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Last Modified:
12:00 PM, Mon Mar 29, 1999
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Biological Nanostructures
Electrochemistry of Biological Nanostructures
Characterization of Electron Transfer to Individual Cytochrome c Molecules on Self-Assembled
Monolayer-Modified Ag and Au Nanoelectrodes
The characterization of electron transfer
processes as well as the relationship of structure
and function in individual Heme proteins has
been an area of interest in the fields of
biochemistry and biotechnology. A biologically
important Heme protein that has been
extensively studied in order to understand these
relationships is that of Cytochrome c.
Cytochrome c is one of several electron transfer
proteins which occurs in the electron transport
chain present in the mitochondria to produce
ATP. It is a peripheral membrane-bound protein
that shuttles electrons between Complex III and
Complex IV of the electron transport chain by
binding to these complexes; this mechanism,
when coupled to oxidative phosphorylation, is
used to produce ATP. The exact mechanism of
this transport is an area of active research for if
one can understand the relationship between
structure and electron transfer, one can
determine if our proposed model of the electron-transport
chain is accurate. Also, if these
relationships can be determined, numerous
applications, such as biosensors and protein
based separations, can be improved and utilized.
If the structure can be correlated to the electron
transfer processes, biosensors can be made
which truly mimic a biological system.
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