Construction and Functional Analysis of Artificial Thylakoid Membranes

类囊体膜和光合细菌膜具有三维多层结构。这些膜有效地捕获了转移的光能。为了揭示三维结构-功能关系，我们构建了含有光合作用天线复合体(LH2)的多层平面膜。通过亲和素-生物素相互作用，将含有生物素基脂类的双孔膜连接到平面脂质双层上。去掉洗涤剂后，双孔膜向平面膜转变，形成层状平面膜。用原子力显微镜(AFM)观察了层状结构。利用LH2重组的双孔膜构建了含LH2络合物的多层膜。因此，我们成功地构建了人工类囊体膜。

Thylakoid and photosynthetic bacterial membranes possess three-dimensional multi-layered structures. These membranes efficiently captured transfer light energy. In order to reveal the three-dimensional structure-function relationship, we constructed multi-layered planar membrane containing photosynthesis antenna complex (LH2). Bicelles containing biotinyl lipids were tethered to a planar lipid bilayer via avidin-biotin interaction. Upon detergent removal, transformation from bicelle to planar membrane took place to form layered planar bilayer. The layered structure was observed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Multi-layered membranes containing LH2 complex was also constructed by use of LH2-reconstituted bicelles. Thus, we successfully constructed artificial thylakoid membranes.