S-layer proteins as basic building blocks in a biomolecular construction kit

Crystalline bacterial cell surface layer (S-layer) proteins have been optimized during billions of years of biological evolution as constituent elements of one of the simplest self-assembly systems. Isolated S-layer proteins possess the intrinsic property of being able to recrystallize into two-dimensional arrays at a broad spectrum of surfaces (e.g. silicon) and interfaces (e.g. air-water interface or planar lipid films). The well-defined arrangement of functional groups on S-layer lattices allows the binding of molecules and particles in defined regular arrays. S-layers recrystallized on solid supports can be patterned in the submicrometre range using standard optical lithography. S-layers also represent templates for the formation of inorganic nanocrystal superlattices (e.g. CdS, Au, Ni, Pt, or Pd) as required for molecular electronics and nonlinear optics.