Fusion of chromatophores from photosynthetic bacteria with a supported lipid layer: characterization of the electric units |
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Authors: | Keller S Riou Y Laval J Leibl W |
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Affiliation: | Section de Bioénergétique, CEA Saclay, France. |
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Abstract: | Direct electrometric measurements of membrane potential changes are a valuable tool for study of vectorial transfer of electrons, protons, and ions. Commonly model membrane systems are created by fusion of lipid/protein vesicles with lipid-coated thin films. We characterized the electric units resulting from this process using chromatophores from the purple bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides and either a Mylar film or a planar modified gold electrode as support. Investigation of the shunting activity of the ionophore gramicidin on the flash-induced potential change demonstrates fusion of individual chromatophores to form independent 'blisters', which preserve an interior aqueous compartment. Under current-clamp conditions the photovoltage follows the change of the membrane potential of the individual blisters. |
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