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Updated: Aug 17, 2026

Biomembrane Fabrication by the Solvent-assisted Lipid Bilayer (SALB) Method
Published on: December 1, 2015
Interaction between glycophorin and a spin-labeled cholesterol analogue in reconstituted
R Tampé1, A Robitzki, H J Galla
1Institute of Biochemistry, Technical University Darmstadt, F.R.G.
Abstract:
The interaction between glycophorin and a spin-labeled cholesterol analogue has been investigated by EPR spectroscopy. In vesicles which were reconstituted by the freeze and thaw technique, direct evidence was obtained for a reorganisation of the membrane at low protein content (protein/lipid ratio less than 1:300). From the spin exchange interaction we were able to show a protein-induced clustering of the steroid in fluid and in gel state membranes. Tryptic cleavage of the complete N-terminus of glycophorin vanishes the effect. Whereas the removal of the sialic acid residues by neuraminidase digest had no influence on the EPR spectra. The interaction seems to be cholestane spin label specific since it was not observed with an androstane spin-label.
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