A Method to Investigate the Mechanism of Charge Transport Across Bio-Molecular Junctions with Ferritin

Senthil Kumar Karuppannan, Christian A. Nijhuis*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

To investigate the mechanisms of charge transport (CT) across biomolecular tunnel junctions, it is required to make electrical contacts by a non-invasive method that leaves the biomolecules unaltered. Although different methods to form biomolecular junctions are available, here we describe the EGaIn-method because it allows us to readily form electrical contacts to monolayers of biomolecules in ordinary laboratory settings and to probe CT as a function of voltage, temperature, or magnetic field. This method relies on a non-Newtonian liquid-metal ally of Ga and In with a few nm thin layer of GaOx floating on its surface giving this material non-Newtonian properties allowing it to be shaped in to cone-shaped tips or stabilized in microchannels. These EGaIn structures form stable contacts to monolayers making it possible to investigate CT mechanisms across biomolecules in great detail.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProtein Cages
Subtitle of host publicationDesign, Structure, and Applications
EditorsTakafumi Ueno, Sierin Lim, Kelin Xia
PublisherHumana Press
Pages241-255
Number of pages15
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 13 Jun 2023

Publication series

NameMethods in Molecular Biology
Volume2671
ISSN (Print)1064-3745
ISSN (Electronic)1940-6029

Keywords

  • NLA
  • Charge transport
  • EGaIn
  • Ferritin
  • Self-assembled monolayer
  • Tunnel junction
  • Biomolecular junction

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