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Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Dynamic Light-Induced Protein Patterns at Model Membranes
Published on: February 23, 2024
Lanthanide modulation of the orientation of macromolecules induced by purple membrane
Pau Bernadó1, Renato Barbieri, Esteve Padrós
1Departament de Química Orgànica, Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franquès, 1-11, 08028-Barcelona, Spain.
Abstract:
Addition of Tb3+ to purple membrane (PM) suspensions changes the orientation of the menbrane normal from parallel to perpendicular with respect to the magnetic field. Residual dipolar couplings measured in protein L in the presence of PM are scaled by a factor of -1/2. NMR line broadening and cross-correlation effects induced by the addition of PM are partially reversed by Tb3+ but not by Tm3+ that has no effect on the orientation of PM. This is interpreted as the result of anisotropically restricted motion of protein L in the transiently PM-bound form.
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