“…Together with prior insights, the experimental validation of the model's predictive power and the improved understanding of the sfGFP::Car9-Car9-SiNP system garnered in this study sets the stage for the expansion of the concept to charged nanoparticles beyond silica (e.g., common and complex metal oxides, nitrides and carbides) and solid-binding proteins beyond sfGFP::Car9-Car9, including those selected or designed for self-assembly 25 and responsiveness to orthogonal stimuli. 49 Unlike with traditional nanoparticle functionalization schemes, the goal will not be to maximize ligand coverage but rather to leave enough of the particle surface solvent-accessible so as to enable sufficient repulsive interactions to finely balance protein-SiNP interactions that are themselves dependent on the distance separating SBPs and their relative affinity for the particle surface. We finally note that the use of anisotropic particles, the introduction of additional constraints (e.g., steric interactions), 50,51 and the delicate coupling to translational and orientational particle dynamics, 15,52 should provide a rich playground for the fabrication of reconfigurable protein-based materials with applications in catalysis, opto-electronics, and biomedicine.…”