Reconstitution, a way of biochemical research; some new approaches to membrane-bound enzymes

Abstract

A variety of reconstitution procedures has been developed for the analysis of the biological activity of purified membrane proteins. In this paper we describe some new procedures. One is based on the action of two detergents, one ionic and one nonionic. Another method takes advantage of rather unique properties of octylglucoside which, in contrast to the detergents used in the first procedure, allows for virtually instantaneous reconstitution. This procedure is now the method of choice for the reconstitution of bacteriorhodopsin, and the proton pumps of mitochondria or chloroplasts. A third procedure takes advantage of the observation that very short periods of sonication are required when certain solvents (e.g., decane) are present in low concentrations. © 1979.