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The photochemical cycle of bacteriorhodopsin has no refractory period
Author(s) -
Dancshazy Z.,
Groma G.I.,
Oesterhelt D.,
Tittor J.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/0014-5793(86)80245-9
Subject(s) - bacteriorhodopsin , refractory (planetary science) , period (music) , flash (photography) , refractory period , chemistry , photochemistry , biophysics , membrane , optics , materials science , biology , biochemistry , medicine , physics , acoustics , cardiology , composite material
Double‐pulse experiments were used to probe the existence of a refractory period in the photochemical cycle of bacteriorhodopsin. We demonstrate using three different approaches that no refractory period exists in purple membranes, cell vesicles or intact cells. First, we showed by applying different time delays between two flashes that every molecule which regained the initial optical state could immediately recycle again. Second, we found no difference in the effectiveness of the first and second flash when the intensity was varied. Third, different steady‐state levels of the intermediates were produced with different intensities of continuous background illumination. No difference in effectivity of the first and second flash could be detected.