We observe reversible, bias-induced switching of conductance via a blue copper protein azurin mutant, N42C Az, with a nearly 10-fold increase at |V| > 0.8 V than at lower bias. No such switching is found for wild-type azurin, WT Az, up to |1.2 V|, beyond which irreversible changes occur. The N42C Az mutant will, when positioned between electrodes in a solid-state Au-protein-Au junction, have an orientation opposite that of WT Az with respect to the electrodes. Current(s) via both proteins are temperature-independent, consistent with quantum mechanical tunneling as dominant transport mechanism. No noticeable difference is resolved between the two proteins in conductance and inelastic electron tunneling spectra at
CITATION STYLE
Fereiro, J. A., Bendikov, T., Pecht, I., Sheves, M., & Cahen, D. (2020). Protein binding and orientation matter: Bias-induced conductance switching in a mutated azurin junction. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 142(45), 19217–19225. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.0c08836
Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.