Résumé
The synthesis and usefulness in membrane biochemistry of a new class of surfactants have been investigated. 1-Ethyl-2-dimethylamine oxide polar heads were grafted onto a hydrocarbon, a fluorocarbon or an ethyl-capped fluorocarbon hydrophobic tail. The ability of the resulting surfactants to extract and/or to stabilize in aqueous solution a test membrane protein, cytochrome
b
6
f, was evaluated. While it is not a detergent, the hemifluorinated derivative efficiently kept purified cytochrome
b
6
f soluble, native and functional. The data suggest that alkyl-capped fluorocarbon surfactants provide an interesting alternative to classical detergents for handling membrane proteins in aqueous solutions under non-dissociating conditions.
The synthesis of ethyl-terminated perfluoroalkylamine oxide surfactants is reported. The efficiency of these new surfactants in maintaining membrane proteins soluble in aqueous solution was assayed.