Abstract: The present disclosure provides proteins that bind lanthanides and actinides. Disclosed are proteins based on lanmodulin (LanM) that comprised one or more sensitizers. Various residues in LanM may be substituted with a sensitizer, such as, for example, tryptophan. The proteins may be used to detect and quantify lanthanides and actinides. Also provided are kits and devices.

Abstract: Methods and materials are provided for the preferential separation of rare earth elements (REEs) from non-REEs in REE-containing materials and separation of certain REEs from other REEs, both individually and in groups. Such methods include steps of (a) providing a protein that can selectively bind one or more REEs; (b) contacting the protein with the REE-containing material, wherein the protein binds at least a portion of the one or more REEs to form one or more protein-REE complexes and an REE-depleted material; (c) separating the one or more protein-REE complexes from at least a portion of the REE-depleted material; and (d) separating the one or more REEs from the protein to produce a purified fraction of the one or more REEs and a regenerated protein.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods of sequestering target elements (e.g., rare earth elements and/or radiometals) from a sample, methods of purifying target elements from samples, pharmaceutical compositions comprising target elements, and methods of treating a subject with said pharmaceutical compositions.