Protein array engineering

Abstract

We have been attempting to establish a universal technology for fabricating two-dimensional protein arrays with the desired molecular orientation in the form of crystalline films. The basic strategy adopted is to explore an interface adequate for connecting two completely dissimilar technologies: ‘nature's technology’ governing the basis of life and ‘human technology’ working in our daily life. The scales of the basic components and elementary devices functioning in the two technologies are dissimilar by a million-fold. To surpass this scale gap and make the mating productive, we have sought an interface in a stable thin liquid film on a substrate that is flat and well defined at the nanometer scale: water solutions of proteins spread on wettable surfaces such as the mercury surface form a stable thin film. The two-dimensional space confined in the thin liquid film is a new working space for protein molecules which moved from their original living space, cell suspension. We have found that protein molecules selfassemble into the form of two-dimensional crystals in the space, maintaining their original functions and structures and exhibiting a novel character as engineering materials.