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Unravelling Structural Dynamics within a Photoswitchable Single Peptide: A Step Towards Multimodal Bioinspired Nanodevices
Author(s) -
Chen Xinjiani,
Yeoh Yuan Qi,
He Yanbin,
Zhou Chenguang,
Horsley John R.,
Abell Andrew D.,
Yu Jingxian,
Guo Xuefeng
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.202004701
Subject(s) - photoswitch , nanodevice , azobenzene , dihedral angle , conductance , molecular dynamics , peptide , protein dynamics , nanotechnology , materials science , chemical physics , chemistry , hydrogen bond , computational chemistry , physics , molecule , biochemistry , photochemistry , organic chemistry , condensed matter physics
The majority of the protein structures have been elucidated under equilibrium conditions. The aim herein is to provide a better understanding of the dynamic behavior inherent to proteins by fabricating a label‐free nanodevice comprising a single‐peptide junction to measure real‐time conductance, from which their structural dynamic behavior can be inferred. This device contains an azobenzene photoswitch for interconversion between a well‐defined cis , and disordered trans isomer. Real‐time conductance measurements revealed three distinct states for each isomer, with molecular dynamics simulations showing each state corresponds to a specific range of hydrogen bond lengths within the cis isomer, and specific dihedral angles in the trans isomer. These insights into the structural dynamic behavior of peptides may rationally extend to proteins. Also demonstrated is the capacity to modulate conductance which advances the design and development of bioinspired electronic nanodevices.