Characterisation of the interactions between electrode, lipid membrane and cross-membrane redox protein under electrochemical control.

This proposal builds on previous work in which a custom-made electrochemical cell was used to reveal subtle but significant changes in the structure of a key electron-transfer protein, cytochrome c, as the applied potential was varied. The transfer of electrons to the electrode surface is currently a rate-limiting step in bioelectrochemical devices that use light-harvesting biofilms to generate electricity and therefore understanding more about this key interaction is crucial for future development of this technology. Here, we hope to study the protein in a more natural and relevant environment by depositing lipid bilayers onto the electrode surface; this will allow us to both study the interaction of the protein with the lipid bilayer as well as monitoring changes in the adsorbed layer during the actual electron-transfer process of interest.