Photolithographic patterning of biological light-harvesting complexes.

'Biokleptic' architectures, whereby biological material is literally stolen into an artificial fabrication, offer real-world solutions to nanotechnological engineering problems. The light harvesting 2 complex (LH2) from Rhodobacter sphaeroides, which increases the photosynthetic efficiency of the bacterium, has been successfully patterned on both micrometre and nanometre length scales using photolithographic techniques coupled with directive immobilisation chemistries. LH2 is present in some bacteria that use photosynthesis as a major energy source. Its function is to widen the spectral response of the organism and increase the photoresponsive chromophore cross-section. Retention of biological functionality-light harvesting and fluorescence—is demonstrated in patterned LH2 complexes on SAMs.