The assembly of electrically addressable, planar supported bilayers composed of biologically relevant lipids, such as the ones used in vesicular systems, will greatly enhance the experimental capabilities in membrane and membrane protein research. We have assessed the electrical properties of bilayers composed of a wide range of physiologically relevant lipids and lipid combinations.  We have demonstrated that robust, biologically relevant, planar supported bilayers with high resistance composed of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) and 25 mol% cholesterol can be constructed with high reproducibility.  Furthermore, to address studies of pore-forming peptides, which are commonly cationic, we have demonstrated the construction of bilayers with biologically relevant outer leaflets incorporating up to 10 mol% negatively charged lipids.  Unique features of the platform are that (1) the substrate is commercially available, atomically smooth, single crystal silicon, (2) the polymer cushion allows for the natural incorporation of membrane proteins, and (3) the platform is highly reproducible.

Electrically addressable, biologically relevant surface supported bilayers

240th National Meeting (2010)

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