Lipid-protein interactions in bacterial reaction centers reconstituted into liposomes

这项研究的目的是为了了解膜蛋白中的脂质-蛋白相互作用如何改变氧化还原反应分子的性质。这些相互作用对于电子和质子转移反应等基本过程至关重要。模型系统是从紫色细菌中分离出来的膜结合光合反应中心。实验方法的重点是系统地将反应中心蛋白重构为不同的人工膜系统：脂质体和混合脂质-洗涤剂胶束。反应中心蛋白周围脂质环境的改变应反映在涉及氧化还原辅助因子和附近可质子化氨基酸侧链的电子和质子转移反应参数的变化上。该项目的最终目标是组装一个蛋白质脂质体系统，其中电子和质子转移参数经过优化，与天然系统非常相似。这些模型系统的结果可以为更好地理解能量转换的基本过程提供重要的基本信息。

The aim of the research is to contribute toward an understanding how lipid-protein interactions in membrane proteins modify the properties of molecules that undergo oxidation-reduction reactions. These interactions are crucial for basic processes, such as electron and proton transfer reactions. The model systems are membrane-bound photosynthetic reaction centers isolated from purple bacteria. The experimental approach is focused on systematic reconstitution of the reaction center protein into different artificial membrane systems:liposomes and mixed lipid-detergent micelles.  The alterations in the surrounding lipid environment of the reaction center protein should reflect in changes of the parameters of the electron and proton transfer reactions involving the redox cofactors and nearby protonatable amino acid side chains. The ultimate goal of the project is to assemble a proteoliposome system where the electron and proton transfer parameters are optimized and closely resemble the native system. The results of these model systems can provide basic information important to better understanding the processes fundamental to energy conversion.