title: Geometrical assembly of ultrastable protein templates for nanomaterials.
abstract: The fabrication of nanoscale devices requires architectural templates on which to position functional molecules in complex arrangements. Protein scaffolds are particularly promising templates for nanomaterials due to inherent molecular recognition and self-assembly capabilities combined with genetically encoded functionalities. However, difficulties in engineering protein quaternary structure into stable and well-ordered shapes have hampered progress. Here we report the development of an ultrastable biomolecular construction kit for the assembly of filamentous proteins into geometrically defined templates of controllable size and symmetry. The strategy combines redesign of protein-protein interaction specificity with the creation of tunable connector proteins that govern the assembly and projection angles of the filaments. The functionality of these nanoarchitectures is illustrated by incorporation of nanoparticles at specific locations and orientations to create hybrid materials such as conductive nanowires. These new structural components facilitate the manufacturing of nanomaterials with diverse shapes and functional properties over a wide range of processing conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
authors.forename: Dominic J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Glover
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giger
authors.affiliation: Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio 45433, USA.
authors.forename: Steve S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio 45433, USA.
authors.forename: Rajesh R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Naik
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
authors.forename: Douglas S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D019843:Archaeal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D063747:Methanocaldococcus / Q000737:chemistry; D018832:Molecular Chaperones / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D056004:Molecular Dynamics Simulation; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods; D053770:Nanowires / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000072756:Protein Conformation, alpha-Helical; D000072757:Protein Conformation, beta-Strand; D015202:Protein Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054730:Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs; D055550:Protein Stability; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D019843:Archaeal Proteins; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C112806:prefoldin