title: Deposition of bacteriorhodopsin protein in a purple membrane form on nitrocellulose membranes for enhanced  photoelectric response.
abstract: Bacteriorhodopsin protein (bR)-based systems are one of the simplest known biological energy converters. The robust chemical, thermal and electrochemical properties of bR have made it an attractive material for photoelectric devices. This study demonstrates the photoelectric response of a dry bR layer deposited on a nitrocellulose membrane with indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes. Light-induced electrical current as well as potential and impedance changes of dried bR film were recorded as the function of illumination. We have also tested bR in solution and found that the electrical properties are strongly dependent on light intensity changing locally proton concentration and thus pH of the solution. Experimental data support the assumption that bR protein on a positively charged nitrocellulose membrane (PNM) can be used as highly sensitive photo- and pH detector. Here the bR layer facilitates proton translocation and acts as an ultrafast optoelectric signal transducer. It is therefore useful in applications related to bioelectronics, biosensors,  bio-optics devices and current carrying junction devices.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Nanomedicine, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Europe (KIST-Europe), Campus E 7.1, Saarbrücken, Germany. yjunkim@kist-europe.de
authors.forename: Young Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neuzil
authors.forename: Chang-Hoon
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Engelhard
mesh_terms: D001436:Bacteriorhodopsins / Q000378:metabolism*; D003101:Collodion / Q000378:metabolism*; D017097:Electric Impedance; D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D019617:Halobacterium salinarum / Q000378:metabolism*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008027:Light; D010777:Photochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D018717:Purple Membrane / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D001436:Bacteriorhodopsins; D003101:Collodion