Natural bioenergetics systems of halobacteria Halobacterium salinarum for nanobiophotonics

A new method for preparing the naturally orientated cellular energy-transducing membranes of halobacteria Halobacterium salinarum (NOPM) is offered. This method makes it possible to simplify the technique of extracting the immobilized purple membranes of halobacteria and to obtain photosensitive membrane preparations of a vast area. If the tubular substrates were used, closed photosensitive NOPM structures similar to the natural ones were created. Methods for atomic force microscopy were first revealed on an internal surface of membranes of halobacterial cells raised in optimal conditions in a reactor; the purple membranes were surrounded by the sites enriched with the molecules of ATP-synthase. Thus, in their natural complex, this method makes it possible to obtain preparations of these immobilized membranes with key functional transmembrane proteins of two bioenergetics systems of halobacteria containing (i) purple membranes as the acceptor part and the light-driven proton pump for proton gradient generation and (ii) a storing part as transmembrane complexes for the ATP synthesis. NOPM preparations can be used in nanobiophotonics for the creation of artificial photoelectric devices for multi-purpose applications. © 2010 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.