A synthetic redox biofilm made from metalloprotein-prion domain chimera nanowires

Nat Chem. 2017 Feb;9(2):157-163. doi: 10.1038/nchem.2616. Epub 2016 Oct 10.

Abstract

Engineering bioelectronic components and set-ups that mimic natural systems is extremely challenging. Here we report the design of a protein-only redox film inspired by the architecture of bacterial electroactive biofilms. The nanowire scaffold is formed using a chimeric protein that results from the attachment of a prion domain to a rubredoxin (Rd) that acts as an electron carrier. The prion domain self-assembles into stable fibres and provides a suitable arrangement of redox metal centres in Rd to permit electron transport. This results in highly organized films, able to transport electrons over several micrometres through a network of bionanowires. We demonstrate that our bionanowires can be used as electron-transfer mediators to build a bioelectrode for the electrocatalytic oxygen reduction by laccase. This approach opens opportunities for the engineering of protein-only electron mediators (with tunable redox potentials and optimized interactions with enzymes) and applications in the field of protein-only bioelectrodes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Catalysis
  • Electrochemical Techniques
  • Electrodes
  • Electron Transport
  • Laccase / chemistry
  • Laccase / metabolism
  • Metalloproteins / chemistry*
  • Methanococcus / metabolism
  • Microscopy, Atomic Force
  • Nanowires / chemistry*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Prions / chemistry*
  • Rubredoxins / chemistry*

Substances

  • Metalloproteins
  • Prions
  • Rubredoxins
  • Laccase