The electrical response to light of bacteriorhodopsin in planar membranes

We have measured the light-induced short-circuit current generated by a planar membrane containing bacteriorhodopsin incorporated by vesicle fusion. The experimental results are consistent with an equivalent electrical circuit analogue that assumes that the vesicles remain intact after fusion and that the current generator equivalent of the light-driven proton pump is linearly dependent on bias voltage. The transient response to light of the planar membrane has also been examined. Slow response times are seen to be associated with the capacitive charging and discharging of the fused vesicles. A study of the leading edge of the light response curve of the planar membrane yields information about the transient response of the light-driven proton pump. We propose that the translocation of protons across the membrane is associated with a first-order process characterized by a rate constant lambda.