Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Genetic Modification of Cyanobacteria by Conjugation Using the CyanoGate Modular Cloning Toolkit
Published on: October 31, 2019
Bio-photosensor: Cyanobacterial photosystem I coupled with transistor via molecular wire
Nao Terasaki1, Noritaka Yamamoto, Kaoru Tamada
1Photonics Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 1-8-31 Midorigaoka, Ikeda, Osaka 563-8857, Japan.
Abstract:
We report on the first successful output of electrons directly from photosystem I (PSI) of thermophilic cyanobacteria to the gate of a field-effect transistor (FET) by bypassing electron flow via a newly designed molecular wire, i.e., artificial vitamin K(1), and a gold nanoparticle; in short, this newly manufactured photosensor employs a bio-functional unit as the core of the device. Photo-electrons generated by the irradiation of molecular complexes composed of reconstituted PSI on the gate were found to control the FET. This PSI-bio-photosensor can be used to interpret gradation in images. This PSI-FET system is moreover sufficiently stable for use exceeding a period of 1 year.
Related Concept Videos
Oxygenic Photosynthesis
Microbial Biosensors
Channel Rhodopsins
Rhodopsins belong to the family of cell surface proteins called G-protein coupled receptors,...
Anoxygenic Photosynthesis
Photosystem I
Both these photosystems work in concert. An excited electron from PSII is relayed to PSI via an electron transport chain in the thylakoid membrane of the chloroplast, which is comprised of the carrier molecule plastoquinone, the dual-protein cytochrome complex, and plastocyanin. As electrons move between PSII and PSI, they lose energy and must be re-energized...
Photosystem II
The pigment molecules are arranged across two photosystem domains — the antenna complex and the reaction center. The main aim of the pigment molecules...

