Relationship between the function of membrane protein in giant unilamellar vesicle and membrane mechanical properties

Abstract

Membrane proteins in plasma membranes are functional elements essential for life activities, and artificial lipid membranes imitating plasma membranes are used to investigate their structures and functions. In this study, the membrane protein, bacteriorhodopsin (bR), was incorporated into giant unilamellar vesicles (GUV) of cell size, and the influence of the bR function expression on the membrane mechanical properties was evaluated from microscopic observation. From the comparison of different lipid systems, we aimed to clarify the relationship between bR function which is dependent on the intermolecular interaction with surrounding lipids and the membrane dynamics properties of GUV.