Abstract
The engineering of nanoscale biochemical systems to process electrical information is appealing not only from the standpoint of miniaturization, but also because interfaces of biological computational devices with biological systems may be better tolerated than interfacing with traditional electronics. We have shown that aqueous droplets in a hydrophobic environment can communicate through proteins inserted into bilayers that form spontaneously between the droplets. Networks of droplet interface bilayers (DIB) have been used to build tiny batteries and sense light (1). We have now engineered the α-hemolysin protein nanopore to work as a diode over a wide range of ionic strengths. Networks of DIB with the incorporated protein-diode were used to build micro-devices that can process electrical information and function as a current limiter, a half-wave rectifier and a full-wave rectifier. ____ 1. Holden MA, Needham D, Bayley H: Functional bionetworks from nanoliter water droplets. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129:8650-8655.
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