Bacteriorhodopsin (BR) is a robust light-driven proton pump embedded in the purple membrane of the extremophilic archae Halobacterium salinarium . Its photoactivity remains in the dry state, making BR of significant interest for nanotechnological use. Here, in a novel configuration, BR was depleted from most of its endogenous lipids and covalently and asymmetrically anchored onto a gold electro...