Conjugated Cofactor Enables Efficient Temperature-Independent Electronic Transport Across ∼6 nm Long Halorhodopsin

J Am Chem Soc. 2015 Sep 9;137(35):11226-9. doi: 10.1021/jacs.5b06501. Epub 2015 Aug 27.

Abstract

We observe temperature-independent electron transport, characteristic of tunneling across a ∼6 nm thick Halorhodopsin (phR) monolayer. phR contains both retinal and a carotenoid, bacterioruberin, as cofactors, in a trimeric protein-chromophore complex. This finding is unusual because for conjugated oligo-imine molecular wires a transition from temperature-independent to -dependent electron transport, ETp, was reported at ∼4 nm wire length. In the ∼6 nm long phR, the ∼4 nm 50-carbon conjugated bacterioruberin is bound parallel to the α-helices of the peptide backbone. This places bacterioruberin's ends proximal to the two electrodes that contact the protein; thus, coupling to these electrodes may facilitate the activation-less current across the contacts. Oxidation of bacterioruberin eliminates its conjugation, causing the ETp to become temperature dependent (>180 K). Remarkably, even elimination of the retinal-protein covalent bond, with the fully conjugated bacterioruberin still present, leads to temperature-dependent ETp (>180 K). These results suggest that ETp via phR is cooperatively affected by both retinal and bacterioruberin cofactors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Carotenoids / chemistry*
  • Electron Transport
  • Halorhodopsins / chemistry*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Protein Conformation
  • Temperature*

Substances

  • Halorhodopsins
  • Carotenoids