Membrane tension lowering induced by protein activity.
Using videomicroscopy we present measurements of the fluctuation spectrum of giant vesicles containing bacteriorhodopsin pumps. When the pumps are activated, we observe a significant increase of the fluctuations in the low wave vector region, which we interpret as due to a lowering of the effective tension of the membrane.
El Alaoui Faris
M D
MD
Institut Curie, Centre de Recherche; CNRS, UMR 168; Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, F-75248 France.
Lacoste
D
D
Pécréaux
J
J
Joanny
J-F
JF
Prost
J
J
Bassereau
P
P
D001436:Bacteriorhodopsins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D001693:Biological Transport, Active; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D018715:Microscopy, Video / Q000379:methods; D008956:Models, Chemical; D053835:Unilamellar Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism
D053835:Unilamellar Liposomes; D001436:Bacteriorhodopsins