Nonlinear Dielectric Spectroscopy as an Indirect Probe of Metabolic Activity in Thylakoid Membrane

Biosensors

Jie Fang¹  Akilan Palanisami¹  Kimal Rajapakshe¹  William R. Widger² 

[1] Department of Physics and Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA; E-Mails:;Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA; E-Mail:

关键词: nonlinear dielectric spectroscopy;    reactive oxygen species;    whole cell biosensor;    thylakoid;   

DOI  :  10.3390/bios1010013

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Nonlinear dielectric spectroscopy (NDS) is a non-invasive probe of cellular metabolic activity with potential application in the development of whole-cell biosensors. However, the mechanism of NDS interaction with metabolic membrane proteins is poorly understood, partly due to the inherent complexity of single cell organisms. Here we use the light-activated electron transport chain of spinach thylakoid membrane as a model system to study how NDS interacts with metabolic activity. We find protein modification, as opposed to membrane pump activity, to be the dominant source of NDS signal change in this system. Potential mechanisms for such protein modifications include reactive oxygen species generation and light-activated phosphorylation.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2011 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.