A block-copolymer hydrogel encapsulates bacteriorhodopsin and produces the longest photochromic response of the membraneprotein under high water content conditions

Abstract

Here we report, for the first time, that an amphiphilic block copolymer could surprisingly prolong the decay time of the M intermediate of bacteriorhodopsin (BR) upon excitation with light, as a demonstration that some synthetic polymers can significantly tune protein functions in a wet material.