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Functional expression of bacteriorhodopsin in oocytes allows direct measurement of voltage dependence of light induced H + pumping
Author(s) -
Nagel Georg,
Möckel Bettina,
Büldt Georg,
Bamberg Ernst
Publication year - 1995
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(95)01356-3
Subject(s) - bacteriorhodopsin , voltage clamp , xenopus , membrane , voltage , membrane potential , chemistry , plasma , patch clamp , analytical chemistry (journal) , biophysics , physics , biology , chromatography , biochemistry , receptor , quantum mechanics , gene
We report on the first successful expression of the light driven H + pump, bacteriorhodopsin, into the plasma membrane of oocytes from Xenopus laevis . The light induced photocurrents which reflect the pumping of H + by BR were analysed under voltage clamp conditions. At least 100 active BR molecules per μm 2 were expressed in the plasma membrane so that both the voltage clamp and giant patch clamp method could be applied. We show that H + pumping by BR is modulated by the membrane potential, i.e. the pump current shows strong voltage dependence in the range measured between −165 mV to +60 mV.