S-layer proteins as basic building blocks in a biomolecularconstruction kit

Abstract

Crystalline bacterial cell surface layer (S-layer) proteinshave been optimized during billions of years of biological evolutionas constituent elements of one of the simplest self-assembly systems.Isolated S-layer proteins possess the intrinsic property of being ableto recrystallize into two-dimensional arrays at a broad spectrum ofsurfaces (e.g. silicon) and interfaces (e.g. air-water interface orplanar lipid films). The well-defined arrangement of functional groupson S-layer lattices allows the binding of molecules and particles indefined regular arrays. S-layers recrystallized on solid supports canbe patterned in the submicrometre range using standard opticallithography. S-layers also represent templates for the formation ofinorganic nanocrystal superlattices (e.g. CdS, Au, Ni, Pt, or Pd) asrequired for molecular electronics and nonlinear optics.