Assemblies of semiconductor quantum dots and light-harvesting-complex ii

Abstract

A novel hybrid system composed of fluorescent core/shell semiconductor quantum dots and the light harvesting complex II (LHCIIb), a membrane protein of higher plants, has been assembled. Experiments with different mutants show that hybrid formation can be mediated by a C-terminal His(6) tag attached to the protein as well as by positive charges of the first N-terminal amino acids of LHCIIb. Quenching of the quantum dot fluorescence upon binding of LHCIIb was partially attributed to energy transfer from the quantum dots to LHCIIb. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved