Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 7, 2026

Real-time Monitoring of Ligand-receptor Interactions with Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer
Published on: August 20, 2012
Proton transfer reactions across bacteriorhodopsin and along the membrane
1Research Centre Jülich, IBI-2: Structural Biology, D-52425, Jülich, Germany. j.heberle@fz-juelich.de
Abstract:
Bacteriorhodopsin is probably the best understood proton pump so far and is considered to be a model system for proton translocating membrane proteins. The basis of a molecular description of proton translocation is set by having the luxury of six highly resolved structural models at hand. Details of the mechanism and reaction dynamics were elucidated by a whole variety of biophysical techniques. The current molecular picture of catalysis by BR will be presented with examples from time-resolved spectroscopy. FT-IR spectroscopy monitors single proton transfer events within bacteriorhodopsin and judiciously positioned pH indicators detect proton migration at the membrane surface. Emerging properties are briefly outlined that underlie the efficient proton transfer across and along biological membranes.
More Related Videos
10:03Proton Transfer and Protein Conformation Dynamics in Photosensitive Proteins by Time-resolved Step-scan Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy
Published on: June 27, 2014
05:51Isotopic Effect in Double Proton Transfer Process of Porphycene Investigated by Enhanced QM/MM Method
Published on: July 19, 2019
Related Concept Videos
Photosystem II
The pigment molecules are arranged across two photosystem domains — the antenna complex and the reaction center. The main aim of the pigment molecules...
Photosystem I
Both these photosystems work in concert. An excited electron from PSII is relayed to PSI via an electron transport chain in the thylakoid membrane of the chloroplast, which is comprised of the carrier molecule plastoquinone, the dual-protein cytochrome complex, and plastocyanin. As electrons move between PSII and PSI, they lose energy and must be re-energized...
Channel Rhodopsins
Rhodopsins belong to the family of cell surface proteins called G-protein coupled receptors,...
Electron Transport Chain Components
Anoxygenic Photosynthesis
Chemiosmosis and ATP Synthesis