Optically directed molecular transport and 3D isoelectric positioning of amphoteric biomolecules
- Protein Discovery, Inc.
- California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
- ORNL
We demonstrate the formation of charged molecular packets and their transport within optically created electrical force-field traps in a pH-buffered electrolyte. We call this process photoelectrophoretic localization and transport (PELT). The electrolyte is in contact with a photoconductive semiconductor electrode and a counterelectrode that are connected through an external circuit. A light beam directed to coordinates on the photoconductive electrode surface produces a photocurrent within the circuit and electrolyte. Within the electrolyte, the photocurrent creates localized force-field traps centered at the illuminated coordinates. Charged molecules, including polypeptides and proteins, electrophoretically accumulate into the traps and subsequently can be transported in the electrolyte by moving the traps over the photoconductive electrode in response to movement of the light beam. The molecules in a single trap can be divided into aliquots, and the aliquots can be directed along multiple routes simultaneously by using multiple light beams. This photoelectrophoretic transport of charged molecules by PELT resembles the electrostatic transport of electrons within force-field wells of solid-state charge-coupled devices. The molecules, however, travel in a liquid electrolyte rather than a solid. Furthermore, we have used PELT to position amphoteric biomolecules in three dimensions. A 3D pH gradient was created in an electrolyte medium by controlling the illumination position on a photoconductive anode where protons were generated electrolytically. Photoelectrophoretic transport of amphoteric molecules through the pH gradient resulted in accumulation of the molecules at their apparent 3D isoelectric coordinates in the medium.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 978246
- Journal Information:
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 103, Issue 17; ISSN 0027-8424
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
ANODES
CHARGE-COUPLED DEVICES
DIMENSIONS
ELECTRODES
ELECTROLYTES
ELECTRONS
ELECTROSTATICS
ILLUMINANCE
PHOTOCURRENTS
POLYPEPTIDES
POSITIONING
PROTEINS
PROTONS
TRANSPORT