HEMIN AND LEGHEMOGLOBIN INTERACTIONS WITH LIPID BILAYER IN THE PERIBACTEROID MEMBRANE OF YELLOW LUPIN NODULES

The probability of hemin and leghemoglobin incorporation into the peri bacteroid membrane enclosing bacteroids and peribacteroid space was ve rified. The method of quenching annihilated delayed fluorescence of th e triplet probe perylene was employed to demonstrate that hemin could be built into the peribacteroid membrane. Similar quenching of the ann ihilated delayed fluorescence of perylene was observed when leghemoglo bin was added to the peribacteroid membrane fraction. This evidence su ggests that the liquid crystalline lipid bilayer of the peribacteroid membrane contains specific sites for binding leghemoglobin heme.