Dresden 2009 – scientific programme

Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Downloads | Help

BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 7: Poster I

BP 7.8: Poster

Monday, March 23, 2009, 17:45–20:00, P3

Artificial Chloroplasts from Giant Unilamellar Vesicles — •Jakob Schweizer and Petra Schwille — Biotechnologisches Zentrum, TU Dresden, Tatzberg 47-51, 01307 Dresden

Giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) serve as a minimalistic model system for biological cell membranes. However, they are also an ideal tool to reconstitute membrane-associated sub-cellular structures, in order to mimick intracellular processes under defined conditions. Here we present a way to construct a rudimentary energy-producing active membrane from purely biological raw materials using three main components: lipids, bacteriorhodopsin and F0F1-ATP synthase. Powered by photon absorption, bacteriorhodopsin pumps protons into the vesicle, whereas the F0F1-ATP synthase utilizes the emerging proton gradient to produce ATP. The most crucial step is therefore the reconstitution of the functional proteins into the GUVs in the correct orientation for which the functionality of both proteins is tested individually. Establishing an artificial chloroplast can provide further insight into the evolution of biological chloroplasts. Moreover, these photo-sensitive systems will also serve as miniature power plants, providing the ATP essential for more complicated cellular model systems.