Clathrin Protein: A Flexible Mix & Match System for Inorganic Templating

Proteins naturally associate through well-defined interactions at specific binding sites. Many binding interactions at these sites are determined through complementary shape and charge interactions in addition to secondary bonding. Our Templated Engineering THrough Epitope Recognition (TETHER) approach takes advantage of this molecular-level recognition to create inorganic nanostructures from protein-based templates. Specifically the protein clathrin, which has the ability to form multiple 2D and 3D architectures, is used as a flexible template that can be functionalized at specific sites using designed TETHER peptides. These bi-functional peptides serve as molecular bridges between binding sites on the clathrin protein and inorganic materials including gold, titania, and cobalt oxide. By generating a family of TETHER peptides, we are developing a flexible, modular system that will enable the rapid development of multiple inorganic nanostructures from a single protein template material.