Dynamic holography in bacteriorhodopsin/gelatin films: effects of light-dark adaptation at different humidity

Photochem Photobiol. 2007 Mar-Apr;83(2):403-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1751-1097.2007.00056.x.

Abstract

This work examines the kinetics of dynamic holography responses in light-adapted and dark-adapted bacteriorhodopsin (BR) films at different humidity. We have demonstrated that the kinetics of the diffraction efficiency in wild type BR films is quite different in dark-adapted and light-adapted samples. The holographic recording kinetics, which depends on the duration of incubation in the dark after light adaptation at different humidity values, was studied in depth. A specially designed miniature cell containing a BR film was mounted inside the holographic set up to allow controlled humidity changes over a broad range. The diffraction efficiency kinetics at humidity values of 96-99% were quite different from the kinetics at 60-93% humidity. We found that humidity values of 90-93% were most optimal for dynamic holography recording using a gelatin film containing BR. In agreement with a calculation of the wavelength-dependent changes of the refractive index for dark-adapted and light-adapted BR samples using the Kramers-Kronig relation, the maximum difference in the refractive index and thus in the diffraction efficiency for dark-adapted and light-adapted BR films takes place at 630 nm, close to the wavelength of the He-Ne laser used.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacteriorhodopsins / chemistry*
  • Bacteriorhodopsins / radiation effects*
  • Darkness
  • Gelatin
  • Halobacterium salinarum / chemistry
  • Holography
  • Humidity
  • Light
  • Membranes, Artificial
  • Optics and Photonics
  • Photochemistry

Substances

  • Membranes, Artificial
  • Bacteriorhodopsins
  • Gelatin