Electron Transport Mediated by Peptides Immobilized on Surfaces

E-ISSN： 1869-5868|55|6‐7|645-660

ISSN： 0021-2148

Source： ISRAEL JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY (ELECTRONIC), Vol.55, Iss.6‐7, 2015-06, pp. : 645-660

Disclaimer: Any content in publications that violate the sovereignty, the constitution or regulations of the PRC is not accepted or approved by CNPIEC.

Previous Menu Next

Abstract

AbstractElectron transfer reactions in proteins and peptides are crucial for biological energy conversion. Therefore, an important goal of fundamental research is to provide scientific insight into the mechanisms determining the bridge‐mediated electron transport. One of the main tasks is to understand how the efficiency of this process is affected by the particular structure of a peptide, as well as the surrounding environment, and eventually, how we can control it by means of external chemical and physical factors. The latter could be of crucial importance for the design and development of biosensors and other functional devices, which may benefit from the unique electron transfer properties of peptides. Monolayers immobilized on solid surfaces seem to be particularly useful for that purpose. In this paper, we present the progress of fundamental research related to electron transport through peptides adsorbed onto metal surfaces. Specifically, we have focused on electrochemical studies and nanoscale molecular junction approaches. We have critically reviewed existing data and discussed the discrepancies in the measured efficiencies of electron transport. Some suggestions for future fundamental research in this area are provided. In particular, the need to combine the electrochemical and molecular junction approaches to explore the conductance behavior of peptides under full electrochemical control is emphasized. Some potential applications of peptide monolayers, which take advantage of the unique electrical properties of these compounds, are also discussed.