Molecular biomimetics: nanotechnology through biology

• Published in: Nature materials Vol. 2; no. 9; pp. 577 - 585
• Main Authors: Sarikaya, Mehmet, Tamerler, Candan, Jen, Alex K. -Y, Schulten, Klaus, Baneyx, François
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Nature Publishing Group 01-09-2003
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Biocompatible Materials - chemical synthesis; Biology; Biomimetic Materials - chemical synthesis; Biomimetic Materials - chemistry; Biomimetics; Biomimetics - methods; Biotechnology; Crystallization - methods; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Electron microscopes; Genetic engineering; Inorganic Chemicals - chemistry; Inorganic compounds; Macromolecular Substances; Mechanical properties; Molecular biology; Molecular Sequence Data; Nanoparticles; Nanotechnology; Nanotechnology - instrumentation; Nanotechnology - methods; Polypeptides; Protein Binding; Protein Engineering - methods; Proteins; Proteins - chemistry; Istanbul Turkey; Turkey; United States > US; Illinois
• ISSN: 1476-1122; 1476-4660
• DOI: 10.1038/nmat964

Proteins, through their unique and specific interactions with other macromolecules and inorganics, control structures and functions of all biological hard and soft tissues in organisms. Molecular biomimetics is an emerging field in which hybrid technologies are developed by using the tools of molecular biology and nanotechnology. Taking lessons from biology, polypeptides can now be genetically engineered to specifically bind to selected inorganic compounds for applications in nano- and biotechnology. This review discusses combinatorial biological protocols, that is, bacterial cell surface and phage-display technologies, in the selection of short sequences that have affinity to (noble) metals, semiconducting oxides and other technological compounds. These genetically engineered proteins for inorganics (GEPIs) can be used in the assembly of functional nanostructures. Based on the three fundamental principles of molecular recognition, self-assembly and DNA manipulation, we highlight successful uses of GEPI in nanotechnology.