Fabrication of Hybrid Bionanodevices Based on Coupled Protein Functionality

Block copolymer-based membrane technology represents a versatile class of nanoscale materials in which biomolecules, such as membrane proteins, can be reconstituted. Among its many advantages over conventional lipid-based membrane systems, block copolymers can mimic natural cell biomembrane environments in a single chain, enabling large-area membrane fabrication using methods like Langmuir-Blodgett deposition, or spontaneous protein-functionalized nanovesicle formation. Based on this unique membrane property, a wide variety of membrane proteins possessing unique functionalities including pH/voltage gatable porosity, photon-activated proton pumping, and gradient-dependent production of electricity have been successfully inserted into these biomimetic systems.