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Sequential treatment by phosphotungstic acid and uranyl acetate enhances the adherence of lipid membranes and membrane proteins to hydrophobic EM grids
Author(s) -
BARNAKOV A. N.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
journal of microscopy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2818
pISSN - 0022-2720
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2818.1994.tb03481.x
Subject(s) - phosphotungstic acid , uranyl acetate , membrane , collodion , chemistry , membrane protein , uranyl , lipid bilayer , chromatography , biophysics , staining , chemical engineering , biochemistry , organic chemistry , biology , ion , engineering , genetics , catalysis
Summary A simple procedure for screening by electron microscopic observations of conditions for the reconstitution of membrane proteins into lipid bilayers is described. This procedure consists of a 5–10‐s treatment of electron microscopic grids, to which the sample has already been applied, with 1% phosphotungstic acid before proceeding with final staining in uranyl acetate. The method substantially enhances the adherence of lipid membranes and membrane protein particles to hydrophobic collodion/carbon grids.