Cephalopod Proteins as Proton Conductors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016377572-A1
Application number	US-201414559414-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 3, 2014
Priority date	Dec 3, 2013
Publication date	Dec 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The disclosed invention relates to novel materials and associated methods for conducting protons, such materials comprising cephalopod proton-conducting proteins such as reflectins. The protonic conductivity of such cephalopod proton-conducting proteins may be modulated by the application of an electric field. The invention further encompasses protonic transistors comprising a cephalopod proton-conducting protein channel. The transistors and related devices of the invention are amenable to use in biological systems for the sensing or manipulation of protonic flows within the biological system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of conducting protons from a proton source to a proton sink, comprising
conducting protons through a protonic channel structure comprising a cephalopod proton-conducting protein.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the cephalopod proton-conducting protein is a reflectin.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the channel structure comprises a thin film of cephalopod proton-conducting protein.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the protonic channel structure comprises a composite material comprising cephalopod proton-conducting protein coated particles embedded in a matrix.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the proton source and proton sink comprise electrodes, wherein a differential voltage exists between the two electrodes.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein
the electrodes comprise metal hydride electrodes.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the proton source and proton sink comprise separate compartments in a device selected from the group consisting of: an electrochemical cell, a fuel cell, an electrolyzer, and a battery.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the method of claim 1 , wherein the protonic channel structure comprises a cephalopod proton-conducting protein-coated mesh or porous material.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the proton sink comprises a biological system.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein
the biological system is selected from a group consisting of: an intracellular space, an extracellular space, a tissue, and a cell culture.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising
the modulation of the protonic channel structure's protonic conductivity by the application of an electric field to the channel structure, wherein the application of a positive electric field induces reduced protonic conductivity relative to a less positive electric field and the application of a negative electric field induces an increased protonic conductivity relative to a less negative electric field.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein
the electric field is applied by a gate electrode in contact with or in proximity to the channel structure.

13 . A method of sensing protonic fluxes in an aqueous environment, comprising
placing a probe within the aqueous environment, the probe comprising two electrodes and a protonic channel structure comprising a cephalopod proton-conducting protein, and wherein the channel structure is in contact with the aqueous environment; applying a potential difference between the two electrodes such that proton are flowing through the protonic channel structure from one electrode to the other; and measuring changes in protonic current, wherein such changes in protonic current are indicative of changes in the pH of the aqueous environment, wherein an increase in proton current is indicative of an increase in proton concentration in the aqueous environment and a decrease in protonic current is indicative of a decrease in the proton concentration of the aqueous environment.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein
the protonic channel structure comprises a thin film of cephalopod proton-conducting protein.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein
the cephalopod proton-conducting protein is a reflectin.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein
the aqueous environment is a biological system.

17 . A protonic transistor, comprising a source electrode;
a drain electrode; a protonic channel structure comprising a cephalopod proton-conducting protein; and a gate electrode in contact with or in proximity to the protonic channel structure.

18 . The protonic transistor of claim 17 , wherein
the source and drain electrodes comprise metal hydride electrodes.

19 . The protonic transistor of claim 17 , wherein
the cephalopod proton-conducting protein is a reflectin.

20 . The protonic transistor of claim 17 , wherein
the transistor is present on a filamentous probe capable of insertion into the intracellular or extracellular space of a biological system.

Assignees

• Univ California

Inventors

• Gorodetsky Alon
• Phan Long
• Walkup Ward
• Ordinario David

Classifications

• C12N13/00

  Treatment of microorganisms or enzymes with electrical or wave energy, e.g. magnetism, sonic waves · CPC title

• G01N27/4167 Primary

  pH (electrodes therefor G01N27/302, G01N27/36) · CPC title

• H01L51/0541

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L51/105

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L51/0093

  Electricity · mapped topic