Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

Transmembrane channel formation in rhodopsin-containing bilayer membranes

Nature volume 267, pages 221–225 (1977)Cite this article

Abstract

Rhodopsin has been incorporated into planar lipid bilayer membranes. The effect of light is to increase the bilayer permeability in a pattern consistent with the formation of a transmembrane channel of about 10 Å diameter. A model of visual excitation based on a light-activated and voltage-sensitive channel is presented.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hecht, S., Schlaer, S. & Pirenne, M. H. J. gen. Physiol. 25, 819–840 (1942).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Hagins, W. A. A. Rev. Biophys. Bioengng 1, 131–158 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Montal, M. & Korenbrot, J. I. in The Enzymes of Biological Membranes 4 (ed. Martonosi, A.) 365–405 (Plenum, New York, 1976).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  4. Wald, G. Nature 219, 800–807 (1968).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Hagins, W. A. Cold Spring Harb. Symp. quant. Biol. 30, 403–418 (1965).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Hagins, W. A., Penn, R. D. & Yoshikami, S. Biophys. J. 10, 380–412 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Millecchia, R. & Mauro, A. J. gen. Physiol. 54, 331–351 (1969).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Wald, G., Brown, P. K. & Gibbons, I. R. J. Opt. Soc. Am. 53, 20–35 (1963).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Montal, M. & Korenbrot, J. I. Nature 246, 219–221 (1973).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Montal, M. in Molecular Aspects of Membrane Phenomena (eds Kaback, H. R., Radda, G. K., Neurath, H., Wiley, W. R. & Schwyzer, R.) 316–338 (Springer-Verlag, New York, Berlin and Heidelberg, 1975).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  11. Darszon, A. & Montal, M. in Mitochondria-Bioenergetics, Biogenesis and Membrane Structure (eds Packer, L. & Gomez-Puyou, A.) 389–401 (Academic, New York, 1976).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Montal, M., Darszon, A., Korenbrot, J. I. & Trissl, H. W. V Intern. Biophys. Cong. IUPAB-Abstract, 177 (1975).

  13. Montal, M. in Perspectives in Membrane Biology (eds Estrada-O., S., Gitler, C.) 591–622 (Academic, New York, 1974).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Montal, M. Biochem. Soc. Trans. 4, 560–561 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Trurnit, H. J. J. Colloid. Sci. 15, 1–13 (1960).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Hubbard, R., Brown, P. K. & Bownds, D. Meth. Enzym. 18, 615–653 (1971).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Ehrenstein, G., Lecar, H. & Nossal, R. J. gen. Physiol. 55, 119–133 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Hladky, S. B., Gordon, L. G. M. & Haydon, D. A. A. Rev. Phys. Chem. 25, 11–38 (1974).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Benzanilla, F. & Armstrong, C. M. J. gen. Physiol. 60, 588–608 (1972).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Downer, N. W. & Englander, S. W. Nature 254, 625–627 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Osborne, H. B. FEBS Lett. 67, 23–27 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Robinson, G. W. Vision Res. 15, 35–48 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Poo, M. & Cone, R. A. Nature 247, 438–441 (1974).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Trissl, H. W., Darszon, A. & Montal, M. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74, 207–210 (1977).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Armstrong, C. R. Q. Rev. Biophys. 7, 179–210 (1975).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Bownds, D., Gordon-Walker, A., Gaide-Huguenin, A. C. & Robinson, W. J. gen. Physiol. 58, 225–237 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Ostwald, T. J. & Heller, J. Biochemistry 11, 4679–4686 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Hodgkin, A. L. The Conduction of the Nervous Impulse (Liverpool University Press, Liverpool, 1963).

    Google Scholar 

  29. Montal, M. Meth. Enzym. 32 B, 545–554 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Bamberg, E. & Läuger, P. Biochim. biophys. Acta 367, 127–133 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. McConnell, D. G. J. Cell Biol. 27, 459–473 (1965).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Heller, J. Biochemistry 7, 2906–2913 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Feldberg, N. T. Invest. Ophthalmol. 13, 155–157 (1974).

    Google Scholar 

  34. Kagawa, Y. & Racker, E. J. biol. Chem. 246, 5477–5487 (1971).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Racker, E. Biochem. biophys. res. Commun. 55, 224–230 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. M. Montal, A. Darszon & H. W. Trissl

    Present address: Department of Physics and Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, 92093

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Bioquímica, Centre de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Institute Politécnico National, México, 14, D.F.

    M. Montal, A. Darszon & H. W. Trissl

Authors
  1. M. Montal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. Darszon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. H. W. Trissl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Montal, M., Darszon, A. & Trissl, H. Transmembrane channel formation in rhodopsin-containing bilayer membranes. Nature 267, 221–225 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/267221a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/267221a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing