Electronic Conductance Resonance in Non-Redox-Active Proteins

Abstract

Bioelectronics research has mainly focused on redox-active proteins because of their role in biological charge transport. In these proteins, electronic conductance is a maximum when electrons are injected at the known redox potential of the protein. It has been shown recently that many non-redox-active proteins are good electronic conductors, though the mechanism of conduction is not yet understood. Here, we report single-molecule measurements of the conductance of three non-redox-active proteins, maintained under potential control in solution, as a function of electron injection energy. All three proteins show a conductance resonance at a potential ∼0.7 V removed from the nearest oxidation potential of their constituent amino acids. If this shift reflects a reduction of reorganization energy in the interior of the protein, it would account for the long-range conductance observed when carriers are injected into the interior of a protein.