Abstract
A glutamate receptor ion channel (RIC) protein, isolated and purified from rat brains, was reconstituted into artificial bilayer lipid membranes. This RIC protein was found to serve as a recognition site for a sensitive detection of L-glutamate. Two types of RIC sensors were tested. When the RIC was reconstituted as a single protein in a patch-clamp membrane configuration, digital "off/on" signals were obtained for L-glutamate. With multiple proteins as a multi-channel sensor, the integrated do signals were related to the glutamate concentration. The results from these two configurations are further discussed in terms of signal amplification and concentration dependence of the sensor.
