title: Using the ring-shaped protein TRAP to capture and confine gold nanodots on a surface.
abstract: The cavity of the toroidal protein TRAP (trp RNA-binding attenuation protein) is modified to capture gold nanodots in solution. By engineering a titanium-binding peptide onto one surface of the ring it is also possible to bind it specifically and tightly to a TiO2 surface. TRAP bound in this way is then used to capture gold nanodots and attach them to prepared surfaces. Gold-protein complexes are observed using atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The modified TRAP is used to build gold nanodots into the SiO2 layer of a metal oxide semiconductor. This is the first use of a ring protein, rather than the more commonly used spherical protein cages, to constrain nanodots to a surface. This method is an important addition to the current range of bionanotechnology tools and may be the basis for future, multicomponent electronic devices.
authors.affiliation: Protein Design Laboratory, Yokohama City University, Tsurumi, Suehiro 1-7-29, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan. heddle.j.aa@m.titech.ac.jp
authors.forename: Jonathan G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Heddle
authors.forename: Isamu
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamadaki
authors.forename: Shigeo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoshii
authors.forename: Kazuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishio
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Addy
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: Jeremy R H
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Tame
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D001665:Binding Sites; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D054118:Nanospheres / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D010316:Particle Size; D011485:Protein Binding; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013499:Surface Properties; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; C079092:MtrB protein, Bacteria; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D006046:Gold