We present a new strategy for the design and construction of artificial photoresponsive protocells based on the encapsulation and activation of metallized peptide/porphyrin self-assembled nanofilaments within silica nanoparticle-stabilized colloidosomes. The protocells exhibit high light sensitivity and can utilise day light (700 lux) for the production of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) by photo-mediated reduction of NAD+ within the colloidosomes. The results provide a promising step towards artificial photosynthetic micro-compartmentalized devices with integrated functional structures and photoresponsive behaviour.

Hybrid protein crystals exhibiting enhanced photoluminescence were obtained by incorporation of bromophenol blue dye molecules within the organized solvent channels of cross-linked lysozyme single crystals. From the FT-IR, TEM, EDX, UV–Vis, and confocal characterization, we show that the BpB dye is inside the solvent channels of the crystals which has been bound up with the Trp62 and Trp108 residues of the protein.