Optical and electrical properties of bacteriorhodopsin Langmuir-Blodgett films

Langmuir-Blodgett films prepared from purple membranes dissolved in pure hexane were characterized for M-state decay kinetics and photocurrent production. These studies indicated that the films are preferentially oriented with thr cytoplasmic side of the bacteriorhodopsin molecule facing away from the surface of the tin oxide coated glass electrodes. Characterization of Langmuir-Blodgett Films in high salt strongly indicates that the transient photocurrents observed are directly due to proton release and uptake and not to charge separation. Published by Elsevier Science S.A.