Theses and Dissertations
This collection includes both ASU Theses and Dissertations, submitted by graduate students, and the Barrett, Honors College theses submitted by undergraduate students.
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- Creators: Allen, James P.
Description
The utilization of solar energy requires an efficient means of its storage as fuel. In bio-inspired artificial photosynthesis, light energy can be used to drive water oxidation, but catalysts that produce molecular oxygen from water are required. This dissertation demonstrates a novel complex utilizing earth-abundant Ni in combination with glycine as an efficient catalyst with a modest overpotential of 0.475 ± 0.005 V for a current density of 1 mA/cm2 at pH 11. The production of molecular oxygen at a high potential was verified by measurement of the change in oxygen concentration, yielding a Faradaic efficiency of 60 ± 5%. This Ni species can achieve a current density of 4 mA/cm2 that persists for at least 10 hours. Based upon the observed pH dependence of the current amplitude and oxidation/reduction peaks, the catalysis is an electron-proton coupled process. In addition, to investigate the binding of divalent metals to proteins, four peptides were designed and synthesized with carboxylate and histidine ligands. The binding of the metals was characterized by monitoring the metal-induced changes in circular dichroism spectra. Cyclic voltammetry demonstrated that bound copper underwent a Cu(I)/Cu(II) oxidation/reduction change at a potential of approximately 0.32 V in a quasi-reversible process. The relative binding affinity of Mn(II), Fe(II), Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) to the peptides is correlated with the stability constants of the Irving-Williams series for divalent metal ions. A potential application of these complexes of transition metals with amino acids or peptides is in the development of artificial photosynthetic cells.
ContributorsWang, Dong (Author) / Allen, James P. (Thesis advisor) / Ghirlanda, Giovanna (Committee member) / Redding, Kevin (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description
In my thesis, I characterize multi-nuclear manganese cofactors in modified reaction
centers from the bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides. I characterized interactions
between a variety of secondary electron donors and modified reaction centers. In Chapter
1, I provide the research aims, background, and a summary of the chapters in my thesis.
In Chapter 2 and Chapter 3, I present my work with artificial four-helix bundles as
secondary electron donors to modified bacterial reaction centers. In Chapter 2, I
characterize the binding and energetics of the P1 Mn-protein, as a secondary electron
donor to modified reaction centers. In Chapter 3, I present the activity of a suite of four
helix bundles behaving as secondary electron donors to modified reaction centers. In
Chapter 4, I characterize a suite of modified reaction centers designed to bind and oxidize
manganese. I present work that characterizes bound manganese oxides as secondary
electron donors to the oxidized bacteriochlorophyll dimer in modified reaction centers. In
Chapter 5, I present my conclusions with a short description of future work in
characterizing multiple electron transfers from a multi-nuclear manganese cofactor in
modified reaction centers. To conclude, my thesis presents a characterization of a variety
of secondary electron donors to modified reaction centers that establish the feasibility to
characterize multiple turnovers from a multi-nuclear manganese cofactor.
centers from the bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides. I characterized interactions
between a variety of secondary electron donors and modified reaction centers. In Chapter
1, I provide the research aims, background, and a summary of the chapters in my thesis.
In Chapter 2 and Chapter 3, I present my work with artificial four-helix bundles as
secondary electron donors to modified bacterial reaction centers. In Chapter 2, I
characterize the binding and energetics of the P1 Mn-protein, as a secondary electron
donor to modified reaction centers. In Chapter 3, I present the activity of a suite of four
helix bundles behaving as secondary electron donors to modified reaction centers. In
Chapter 4, I characterize a suite of modified reaction centers designed to bind and oxidize
manganese. I present work that characterizes bound manganese oxides as secondary
electron donors to the oxidized bacteriochlorophyll dimer in modified reaction centers. In
Chapter 5, I present my conclusions with a short description of future work in
characterizing multiple electron transfers from a multi-nuclear manganese cofactor in
modified reaction centers. To conclude, my thesis presents a characterization of a variety
of secondary electron donors to modified reaction centers that establish the feasibility to
characterize multiple turnovers from a multi-nuclear manganese cofactor.
ContributorsEspiritu, Eduardo (Author) / Allen, James P. (Thesis advisor) / Jones, Anne K (Committee member) / Redding, Kevin (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description
The FoF1 ATP synthase is a molecular motor critical to the metabolism of virtually all life forms, and it acts in the manner of a hydroelectric generator. The F1 complex contains an (αβ)3 (hexamer) ring in which catalysis occurs, as well as a rotor comprised by subunit-ε in addition to the coiled-coil and globular foot domains of subunit-γ. The F1 complex can hydrolyze ATP in vitro in a manner that drives counterclockwise (CCW) rotation, in 120° power strokes, as viewed from the positive side of the membrane. The power strokes that occur in ≈ 300 μsec are separated by catalytic dwells that occur on a msec time scale. A single-molecule rotation assay that uses the intensity of polarized light, scattered from a 75 × 35 nm gold nanorod, determined the average rotational velocity of the power stroke (ω, in degrees/ms) as a function of the rotational position of the rotor (θ, in degrees, measured in reference to the catalytic dwell). The velocity is not constant but rather accelerates and decelerates in two Phases. Phase-1 (0° - 60°) is believed to derive power from elastic energy in the protein. At concentrations of ATP that limit the rate of ATP hydrolysis, the rotor can stop for an ATP-binding dwell during Phase-1. Although the most probable position that the ATP-binding dwell occurs is 40° after the catalytic dwell, the ATP-binding dwell can occur at any rotational position during Phase-1 of the power stroke. Phase-2 of the power stroke (60° - 120°) is believed to be powered by the ATP-binding induced closure of the lever domain of a β-subunit (as it acts as a cam shaft against the γ-subunit). Algorithms were written, to sort and analyze F1-ATPase power strokes, to determine the average rotational velocity profile of power strokes as a function of the rotational position at which the ATP-binding dwell occurs (θATP-bd), and when the ATP-binding dwell is absent. Sorting individual ω(θ) curves, as a function of θATP-bd, revealed that a dependence of ω on
θATP-bd exists. The ATP-binding dwell can occur even at saturating ATP concentrations. We report that ω follows a distinct pattern in the vicinity of the ATP-binding dwell, and that the ω(θ) curve contains the same oscillations within it regardless of θATP-bd. We observed that an acceleration/deceleration dependence before and after the ATP-binding dwell, respectively, remained for increasing time intervals as the dwell occurred later in Phase-1, to a maximum of ≈ 40°. The results were interpreted in terms of a model in which the ATP-binding dwell results from internal drag at a variable position on the γε rotor.
θATP-bd exists. The ATP-binding dwell can occur even at saturating ATP concentrations. We report that ω follows a distinct pattern in the vicinity of the ATP-binding dwell, and that the ω(θ) curve contains the same oscillations within it regardless of θATP-bd. We observed that an acceleration/deceleration dependence before and after the ATP-binding dwell, respectively, remained for increasing time intervals as the dwell occurred later in Phase-1, to a maximum of ≈ 40°. The results were interpreted in terms of a model in which the ATP-binding dwell results from internal drag at a variable position on the γε rotor.
ContributorsBukhari, Zain Aziz (Author) / Frasch, Wayne D. (Thesis director) / Allen, James P. (Committee member) / Redding, Kevin (Committee member) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Department of Physics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12