Polymer ultrathin films with immobilized photosynthetic reaction center proteins

Mixed monolayers of lipids with photosynthetic reaction center proteins (RCs) from Rb. sphaeroides and C. aurantiacus were studied and the optimum conditions for stable films fabrication were determined. The following synthetic: ACPE, TDA, PDA, DODL and natural lipids: PE, PC were used. The rate of polymerization of the mixed ACPE-RC and TDA-RC monolayers is lower than those for pure lipid-like monomers on the air/water interface but high enough for the fast preparation of the polymer films. The optical and photoelectrical measurements provide evidence for an orientation of RCs (from Rb. sphaeroides) on interface. Hydrophilic H-subunit in the mixed ACPE-RCs and DODL-RCs monolayers is preferentially oriented towards water as in the pure RC monolayers. Opposite orientation was found with TDA-RCs and PDA-RCs films. No preferential orientation was found for lipid-RCs (C. aurantiacus) monolayers probably because of the low asymmetry of hydrophobic subunits (M and L) of these RCs.