Thermodynamic and kinetic studies of purple membrane from halobacterium halobium

This thesis is a report on three separate but closely related experiments with the energy tranducing purple membrane from Halobacterium halobium. In the first experiment, we used flash photolysis to measure the effects of solvent viscosity on the kinetics of the purple membrane photocycle, and we analyzed the data in terms of a modified Kramers' theory. In the second experiment, we determined the purple membrane's apparent density, thermal expansivity, isothermal and adiabatic compressibilities, and specific heats at constant pressure and constant volume. In the final experiment, we studied the effects of high pressure on the kinetics of the photocycle. We found that all of the distinct processes in the photocycle are retarded by pressure. The results of the pressure and viscosity studies are very highly correlated. We interpret this to mean that the primary effect of pressure on the photocycle is via its increase of the intrinsic viscosity of the membrane.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Physics

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• Marque, Jeffrey Joshua

Contributors dc:contributor

• Eisenstein, Laura

• thermodynamics
• kinetics
• purple membrane
• halobacterium halobium
• flash photolysis
• solvent viscosity

Statement dc:rights

• 1984 Jeffrey Joshua Marque

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

840250

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/25345