Speaker
Prof. Bernd Giese (University of Fribourg, Switzerland)
Topic
Electron Transfer through Peptides: Consequences for Enzymatic Reactions
Series
Abstract
Long-range electron transfer (ET) through proteins is a fundamental reaction in living organisms, playing a role in energy-conversion processes like photosynthesis and respiration as well as in enzymatic reactions. The mechanism of these ET processes over long distances is a matter of controversy. We have developed a new assay that allows the measurement of ET rates and ET efficiencies.
The results are:
- Heteroaromatic and S-containing amino acids act as relay amino acids that induce ET by a hopping mechanism.
- Charges dramatically influence ET rates.
- The direction of the ET process and the sec. structure of the peptide plays an important role.
- Rates increase with increase of the driving force and decrease with increasing donor/acceptor distance.
The consequences for enzymatic reactions and nanoelectronic applications will be discussed.
Latest publication giving further literature: Gao, J.; Müller, P.; Wang, M.; Eckhardt, S.; Lauz, M.; Fromm, K. M.; Giese, B. Angew. Chem. 2011, 50, 1926.
