Nanowires, biomolecular

Keywords Molecular electronics Biomolecular nanowires Conductance Bandstructure ... 

A very recent paper details the biomolecular functionalization of a polypyrrole nanowire. ZnSe/CdSe quantum dots were functionalized with avidin and these quantum dots were incorporated into a polypyrrole nanowire during its electrochemical formation between two electrodes 100 nm apart [32], Biotin with a DNA strand attached was shown to modulate the conductivity of the avidin nanowire, but not an unfunctionalized polypyrrole nanowire fabricated similarly. Presumably, the DNA-biotin-avidin complex would also be sensitive to changes in the hybridization state of the DNA. 

Viruses are similar to biomolecular templates because the viral capsid is in fact a complex composed of protein subunits. Viruses coupled with nanoparticles can be used as building blocks to form nanoparticle assemblies or virus assemblies of two and three dimensions can be used as templates. Virus is advantageous as a building block because identical viruses can be produced in large amounts at low cost, and nanoparticles templated by viruses generally have a high monodispersity. Viruses may have inherent self-assembly, for example, nanowires mineralized... 

It is known that more highly conducting nanodomains exist within the essentially amorphous ICP host structure and that electrochemical switching speeds can be extremely rapid in nanowires composed of these materials. It is also known that control of nanotopography in other biomaterials can have a profound effect on the adhesion of mammalian cells. Given the explosion of activity in the area of ICP nanostructures, there is no doubt that these enhanced properties should translate into more effective biomolecular sensors and actuators. 

---