7 - Fluorescence control in natural green fluorescent protein (GFP)-based photonic structures of reef corals

Abstract

The green fluorescent protein (GFP) and a variety of GFP-like homologues that colour tissues of many reef organisms have revolutionized biological and biomedical research by providing the means to fluorescently tag and visualize the activity of genes and proteins in living cells. This chapter describes how we can further capitalize on what nature has produced by using the GFP group of photoactive proteins, which evolved to perform a variety of biological functions, to develop a range of biomimetic advanced biophotonic applications. The evolutionary pressures that led to the origin of GFP-like fluorescent proteins in marine organisms can be explored in designing novel biomedical sensors, solar cells, biomolecule-based materials and optoelectronic devices. As GFP-like proteins are genetically encodable, this science is posed on the brink of a new technological revolution – to create the means for interfacing biology with electronics, so that devices not only generate energy, but also diagnose diseases and detect pathogens in vivo.