Thrust 4: Surface Enhanced Raman-AFM and Antibody Force Microscopy (LDRD: Cytochrome and Whole Cell Ineteractions with Iron Oxides)
EMSL Project ID
13493
Abstract
This LDRD project is the fourth one associated with the Biogeochemistry Grand Challenge (BGC). Its overall goal is to develop new capabilities and materials as needed to understand the molecular scale biogeochemistry associated with electron transfer at the organism-mineral interface. Two primary activities will be pursued to accomplish this goal. First, new applications of scanning probe microscopy will be developed to characterize the nanometer-scale spatial location of cytochromes on bacterial surfaces, to quantify the interaction forces between purified recombinant cytochromes and mineral surfaces and between individual cytochromes and other proteins in complexes, and to measure integrated adhesion forces between whole organisms and mineral surfaces of known structure. Second, new model oxide experimental materials will be developed (both synthetic and natural) that can be used to study the molecular biogeochemistry of bacterial iron reduction, and new surface science preparation methods will be developed to allow the imaging of surface structure and Fe valence beneath single microorganisms, bacterial colonies, and/or biofilms with state-of-the-art instrumental techniques. These capabilities are essential to the successful completion of the BGC. This activity will develop new variants of scanning probe microscopy to characterize i.) intermolecular forces involved in protein complexes, metalloprotein interaction with mineral surfaces, and whole cell adhesion, and ii.) the spatial locations of cytochromes and other proteins on bacterial surfaces responsible for electron transfer to solid-phase Fe(III) oxides. Additionally, attempts will be made to develop an artifical lipid membrane system into which purified, recombinant, outer membrane redox proteins from Shewanella may be imbedded for mechanistic studies of electron transfer at the cytochrome-mineral interface.
Project Details
Project type
Grand Challenge
Start Date
2005-02-22
End Date
2006-01-26
Status
Closed
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator