Biophysical Journal 40: 1-5 (1982)
© 1982 the Biophysical Society

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Interfacial electric polarizability of purple membranes in solution.

ABSTRACT

An investigation of the scattered light (lambda = 632.8 nm) from purple membrane suspensions with different concentrations subjected to external AC and DC electric fields has been carried out. The electric pulses used were in the field strength range 0-3.2 X 10(4) Vm-1 and the frequency range 10 Hz-1 MHz, the pulse duration being less than or equal to 0.5 s. A concentration dependence of the relative changes in the scattered light intensity was obtained, the effect being positive on orienting the suspensions by an AC field at 1 and 10 kHz, and negative in the case of a DC field. The negative effects in the diluted samples decrease and turn positive as the strength of the field increases. The positive effects show the existence of an interfacial polarizability along the plane of the membrane, and the negative ones suggest the presence of a permanent dipole moment (p), perpendicular to the plane of the membrane. The values of gamma (induced polarizability) and p were found to be on the order of 10(-28)-10(-29) Fm2 and 10(-24) Cm, respectively. An explanation in terms of membrane aggregation for the observed dependence on concentration is given.