Voltage transients from photo-isomerizing azo dye in bilayer membranes

Voltage transients are induced by brief light flashed on bilayer membranes with absorbed 3,3'-bis(alpha-(trimethylammonium)methyl)azobenzene (Bis-Q). The voltages are positive for trans-to-cis photo-isomerization, and negative for cis-to-trans photo-isomerization. The risetimes in phosphatidylethanolamine-decane bilayer membranes indicate that absorbed trans-Bis-Q is photo-isomerized to cis within 2 microseconds, and that cis is photo-isomerized to trans within 15 microseconds.