Nonvolatile protein memory system with optical write/erase and electrical readout capability

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10403360-B2
Application number	US-201815994630-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2018
Priority date	May 31, 2017
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

A nonvolatile protein memory system with optical write/erase and electrical readout capability is provided. The nonvolatile protein memory system includes: a substrate including a microfluidic channel having a pH gradient; a photosensitive protein disposed in the microfluidic channel; and a first electrode and a second electrode disposed on the microfluidic channel and spaced apart from each other and detecting a position change of the photosensitive protein in the microfluidic channel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nonvolatile protein memory system comprising at least one memory cell, wherein the memory cell comprises:
a substrate including a microfluidic channel having a pH gradient;
a photosensitive protein disposed in the microfluidic channel; and
a first electrode and a second electrode disposed on the microfluidic channel, spaced apart from each other, and detecting a position change of the photosensitive protein in the microfluidic channel.

2. The nonvolatile protein memory system of claim 1 , wherein the photosensitive protein in the microfluidic channel is disposed in an initial digital state by isoelectric focusing.

3. The nonvolatile protein memory system of claim 2 , wherein the isoelectric focusing is carrier ampholyte isoelectric focusing or immobilized pH gradient isoelectric focusing.

4. The nonvolatile protein memory system of claim 1 , wherein the photosensitive protein is a wild-type GFP, a wild-type RFP, a genetically modified GFP, a genetically modified RFP, a wild-type bacteriorhodopsin, a genetically modified bacteriorhodopsin, a wild-type cytochrome C, or a genetically modified cytochrome C.

5. The nonvolatile protein memory system of claim 1 , wherein the memory cell performs write and erase by a position change of the photosensitive protein in the microfluidic channel.

6. The nonvolatile protein memory system of claim 5 , wherein the write and erase are performed by a pair of light sources having different wavelengths from each other.

7. The nonvolatile protein memory system of claim 6 , wherein the pair of light sources comprise a UV-blue light combination, a green light-red light combination, or a UV-green light combination.

8. The nonvolatile protein memory system of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a light transmittable biocompatible plastic material.

9. The nonvolatile protein memory system of claim 1 , wherein the information stored by the position change of the photosensitive protein is read out in an electrical manner.

10. The nonvolatile protein memory system of claim 9 , wherein the electrical readout is performed using a non-contact readout circuit.

11. The nonvolatile protein memory system of claim 9 , wherein the non-contact readout circuit is a readout circuit measuring impedance between the first and second electrodes in a non-contact manner.

12. The nonvolatile protein memory system of claim 1 , wherein the pH gradient is about 3-10.

13. The nonvolatile protein memory system of claim 1 , wherein the substrate, the first electrode, and the second electrode comprise a biocompatible material.

14. A nonvolatile protein memory system comprising:
a memory cell including a substrate including a microfluidic channel having a pH gradient, a photosensitive protein disposed in the microfluidic channel, and a first electrode and a second electrode disposed on the microfluidic channel and spaced apart from each other and detecting a position change of the photosensitive protein in the microfluidic channel;
a light source causing a position change of the photosensitive protein; and
a readout circuit measuring impedance between the first electrode and the second electrode in a non-contact manner.

15. The nonvolatile protein memory system of claim 14 , wherein the photosensitive protein is positioned at the initial digital state by carrier ampholyte isoelectric focusing or immobilized pH gradient isoelectric focusing.

16. The nonvolatile protein memory system of claim 14 , wherein the light source comprises a UV-blue light combination, a green light-red light combination, or a UV-green light combination.

17. The nonvolatile protein memory system of claim 14 , wherein the memory cell is embedded in vivo, and the light source and the readout circuit are mounted in vitro.

18. The nonvolatile protein memory system of claim 16 , wherein the memory cell is a biometric embedded ID card or biometric embedded credit card.

Assignees

• Univ Konkuk Ind Coop Corp
• Myongji Univ Industry And Academia Cooperation Foundation
• Hongik Univ Industry Academia Cooperation Foundation

Inventors

• Kim Dohyun
• Song Jin
• Kim Jintae
• Chung Minsub
• Song Kyungju
• Kim Yeji

Classifications

• G11C13/048 Primary

  using other optical storage elements · CPC title

• G11C13/041 Primary

  using photochromic storage elements (G11C13/042 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N27/028

  Circuits therefor (measuring impedance per se G01R27/02) · CPC title

• G11C13/047 Primary

  using electro-optical elements (G11C13/042 takes precedence) · CPC title