Periplasmic Binding Proteins as Optical Modulators of Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotube Fluorescence: Amplifying a Nanoscale Actuator

Abstract

Glucose sensor: Glucose-binding protein (GBP) covalently conjugated to a fluorescent single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) is shown to act as an optical switch. Hinge-bending response to glucose causes a reversible exciton quenching of the SWNT fluorescence with high selectivity (see scheme).