Molecular orientation distributions in protein films. 4. A multilayer composed of yeast cytochrome c bound through an intermediate streptavidin layer to a planar supported phospholipid bilayer

Avidin and streptavidin are widely used tetrameric proteins, acting as binding mediators in many bioanalytical applications. There is much interest in the structure and bioactivity of multilayer films that contain such proteins. Molecular orientation in asymmetric protein bilayers on planar glass substrates has been investigated, with a multilayer architecture comprising a biotin capped phospholipid bilayer, streptavidin and yeast cytochrome c biotinylated at cysteine 102. Orientation distributions were almost identical, indicating that lateral interactions are not need to form macroscopically oriented protein films.