The effect of membrane asymmetry on electron transfer in complex membrane proteins

生物膜的不对称性正在成为膜蛋白功能的一个重要因素，而不对称性的分子基础和作用仍然是生物学中最不了解的现象之一。我们将研究膜不对称性对膜结合氧化还原酶的功能和机制的影响，这些酶是建立在物理科学创新基础上的生物能量学的核心，这将解锁一个新的微流体技术平台，用于将它们重建为人工膜囊泡，具有可调的脂质组成，曲率和不对称性。新型脉冲EPR方法的发展将允许从关键自由基中间体中检测低浓度的自旋。预计这些技术创新将广泛适用于膜蛋白，包括氧化还原酶和金属酶。在理解呼吸和光合作用的结构和机制方面的进展将为医学和能源技术的应用铺平道路。

The asymmetric nature of biological membranes is emerging as an important factor in membrane protein function with the molecular basis and role of asymmetry remaining one of the most poorly understood phenomena in biology. We will investigate the impact of membrane asymmetry on the function and mechanisms of membrane-bound oxidoreductase enzymes at the heart of bioenergetics building on physical sciences innovation that will unlock a new microfluidic technology platform for reconstituting them into artificial membrane vesicles, with tunable lipid-composition, curvature and asymmetry. The development of novel pulse EPR approaches will allow the detection of low concentrations of spins from key radical intermediates. The technological innovations are expected to be broadly applicable to membrane proteins including redox- and metalloenzymes. The advances in understanding structural and mechanistic aspects of respiration and photosynthesis will pave the way to applications in medicine and energy technology.