these functional electrodes. This work featuring diamond-based electrodes in biophotovoltaics offers general guidelines that can serve to improve the performance of similar devices based on different materials and geometries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Caterino
- †Walter Schottky Institut and Physik-Department, Technische Universität München, Am Coulombwall 4 Garching, 85748, Germany
| | - Réka Csiki
- †Walter Schottky Institut and Physik-Department, Technische Universität München, Am Coulombwall 4 Garching, 85748, Germany
| | - Alina Lyuleeva
- †Walter Schottky Institut and Physik-Department, Technische Universität München, Am Coulombwall 4 Garching, 85748, Germany
| | - Jonas Pfisterer
- †Walter Schottky Institut and Physik-Department, Technische Universität München, Am Coulombwall 4 Garching, 85748, Germany
| | - Markus Wiesinger
- †Walter Schottky Institut and Physik-Department, Technische Universität München, Am Coulombwall 4 Garching, 85748, Germany
| | | | | | - Anna Cattani-Scholz
- †Walter Schottky Institut and Physik-Department, Technische Universität München, Am Coulombwall 4 Garching, 85748, Germany
| | - Martin Stutzmann
- †Walter Schottky Institut and Physik-Department, Technische Universität München, Am Coulombwall 4 Garching, 85748, Germany
| | - Jose A Garrido
- †Walter Schottky Institut and Physik-Department, Technische Universität München, Am Coulombwall 4 Garching, 85748, Germany
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27
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Yaghoubi H, Lafalce E, Jun D, Jiang X, Beatty JT, Takshi A. Large photocurrent response and external quantum efficiency in biophotoelectrochemical cells incorporating reaction center plus light harvesting complexes. Biomacromolecules 2015; 16:1112-8. [PMID: 25798701 DOI: 10.1021/bm501772x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial photosynthetic reaction centers (RCs) are promising materials for solar energy harvesting, due to their high ratio of photogenerated electrons to absorbed photons and long recombination time of generated charges. In this work, photoactive electrodes were prepared from a bacterial RC-light-harvesting 1 (LH1) core complex, where the RC is encircled by the LH1 antenna, to increase light capture. A simple immobilization method was used to prepare RC-LH1 photoactive layer. Herein, we demonstrate that the combination of pretreatment of the RC-LH1 protein complexes with quinone and the immobilization method results in biophotoelectrochemical cells with a large peak transient photocurrent density and photocurrent response of 7.1 and 3.5 μA cm(-2), respectively. The current study with monochromatic excitation showed maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) and photocurrent density of 0.21% and 2 μA cm(-2), respectively, with illumination power of ∼6 mW cm(-2) at ∼875 nm, under ambient conditions. This work provides new directions to higher performance biophotoelectrochemical cells as well as possibly other applications of this broadly functional photoactive material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houman Yaghoubi
- †Bio/Organic Electronics Lab, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Evan Lafalce
- ‡Soft Semiconducting Materials and Devices Lab, Department of Physics, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Daniel Jun
- §Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Xiaomei Jiang
- ‡Soft Semiconducting Materials and Devices Lab, Department of Physics, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - J Thomas Beatty
- §Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Arash Takshi
- †Bio/Organic Electronics Lab, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
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Kamran M, Friebe VM, Delgado JD, Aartsma TJ, Frese RN, Jones MR. Demonstration of asymmetric electron conduction in pseudosymmetrical photosynthetic reaction centre proteins in an electrical circuit. Nat Commun 2015; 6:6530. [PMID: 25751412 PMCID: PMC4366537 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2014] [Accepted: 02/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Photosynthetic reaction centres show promise for biomolecular electronics as nanoscale solar-powered batteries and molecular diodes that are amenable to atomic-level re-engineering. In this work the mechanism of electron conduction across the highly tractable Rhodobacter sphaeroides reaction centre is characterized by conductive atomic force microscopy. We find, using engineered proteins of known structure, that only one of the two cofactor wires connecting the positive and negative termini of this reaction centre is capable of conducting unidirectional current under a suitably oriented bias, irrespective of the magnitude of the bias or the applied force at the tunnelling junction. This behaviour, strong functional asymmetry in a largely symmetrical protein–cofactor matrix, recapitulates the strong functional asymmetry characteristic of natural photochemical charge separation, but it is surprising given that the stimulus for electron flow is simply an externally applied bias. Reasons for the electrical resistance displayed by the so-called B-wire of cofactors are explored. Photosynthetic reaction centres have been proposed for applications in bioelectronics. Here, the authors examine electron transport through the reaction centre from R. sphaeroides using conductive AFM, observing asymmetric conductance along only one cofactor wire under an applied bias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Kamran
- Leiden Institute of Physics, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, 2333 CA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Vincent M Friebe
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, LaserLaB Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Juan D Delgado
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, LaserLaB Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Thijs J Aartsma
- Leiden Institute of Physics, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, 2333 CA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Raoul N Frese
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, LaserLaB Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michael R Jones
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Medical Sciences Building, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
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Ihssen J, Braun A, Faccio G, Gajda-Schrantz K, Thöny-Meyer L. Light harvesting proteins for solar fuel generation in bioengineered photoelectrochemical cells. Curr Protein Pept Sci 2015; 15:374-84. [PMID: 24678669 PMCID: PMC4030624 DOI: 10.2174/1389203715666140327105530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2013] [Revised: 11/22/2013] [Accepted: 03/16/2014] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The sun is the primary energy source of our planet and potentially can supply
all societies with more than just their basic energy needs. Demand of electric
energy can be satisfied with photovoltaics, however the global demand for fuels
is even higher. The direct way to produce the solar fuel hydrogen is by water
splitting in photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells, an artificial mimic of
photosynthesis. There is currently strong resurging interest for solar fuels
produced by PEC cells, but some fundamental technological problems need to be
solved to make PEC water splitting an economic, competitive alternative. One of
the problems is to provide a low cost, high performing water oxidizing and
oxygen evolving photoanode in an environmentally benign setting. Hematite, α-Fe2O3,
satisfies many requirements for a good PEC photoanode, but its efficiency is
insufficient in its pristine form. A promising strategy for enhancing
photocurrent density takes advantage of photosynthetic proteins. In this paper
we give an overview of how electrode surfaces in general and hematite
photoanodes in particular can be functionalized with light harvesting proteins.
Specifically, we demonstrate how low-cost biomaterials such as cyanobacterial
phycocyanin and enzymatically produced melanin increase the overall performance
of virtually no-cost metal oxide photoanodes in a PEC system. The implementation
of biomaterials changes the overall nature of the photoanode assembly in a way
that aggressive alkaline electrolytes such as concentrated KOH are not required
anymore. Rather, a more environmentally benign and pH neutral electrolyte can be
used.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Linda Thöny-Meyer
- Empa, Laboratory for Biomaterials, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, CH-9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland.
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30
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Nagy L, Magyar M, Szabó T, Hajdu K, Giotta L, Dorogi M, Milano F. Photosynthetic machineries in nano-systems. Curr Protein Pept Sci 2015; 15:363-73. [PMID: 24678673 PMCID: PMC4030625 DOI: 10.2174/1389203715666140327102757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2013] [Revised: 11/22/2013] [Accepted: 03/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Photosynthetic reaction centres are membrane-spanning proteins, found in several classes of autotroph organisms,
where a photoinduced charge separation and stabilization takes place with a quantum efficiency close to unity. The
protein remains stable and fully functional also when extracted and purified in detergents thereby biotechnological applications
are possible, for example, assembling it in nano-structures or in optoelectronic systems. Several types of bionanocomposite
materials have been assembled by using reaction centres and different carrier matrices for different purposes
in the field of light energy conversion (e.g., photovoltaics) or biosensing (e.g., for specific detection of pesticides).
In this review we will summarize the current status of knowledge, the kinds of applications available and the difficulties to
be overcome in the different applications. We will also show possible research directions for the close future in this specific
field.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Francesco Milano
- Institute of Medical Physics and Informatics, University of Szeged, Rerrich B. ter 1, 6720 Szeged, Hungary.
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LeBlanc G, Gizzie E, Yang S, Cliffel DE, Jennings GK. Photosystem I protein films at electrode surfaces for solar energy conversion. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2014; 30:10990-11001. [PMID: 24576007 DOI: 10.1021/la500129q] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Over the course of a few billion years, nature has developed extraordinary nanomaterials for the efficient conversion of solar energy into chemical energy. One of these materials, photosystem I (PSI), functions as a photodiode capable of generating a charge separation with nearly perfect quantum efficiency. Because of the favorable properties and natural abundance of PSI, researchers around the world have begun to study how this protein complex can be integrated into modern solar energy conversion devices. This feature article describes some of the recent materials and methods that have led to dramatic improvements (over several orders of magnitude) in the photocurrents and photovoltages of biohybrid electrodes based on PSI, with an emphasis on the research activities in our laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel LeBlanc
- Departments of †Chemistry and ‡Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University , Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
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Kothe T, Pöller S, Zhao F, Fortgang P, Rögner M, Schuhmann W, Plumeré N. Engineered Electron-Transfer Chain in Photosystem 1 Based Photocathodes Outperforms Electron-Transfer Rates in Natural Photosynthesis. Chemistry 2014; 20:11029-34. [DOI: 10.1002/chem.201402585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Kamran M, Delgado JD, Friebe V, Aartsma TJ, Frese RN. Photosynthetic Protein Complexes as Bio-photovoltaic Building Blocks Retaining a High Internal Quantum Efficiency. Biomacromolecules 2014; 15:2833-8. [DOI: 10.1021/bm500585s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Kamran
- Leiden
Institute of Physics, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, 2333CA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Juan D. Delgado
- VU University, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Vincent Friebe
- VU University, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Thijs J. Aartsma
- Leiden
Institute of Physics, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, 2333CA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Raoul N. Frese
- VU University, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Yehezkeli O, Tel-Vered R, Michaeli D, Willner I, Nechushtai R. Photosynthetic reaction center-functionalized electrodes for photo-bioelectrochemical cells. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2014; 120:71-85. [PMID: 23371753 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-013-9796-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2012] [Accepted: 01/17/2013] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
During the last few years, intensive research efforts have been directed toward the application of several highly efficient light-harvesting photosynthetic proteins, including reaction centers (RCs), photosystem I (PSI), and photosystem II (PSII), as key components in the light-triggered generation of fuels or electrical power. This review highlights recent advances for the nano-engineering of photo-bioelectrochemical cells through the assembly of the photosynthetic proteins on electrode surfaces. Various strategies to immobilize the photosynthetic complexes on conductive surfaces and different methodologies to electrically wire them with the electrode supports are presented. The different photoelectrochemical systems exhibit a wide range of photocurrent intensities and power outputs that sharply depend on the nano-engineering strategy and the electroactive components. Such cells are promising candidates for a future production of biologically-driven solar power.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omer Yehezkeli
- Institute of Chemistry, The Minerva Center for Biohybrid Systems, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91904, Jerusalem, Israel
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35
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Swainsbury DJK, Friebe VM, Frese RN, Jones MR. Evaluation of a biohybrid photoelectrochemical cell employing the purple bacterial reaction centre as a biosensor for herbicides. Biosens Bioelectron 2014; 58:172-8. [PMID: 24637165 PMCID: PMC4009402 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2014.02.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2014] [Revised: 02/17/2014] [Accepted: 02/18/2014] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The Rhodobacter sphaeroides reaction centre is a relatively robust and tractable membrane protein that has potential for exploitation in technological applications, including biohybrid devices for photovoltaics and biosensing. This report assessed the usefulness of the photocurrent generated by this reaction centre adhered to a small working electrode as the basis for a biosensor for classes of herbicides used extensively for the control of weeds in major agricultural crops. Photocurrent generation was inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner by the triazides atrazine and terbutryn, but not by nitrile or phenylurea herbicides. Measurements of the effects of these herbicides on the kinetics of charge recombination in photo-oxidised reaction centres in solution showed the same selectivity of response. Titrations of reaction centre photocurrents yielded half maximal inhibitory concentrations of 208 nM and 2.1 µM for terbutryn and atrazine, respectively, with limits of detection estimated at around 8 nM and 50 nM, respectively. Photocurrent attenuation provided a direct measure of herbicide concentration, with no need for model-dependent kinetic analysis of the signal used for detection or the use of prohibitively complex instrumentation, and prospects for the use of protein engineering to develop the sensitivity and selectivity of herbicide binding by the Rba. sphaeroides reaction centre are discussed. The Rhodobacter sphaeroides reaction centre was used as a biosensor for herbicides. Herbicide concentration was assessed through the attenuation of a photocurrent. The biosensor showed selectivity for triazine herbicides. The limit of detection of the biosensor was in the low nanomolar range. Photocurrent attenuation is a simple and direct basis for a herbicide biosensor.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J K Swainsbury
- School of Biochemistry, Medical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom.
| | - Vincent M Friebe
- Division of Physics and Astronomy, Department of Biophysics, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, Amsterdam 1081 HV, The Netherlands.
| | - Raoul N Frese
- Division of Physics and Astronomy, Department of Biophysics, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, Amsterdam 1081 HV, The Netherlands.
| | - Michael R Jones
- School of Biochemistry, Medical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom.
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Yang Y, Jankowiak R, Lin C, Pawlak K, Reus M, Holzwarth AR, Li J. Effect of the LHCII pigment–protein complex aggregation on photovoltaic properties of sensitized TiO2 solar cells. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2014; 16:20856-65. [DOI: 10.1039/c4cp03112a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Chl–Chl charge transfer states formed in LHCII aggregates are observed to enhance the photocurrent generation in LHCII sensitized solar cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqun Yang
- Department of Chemistry
- Kansas State University
- Manhattan, USA
| | | | - Chen Lin
- Department of Chemistry
- Kansas State University
- Manhattan, USA
| | - Krzysztof Pawlak
- Max-Planck-Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion (MPI-CEC)
- , Germany
| | - Michael Reus
- Max-Planck-Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion (MPI-CEC)
- , Germany
| | | | - Jun Li
- Department of Chemistry
- Kansas State University
- Manhattan, USA
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37
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Maksimov EG, Lukashev EP, Seifullina NK, Nizova GV, Pashchenko VZ. Photophysical properties of hybrid complexes of quantum dots and reaction centers of purple photosynthetic bacteria Rhodobacter sphaeroides adsorbed on crystalline mesoporous TiO2 films. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.1134/s1995078013040095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Harrold JW, Woronowicz K, Lamptey JL, Awong J, Baird J, Moshar A, Vittadello M, Falkowski PG, Niederman RA. Functional Interfacing of Rhodospirillum rubrum Chromatophores to a Conducting Support for Capture and Conversion of Solar Energy. J Phys Chem B 2013; 117:11249-59. [DOI: 10.1021/jp402108s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John W. Harrold
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical
Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 610 Taylor Road, Piscataway, New Jersey
08854, United States
| | - Kamil Woronowicz
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 604 Allison
Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854-8082, United States
| | - Joana L. Lamptey
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 604 Allison
Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854-8082, United States
| | - John Awong
- Energy Nanotechnology and Materials
Chemistry Lab, Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York, 1638 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11225, United States
| | - James Baird
- Energy Nanotechnology and Materials
Chemistry Lab, Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York, 1638 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11225, United States
| | - Amir Moshar
- Asylum Research, 6310 Hollister Avenue, Santa Barbara, California 93117, United
States
| | - Michele Vittadello
- Energy Nanotechnology and Materials
Chemistry Lab, Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York, 1638 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11225, United States
| | - Paul G. Falkowski
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical
Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 610 Taylor Road, Piscataway, New Jersey
08854, United States
- Institute for Marine
and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 71 Dudley Road, New Brunswick, New Jersey
08901, United States
| | - Robert A. Niederman
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 604 Allison
Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854-8082, United States
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Yaghoubi H, Jun D, Beatty JT, Takshi A. Photosynthetic Reaction Center Immobilization through Carboxylic Acid Terminated\Cytochrome C Linker for Applications in Photoprotein-based Bio-photovoltaic Devices. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.1557/opl.2013.682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACTBacterial photosynthetic reaction centers (RCs) are promising materials for solar energy harvesting, due to their high internal quantum efficiency. However, applications of RCs in bio-photovoltaic devices so far show relatively low external power conversion efficiency, mainly due to low efficiency of the charge transfer to the electrode. Preferential orientation of RCs on an electrode’s surface can enhance the charge transfer rate to some extent. Yet, the results of direct coupling of RCs to an Au electrode, through cysteine residues from the H-subunit, revealed that direct electron transfer is not efficient. This work focuses on a different approach to achieve high charge transfer rate between an Au electrode and RC protein complexes by employing cytochrome c (Cyt c)\carboxylic acid-terminated linker molecules. This approach preferentially orients RCs with the primary donor site to the electrode. Furthermore, Cyt c can be considered as a conductive linker, while the charge transfer mechanism through carboxylic acid-terminated linker molecules is dominated by tunneling. The photochronoamperometric results for a two electrode cell setup indicated a 156 nA.cm-2 cathodic photocurrent density; the photocurrent was measured in an electrochemical cell with ubiquinone-10 (Q2) in the electrolyte. Negligible photocurrents were observed in the case of coupled RCs to the Au via cysteine residues on H-subunit, with only Cyt c in the electrolyte. These findings contribute to the design of highly efficient bio-photovoltaic devices.
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Sumino A, Dewa T, Sasaki N, Kondo M, Nango M. Electron Conduction and Photocurrent Generation of a Light-Harvesting/Reaction Center Core Complex in Lipid Membrane Environments. J Phys Chem Lett 2013; 4:1087-1092. [PMID: 26282025 DOI: 10.1021/jz301976z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
To reveal the structure-function relationship of membrane proteins, a membrane environment is often used to establish a suitable platform for assembly, functioning, and measurements. The control of the orientation of membrane proteins is the main challenge. In this study, the electron conductivity and photocurrent of a light-harvesting/reaction center core complex (LH1-RC) embedded in a lipid membrane were measured using conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) and photoelectrochemical analysis. AFM topographs showed that LH1-RC molecules were well-orientated, with their H-subunits toward the membrane surface. Rectified conductivity was observed in LH1-RC under precise control of the applied force on the probe electrode (<600 pN). LH1-RC embedded in a membrane generated photocurrent upon irradiation when assembled on an electrode. The observed action spectrum was consistent with the absorption spectrum of LH1-RC. The control of the orientation of LH1-RC by lipid membranes provided well-defined conductivity and photocurrent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayumi Sumino
- †Department of Frontier Materials, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan
| | - Takehisa Dewa
- †Department of Frontier Materials, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan
- ‡PRESTO/JST, 4-1-8 Honcho Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
| | - Nobuaki Sasaki
- †Department of Frontier Materials, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan
| | - Masaharu Kondo
- †Department of Frontier Materials, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan
| | - Mamoru Nango
- †Department of Frontier Materials, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan
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41
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Panda MK, Ladomenou K, Coutsolelos AG. Porphyrins in bio-inspired transformations: Light-harvesting to solar cell. Coord Chem Rev 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2012.04.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 184] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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Dimonte A, Frache S, Erokhin V, Piccinini G, Demarchi D, Milano F, Micheli GD, Carrara S. Nanosized optoelectronic devices based on photoactivated proteins. Biomacromolecules 2012; 13:3503-9. [PMID: 23046154 DOI: 10.1021/bm301063m] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Molecular nanoelectronics is attracting much attention, because of the possibility to add functionalities to silicon-based electronics by means of intrinsically nanoscale biological or organic materials. The contact point between active molecules and electrodes must present, besides nanoscale size, a very low resistance. To realize Metal-Molecule-Metal junctions it is, thus, mandatory to be able to control the formation of useful nanometric contacts. The distance between the electrodes has to be of the same size of the molecule being put in between. Nanogaps technology is a perfect fit to fulfill this requirement. In this work, nanogaps between gold electrodes have been used to develop optoelectronic devices based on photoactive proteins. Reaction Centers (RC) and Bacteriorhodopsin (BR) have been inserted in nanogaps by drop casting. Electrical characterizations of the obtained structures were performed. It has been demonstrated that these nanodevices working principle is based on charge separation and photovoltage response. The former is induced by the application of a proper voltage on the RC, while the latter comes from the activation of BR by light of appropriate wavelengths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Dimonte
- Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, IIT@Polito Center, Torino, Italy.
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Goliney I, Sugakov V, Valkunas L, Vertsimakha G. Effect of metal nanoparticles on energy spectra and optical properties of peripheral light-harvesting LH2 complexes from photosynthetic bacteria. Chem Phys 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphys.2012.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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44
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Tan SC, Crouch LI, Jones MR, Welland M. Generation of Alternating Current in Response to Discontinuous Illumination by Photoelectrochemical Cells Based on Photosynthetic Proteins. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2012. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201200466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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45
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Tan SC, Crouch LI, Jones MR, Welland M. Generation of Alternating Current in Response to Discontinuous Illumination by Photoelectrochemical Cells Based on Photosynthetic Proteins. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2012; 51:6667-71. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.201200466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2012] [Revised: 05/03/2012] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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Takshi A, Yaghoubi H, Jun D, Saer R, Mahmoudzadeh A, Madden JD, Beatty JT. Application of Wide Band Gap Semiconductors to Increase Photocurrent in a Protein Based Photovoltaic Device. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012. [DOI: 10.1557/opl.2012.762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACTReaction centers (RCs) from natural photosynthetic cells are photoactive proteins, which generate electron-hole pairs in presence of light. In a new approach presented in this work, a solution of suspended RCs with mediators has been applied as the electrolyte to build electrochemical based photovoltaic (PV) devices. In this approach, the mediators transfer charges from the RCs to the electrodes (indirect charge transfer). Various metallic and wide bandgap semiconducting materials, including Carbon, Au, Indium Tin Oxide (ITO), SnO2, WO3, have been tested as the electrodes. Among all WO3, which is a semiconductor, have shown the largest photocurrent density with an amount of ∼5.1 μA/cm2. The results show that the material of the electrode can affect the rates of the reactions in the cell. Choosing an appropriate material for the electrode, the charge transfer from the mediators to the electrode would be rectified to achieve a large photocurrent.
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47
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Yaghoubi H, Takshi A, Jun D, Saer R, Madden JD, Beatty JT. Free-floating Reaction Centers (RCs) versus Attached Monolayer of RCs in Bio-photoelectrochemical Cells. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012. [DOI: 10.1557/opl.2012.735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACTThe high quantum efficiency (~100%) in the bacterial photosynthetic reaction center (RC) has inspired research on the application of RCs to build protein based solar cells. Conventionally, applying RCs as the photosensitive layer on the surface of a carbon electrode has shown poor photocurrents in the cells. The low photocurrent is partly due to the weak absorption of light in the monolayer of RCs. Also, an Atomic Force Microscopy image of the electrode shows lots of defects on the immobilized RCs at the electrode surface. In this work, we have built a bio-photoelectrochemical cell in which the RCs are floating in the electrolyte instead of being attached to the surface of an electrode. Despite the simple structure of the cell, the photocurrent is significantly higher in the new cell compared to when RCs are attached to an electrode. The amplitude of current reached to ~40 nA for free floating RCs, about five times larger than that in the cell with attached RCs. The aging effect was studied in both cells in a course of a week. The lifetime of attached RCs on electrode surface was slightly better than solubilized RCs in the electrolyte. Also, it is found that the mechanism which governs the charge transfer from RCs to the electrodes is the same in both bio-photoelectrochemical cells.
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Kondo M, Iida K, Dewa T, Tanaka H, Ogawa T, Nagashima S, Nagashima KVP, Shimada K, Hashimoto H, Gardiner AT, Cogdell RJ, Nango M. Photocurrent and electronic activities of oriented-His-tagged photosynthetic light-harvesting/reaction center core complexes assembled onto a gold electrode. Biomacromolecules 2012; 13:432-8. [PMID: 22239547 DOI: 10.1021/bm201457s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A polyhistidine (His) tag was fused to the C- or N-terminus of the light-harvesting (LH1)-α chain of the photosynthetic antenna core complex (LH1-RC) from Rhodobacter sphaeroides to allow immobilization of the complex on a solid substrate with defined orientation. His-tagged LH1-RCs were adsorbed onto a gold electrode modified with Ni-NTA. The LH1-RC with the C-terminal His-tag (C-His LH1-RC) on the modified electrode produced a photovoltaic response upon illumination. Electron transfer is unidirectional within the RC and starts when the bacteriochlorophyll a dimer in the RC is activated by light absorbed by LH1. The LH1-RC with the N-terminal His-tag (N-His LH1-RC) produced very little or no photocurrent upon illumination at any wavelength. The conductivity of the His-tagged LH1-RC was measured with point-contact current imaging atomic force microscopy, indicating that 60% of the C-His LH1-RC are correctly oriented (N-His 63%). The oriented C-His LH1-RC or N-His LH1-RC showed semiconductive behavior, that is, had the opposite orientation. These results indicate that the His-tag successfully controlled the orientation of the RC on the solid substrate, and that the RC produced photocurrent depending upon the orientation on the electrode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaharu Kondo
- Department of Frontier Materials, Tsukuri College, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology , Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan
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