Leakage-channel conductance of single (Na+ + K+)-ATPase molecules incorporated into planar bilayers by fusion of liposomes.

By fusing liposomes which contain in the mean only one pump unit (one intramembranous particle) to planar bilayers, and provoking the ouabain-blockable leakage conductance by the presence of n-decane, the predominant unit leakage conductance associated with one pump unit was estimated to be 40-50 pS, indicating the channel nature of the leakage pathway.