Proteins as data storage devices: insights from computer models

The ability to use charge transporting proteins such as bacteriorhodopsin in the building of data storage and transmission devices for use in computer technology is explored. Designs of mutants that lead to proteins that are more stable thermally and more efficient at data processing requires knowledge of the elctrostatics/dynamics of the molecules. We find that both the motions and the electrostatics are strongly effected when the influence of neighbouring molecules in the assembly are included, underscoring the importance of inclusion of the assemblies explicitly in computer models.