SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF PREPARING STABILIZED LIPID ASSEMBLIES

摘要

Direct polymerization of lipid monomers or polymer scaffolding of non-lipid monomers coupled with irradiation or redox polymerization performed at neutral pH resulted in stabilized lipid assemblies. An initiator-buffer component and NaHS03 redox mixture polymerizes reactive lipid monomers at near neutral pH conditions to preserve functionality of reconstituted membrane proteins. Improved stability of black lipid membranes (BLMs) is attained by chemical cross-linking of polymerizable, hydrophobic and commercially available non-lipid monomers partitioned into the suspended lipid membranes, and by suspending the BLMs across low surface energy apertures. Substrate apertures having low surface energy modifiers with amphiphobic properties facilitated a reproducible formation of BLMs by promoting interactions between the lipid tail and the substrate material. In addition, polymeric lipid bilayer membranes were prepared by photochemical or redox initiated polymerization of polymerizable lipid monomers, and disposed onto supporting substrates for use in chromatography columns.

主权项

1. A suspended lipid system comprising:
a. a supporting substrate having a substrate surface and an aperture; and b. modified lipid membrane comprising a plurality of non-polymerizable lipid monomers and a plurality of polymerized, hydrophobic non-lipid monomers; wherein the modified lipid membrane is disposed on the substrate such that the lipid monomers form a lipid bilayer suspended across the aperture, wherein the non-lipid monomers are disposed in the lipid bilayer.