A rapid method for the isolation of intracytoplasmic membranes from Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides using an air-driven ultracentrifuge.

A method has been developed for the isolation intracytoplasmic (ICM) vesicles (chromatophores) from Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides using an air-driven ultracentrifuge. Application of conventional techniques used for preparative scale equipment to the air-driven ultracentrifuge allows the rapid isolation of ICM vesicles from reduced quantities of starting material. Sodium dodecyl sulfatepolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis profiles of ICM vesicles isolated in this fashion are essentially indistinguishable from those isolated by conventional means.