title: Bacterial reaction centers purified with styrene maleic acid copolymer retain native membrane functional properties and display enhanced stability.
abstract: Integral membrane proteins often present daunting challenges for biophysical characterization, a fundamental issue being how to select a surfactant that will optimally preserve the individual structure and functional properties of a given membrane protein. Bacterial reaction centers offer a rare opportunity to compare the properties of an integral membrane protein in different artificial lipid/surfactant environments with those in the native bilayer. Here, we demonstrate that reaction centers purified using a styrene maleic acid copolymer remain associated with a complement of native lipids and do not display the modified functional properties that typically result from detergent solubilization. Direct comparisons show that reaction centers are more stable in this copolymer/lipid environment than in a detergent micelle or even in the native membrane, suggesting a promising new route to exploitation of such photovoltaic integral membrane proteins in device applications.
authors.affiliation: School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Medical Sciences Building, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD (UK).
authors.forename: David J K
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Swainsbury
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scheidelaar
authors.forename: Rienk
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Grondelle
authors.forename: J Antoinette
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Killian
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D003902:Detergents / Q000737:chemistry*; D008298:Maleates / Q000737:chemistry*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D003902:Detergents; D008298:Maleates; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C030272:maleic acid
keywords: detergents; membrane proteins; nanodiscs; reaction centers; styrene maleic acid