Carbon nanomembranes as scaffold for studying nanoscale heterogeneity and vectorial functionality of protein assemblies

• Applicants: Privatdozent Dr. André Beyer; Professor Dr. Karl-Josef Dietz
• Subject Area: Plant Biochemistry and Biophysics ; Statistical Physics, Nonlinear Dynamics, Complex Systems, Soft and Fluid Matter, Biological Physics
• Term: from 2016 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 289861928

Carbon nanomembranes (CNMs) will be exploited as novel scaffold for two- and three-dimensional protein assemblies on the nm-scale similar to those found in biological systems. CNMs made from cross-linked self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) display three important features that are relevant for the project: (i) their thickness of only about 1 nm; (ii) their accessibility to side-specific functionalization for Janus-type molecule-binding and (iii) their preferential permeance for CO(2). The concept will be elaborated that this type of protein-CNM assemblies allows for mimicking functional protein supercomplexes with properties emerging from nanocompartmentation, and in this case with relevance for carbon fixation as a biomimetic system. To this end the project will develop CNM-enzyme model systems and suitable detection schemes to characterize, understand and tune CO2-dependent processes within the functional context of photosynthetic carbon fixing reactions. The work program is structured into two parts, whereby the first part deals with measurement and tuning of gas permeation of CNMs and the use of CNMs as assembly scaffold, and the second part combines these methods with ordered enzyme deposition and analysis of CO2 translocation and assimilation processes. Tuning approaches involve the introduction of nanopores and asymmetric functionalization of CNMs. Thus novel tools and principle insight will be delivered on the effect of distinct chemical milieus similar to those realized near and across biomembranes, the potential to establish vectorial nanoscale fluxes similar to photosynthetic carbon concentration mechanisms and to tune CO2 versus H2O permeability of CNMs.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants