ß-barrel Channel Proteins as Tools in Nanotechnology

Download or read book ß-barrel Channel Proteins as Tools in Nanotechnology written by Marco Fioroni and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-11-04 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ß-barrel outer membrane channel proteins (OMP) are useful as robust and flexible models or components in nanotechnology. Over the last decade biotechnological techniques allowed to expand the natural characteristics of OMPs by modifying their geometry and properties. The present book is oriented towards a broad group of readers including graduate students and advanced researchers. It gives a general introduction to the field of OMP based nano-component development as well as the state of the art of the involved research. On the example of the E. coli FhuA the transformation of an OMP into a tailored nano-channel will be outlined. An exhaustive description of the scientific strategy, including protein selection, analytical methods and “in-silico” tools to support the planning of protein modifications for a targeted application, consideration on the production of a custom made OMP, and an overview on technological applications including membrane/polymersome technology, will be provided.