Biotechnological Aspects of Membrane Function

Abstract

An overview is given of the biotechnological utilizability of various features of cell membranes. Techniques are given that describe how to make use of the barrier and transport functions of membranes for biotechnological purposes, ranging from cell permeabilization and construction of immobilized biocatalysts to manipulating excretion and uptake properties of the membranes by various methods. Glucose transporters, iron-transporting membrane systems, and pumps engaged in pleiotropic drug resistance are treated in more detail as particularly biotechnologically important membrane proteins.

Key Words:

• membranes
• membrane proteins
• membrane structure
• selective permeability
• transport
• energy coupling of transport
• channels and carriers
• cell permeabilization
• immobilized cell systems
• cell surface charge
• glucose transporters
• siderophores
• ABC transport systems