Stabilization of membrane proteins by means of synthetic polymers

Abstract

The objective of the project was to study the thermal decay of membrane proteins under different conditions. Usually membrane proteins are associated with a lipid bilayer. The stability was studied in prior approaches in detergents and it was detected, that membrane proteins are there less stable than in lipid bilayers. So the influence of their solubilizing environment on membrane protein structures is especially significant. Other attempts have been made by the use of liposomes. The focus of this project was to stabilize the membrane protein rhodopsin by means of synthetic polymers. The thermal decay (at 55°C) of rhodopsin was measured by UV Vis spectroscopy.