S-layer proteins as basic building blocks in a biomolecular construction kit

摘要

Crystalline bacterial cell surface layer (S-layer)proteins have been optimized during billions of years ofbiological evolution as constituent elements of one of thesimplest self-assembly systems. Isolated S-layer proteinspossess the intrinsic property of being able to recrystallize intotwo-dimensional arrays at a broad spectrum of surfaces (e.g.silicon) and interfaces (e.g. air-water interface or planar lipidfilms). The well-defined arrangement of functional groups on S-layer lattices allows the binding of molecules and particles indefined regular arrays. S-layers recrystallized on solid supportscan be patterned in the submicrometre range using standardoptical lithography. S-layers also represent templates for theformation of inorganic nanocrystal superlattices (e.g. CdS, Au,Ni, Pt, or Pd) as required for molecular electronics and nonlinear optics.