The electronic behavior of a photosynthetic reaction center monitored by conductive atomic force microscopy.

The conductivity of a photosynthetic reaction center (RC) from Rhodobacter sphaeroides was measured with conductive atomic force microscopy (CAFM) on SAM-modified Au(111) substrates. 2-mercaptoethanol (2ME), 2-mercaptoacetic acid (MAC), 2-mercaptopyridine (2MP) and 4-mercaptopyridine (4MP) were prepared as SAM materials to investigate the stability and morphology of RCs on the substrate by using near-IR absorption spectroscopy and AFM, respectively. The clear presence of the three well known RC near-IR absorption peaks indicates that the RCs were native on the SAM-modified Au(111).

Electron transfer of quinone self-assembled monolayers on a gold electrode.

Dialkyl disulfide-linked naphthoquinone, (NQ-Cn-S)2, and anthraquinone, (AQ-Cn-S)2, derivatives with different spacer alkyl chains (Cn: n=2, 6, 12) were synthesized and these quinone derivatives were self-assembled on a gold electrode. The formation of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of these derivatives on a gold electrode was confirmed by infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (IR-RAS). Electron transfer between the derivatives and the gold electrode was studied by cyclic voltammetry.

Phospholipid-linked quinones-mediated electron transfer on an electrode modified with lipid bilayers.

Phospholipid-linked naphthoquinones separated by spacer methylene groups (C(n)), PE-C(n)-NQ (n=0, 5, 11), were synthesized to investigate the quinone-mediated electron transfers on a glassy carbon (GC) electrode covered with phospholipids membrane. The PE-C(n)-NQ could be incorporated in lipid bilayer composed of phosphatidylcholine and exhibited characteristic absorption spectral change corresponding to their redox state, quinone/hydroquinone. The cyclic voltammogram of PE-C(n)-NQ-containing lipid bilayer modified on a GC electrode indicated a set of waves corresponding to the consecutive two-electron and two-proton transfer reduction of the quinone moiety.

Self-assembled monolayer of light-harvesting core complexes from photosynthetic bacteria on a gold electrode modified with alkanethiols.

Light-harvesting antenna core (LH1-RC) complexes isolated from Rhodoseudomonas palustris were self-assembled on a gold electrode modified with self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of the alkanethiols NH2(CH2)nSH, n = 2, 6, 8, 11; HOOC(CH2)7SH; and CH3(CH2)7SH, respectively. Adsorption of the LH1-RC complexes on the SAMs depended on the terminating group of the alkanethiols, where the adsoption increased in the following order for the terminating groups: amino groups > carboxylic acid groups > methyl groups. Further, the adsorption on a gold electrode modified with SAMs of NH2(CH2)nSH, n = 2, 6, 8, 11, depended on the methylene chain length, where the adsorption increased with increasing the methylene chain length.

Molecular assembly of artificial photosynthetic antenna core complex on an amino-terminated ITO electrode.

Bacterial photosynthetic membrane proteins, light-harvesting antenna complex (LH1), reaction center (RC), and their combined 'core' complex (LH1-RC) are functional elements in the primary photosynthetic events, i.e., capturing and transferring light energy and subsequent charge separation.

Self-assembled monolayer of light-harvesting core complexes of photosynthetic bacteria on an amino-terminated ITO electrode.

Light-harvesting antenna core (LH1-RC) complexes isolated from Rhodospirillum rubrum and Rhodopseudomonas palustris were successfully self-assembled on an ITO electrode modified with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane. Near infra-red (NIR) absorption, fluorescence, and IR spectra of these LH1-RC complexes indicated that these LH1-RC complexes on the electrode were stable on the electrode. An efficient energy transfer and photocurrent responses of these LH1-RC complexes on the electrode were observed upon illumination of the LH1 complex at 880 nm.

Lateral organization of a membrane protein in a supported binary lipid domain: direct observation of the organization of bacterial light-harvesting complex 2 by total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy.

A unique method is described for directly observing the lateral organization of a membrane protein (bacterial light-harvesting complex LH2) in a supported lipid bilayer using total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy. The supported lipid bilayer consisted of anionic 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-[phospho-rac-(1'-glycerol)] (DOPG) and 1,2-distearoly-sn-3-[phospho-rac-(1'-glycerol)] (DSPG) and was formed through the rupture of a giant vesicle on a positively charged coverslip. TIRF microscopy revealed that the bilayer was composed of phase-separated domains.

Near-IR absorption and fluorescence spectra and AFM observation of the light-harvesting 1 complex on a mica substrate refolded from the subunit light-harvesting 1 complexes of photosynthetic bacteria Rhodospirillum rubrum.

The subunit light-harvesting 1 (LH 1) complexes isolated from photosynthetic bacteria Rhodospirillum rubrum using n-octyl-beta-glucoside were reassociated and adsorbed on a mica substrate using spin-coat methods with the aim of using this LH complex in a nanodevice. The near-IR absorption and fluorescence spectra of the LH 1 complexes indicated that the LH 1 complex on the mica was stable, and efficient energy transfer from a carotenoid to a bacteriochlorophyll a was observed. Atomic force microscopy of the reassociated LH 1 complexes, under air, showed the expected ringlike structure.