High-conductance channel induced by the interaction of phage lambda with its receptor maltoporin

Bacteriophage lambda that binds to liposomes bears its receptor maltoporin (LamB) and is able to inject its DNA into the internal space. During this p rocess, the liposomes are permeabilized, suggesting that a transmembrane ch annel has formed (Roessner and Ihler (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 386-390). T his pore possibly constitutes the pathway used by lambda DNA to cross the m embrane. We reconstituted purified LamB from Shigella in liposomes that wer e incubated with lambda phages, Addition of this mixture to a bilayer chamb er resulted in the incorporation in planar bilayers of high-conductance cha nnels whose conductance, kinetics and voltage dependence were totally diffe rent from those of maltoporin channels. (C) 2000 Federation of European Bio chemical Societies, Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.