Immobilization and nanoscale film structure of bacterial reaction centers on gold

Photosynthetic bacterial reaction centers (BRC) have shown great potential for bioengineering applications. In the present work we demonstrate their preferentially oriented immobilization on top of a mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) self assembled monolayer (SAM) formed on gold screen printed electrodes (Au-SPE). The AFM of the self assembled biofilm reveals formation of nanohole features with the depths of 2.2–2.5 nm, consistent with the thickness of the BRC (~ 3 nm). Thus, BRCs organize into a sub-monolayer film on top of the MPA SAM layer. The square-wave voltammogram of the BRC films exhibits features due to the redox reactions for the bacteriochlorophyll dimer (the strongest), bacteriopheophytin, and the quinones (weak), indicating that the BRCs are more likely immobilized with the dimer side towards the electrode surface. Non-saturating illumination of the BRC film at open circuit conditions leads to a sharp spike of negative current which could be due to the electron acceptance by the oxidized dimer.