Title Slide:

e.g.

Molecular Biomimetics and Genetically Engineered Polypeptides for Inorganics (GEPIs)

Developed by ….Date ….

Brief summary

Biomimetics & GEPIs - version 9/4/08 - Developed by Adam Waltzer - Copyright 2008, Univeristy of Washington

photography.qj.net www.extra.rdg.ac.uk/eng/BIONIS/images/burr.jpg

What’s the relationship between these two images?

Biomimetics & GEPIs - version 9/4/08 - Developed by Adam Waltzer - Copyright 2008, Univeristy of Washington

photography.qj.net www.extra.rdg.ac.uk/eng/BIONIS/images/burr.jpg

What’s the relationship between these two images?

Velcro and the plant burr that inspired its invention

Biomimetics & GEPIs - version 9/4/08 - Developed by Adam

Waltzer - Copyright 2008, Univeristy of Washington

Biomimetics - term coined by Otto H. Schmitt in 1969 to describe the idea of imitating and learning from biology.

Biomimetics & GEPIs - version 9/4/08 - Developed by Adam

Waltzer - Copyright 2008, Univeristy of Washington

What do these have in common?

haymarketart.com

visualparadox.com

www.chrisdixonstudios.com

i153.photobucket.com/.../s232/impsire/nacre.jpg www.shanewilson.com Biomimetics & GEPIs - version 9/4/08 - Developed by Adam

Waltzer - Copyright 2008, Univeristy of Washington

Yes! You’re right. They are elegently functional

natural materials comprised largely of inorganic compounds that have been developed by living systems over 3.5 billion years of evolution.

And their properties depend on their molecular structure.

Biomimetics & GEPIs - version 9/4/08 - Developed by Adam

Waltzer - Copyright 2008, Univeristy of Washington

Include slide with photos and labels – what specifically are these materials? E.g. sea shell, human bones, sharks’ teeth, ….

Biomimetics & GEPIs - version 9/4/08 - Developed by Adam

Waltzer - Copyright 2008, Univeristy of Washington

What can we learn from learning about these materials?

haymarketart.com

visualparadox.com

www.chrisdixonstudios.com

i153.photobucket.com/.../s232/impsire/nacre.jpg www.shanewilson.com Biomimetics & GEPIs - version 9/4/08 - Developed by Adam

Waltzer - Copyright 2008, Univeristy of Washington

Molecular Biomimetics – imitating and learning from nature, based on our understanding of molecular biology.

Biomimetics & GEPIs - version 9/4/08 - Developed by Adam

Waltzer - Copyright 2008, Univeristy of Washington

Molecular Biomimetics – imitating and learning from nature, based on our understanding of molecular biology.

How can we build materials, like biological systems do, at the molecular level?

Biomimetics & GEPIs - version 9/4/08 - Developed by Adam

Waltzer - Copyright 2008, Univeristy of Washington

Molecular Biomimetics – imitating and learning from nature, based on our understanding of molecular biology.

How can we build materials, like biological systems do, at the molecular level?

Molecular self-assembly refers to a system in which molecules organize themselves according to their properties.

Biomimetics & GEPIs - version 9/4/08 - Developed by Adam

Waltzer - Copyright 2008, Univeristy of Washington

Peptides, with their specific shapes and binding properties, are ideal tools for nanotechnology. [Bridge/fill in the conceptual gap here; explicitly link molecular biomimetics to peptides]

Biomimetics & GEPIs - version 9/4/08 - Developed by Adam

Waltzer - Copyright 2008, Univeristy of Washington

Peptides, with their specific shapes and binding properties are ideal tools for nanotechnology.

Bacteria can be used as factories for designing specific polypeptides by insertig the recipe (gene) for these polypeptides into the bacterial genome.

Biomimetics & GEPIs - version 9/4/08 - Developed by Adam

Waltzer - Copyright 2008, Univeristy of Washington

“GEPIs”

• Genetically Engineered Polypeptides for Inorganics

• Typically short (8-12 amino acids)

• Have been produced to selectively bind to gold, titanium, silica, enamel and other inorganic materials.

Biomimetics & GEPIs - version 9/4/08 - Developed by Adam

Waltzer - Copyright 2008, Univeristy of Washington

“Biopanning”

• A process for selecting GEPI’s with specific affinity for a given material.

• Homework: Compare and contrast “biopanning” with the

production of antibodies by human B-cells that you read about in the article, “Fighting Colds with Natural Selection.” (from Evolution: The Triumph of an Idea, Zimmer) [Provide complete citation]

Biomimetics & GEPIs - version 9/4/08 - Developed by Adam

Waltzer - Copyright 2008, Univeristy of Washington

So, one end of the GEPI binds to a specific material and the other can be seen as a LEGO block to which we can attach any number of other molecules or materials. Hmmm.[An illustration or schematic would help here –or maybe back on the slide where you define GEPIs]

Biomimetics & GEPIs - version 9/4/08 - Developed by Adam

Waltzer - Copyright 2008, Univeristy of Washington

So, one end of the GEPI binds to a specific material and the other can be seen as a LEGO block to which we can attach any number of other molecules or materials. Hmmm.

First alone, and then with a partner, brainstorm some potential uses of molecules that serve as interfaces between organic and inorganic materials. [As this is another assignment, like the homework above, label and bullet as you did for that.]

Biomimetics & GEPIs - version 9/4/08 - Developed by Adam

Waltzer - Copyright 2008, Univeristy of Washington

Add concluding slide, summarizing main points

Biomimetics & GEPIs - version 9/4/08 - Developed by Adam Waltzer - Copyright 2008, Univeristy of

Washington