Phosphatidylcholine multilayers containing $\sim$24% water by total sample weight and gramicidin/lipid molar ratios, were aligned by a mechanical stressing and low temperature annealing ($$80$\mu$ thick x 40mm$\sp2$ area) monodomain defect-free multilayers containing as many as 10$\sp{17}$ uniformly oriented gramicidin channels to be prepared. The alignment of the lipid multilayers was monitored by observing conoscopic interference patterns and orthoscopic images. The smectic defects which appeared during the alignment process were identified and dissolved. The incorporation of gramicidin in the multilayers in the form of the transmembrane channels was proven by its circular dichroism spectra (CD). The well defined CD spectrum of uniformly oriented gramicidin channels was obtained. With proof that gramicidin is in the transmembrane conducting state, it is hoped that these oriented samples will permit spectroscopic studies of the ion channel in its conducting state and diffraction studies of the channel-channel organization in the membrane. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:RICE/oai:scholarship.rice.edu:1911/13248 |
| Date | January 1987 |
| Creators | OLAH, GLENN ALLEN |
| Source Sets | Rice University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis, Text |
| Format | application/pdf |
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