Direct measurement of the electrogenic activity of o-type cytochrome oxidase from Escherichia coli reconstituted into planar lipid bilayers.

Turnover of o-type cytochrome oxidase purified from Escherichia coli and reconstituted into proteoliposomes leads to the generation of a transmembrane electrical potential (interior negative) by means of vectorial electron flow. In the experiments reported here, purified oxidase is reconstituted in planar lipid bilayers formed at the tip of patch pipets, and open-circuit membrane potentials generated by electron transfer are measured directly. Potentials of up to 4 mV (substrate side positive) are generated in the presence of reduced phenazine methosulfate or ubiquinol-1, and with both substrates, electrogenic activity is inhibited by cyanide. Furthermore, the membrane potential generated during oxidase turnover is inhibited progressively with applied voltages (substrate side positive), decreasing almost to zero at an applied voltage of 150 mV.