Recent experiments on the light receptor bacteriorhodopsin have revealed the protein conductive properties and connected them to its sensing action. In particular it was shown that the super-Ohmic I-V characteristic acquired in dark, changes in the presence of green light, with an enhancement of current at increasing bias values. Here we propose a current transport model for proteins able to reproduce experimental data, mainly the dependence of current on their three dimensional (tertiary) structure. The model makes use of a resistance network model and implements a tunneling mechanism of charge transfer between the amino-acids constituting the protein.
Detecting conformational change by current transport in proteins:The case of bacteriorhodopsin monolayers
ALFINITO, ELEONORA;REGGIANI, Lino
2009-01-01
Abstract
Recent experiments on the light receptor bacteriorhodopsin have revealed the protein conductive properties and connected them to its sensing action. In particular it was shown that the super-Ohmic I-V characteristic acquired in dark, changes in the presence of green light, with an enhancement of current at increasing bias values. Here we propose a current transport model for proteins able to reproduce experimental data, mainly the dependence of current on their three dimensional (tertiary) structure. The model makes use of a resistance network model and implements a tunneling mechanism of charge transfer between the amino-acids constituting the protein.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
