The interactions of Pluornics, amphiphilic poly(ethylene oxide) - poly(propylene oxide) - poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PPO-PEO) triblock copolymers, and lipid membranes have been characterized. The solubility of these triblock polymers in a lipid membrane can be changed with temperature leading to the ability to create a tunable insertion within the membrane. Here, we present our results when this system is changed from a free standing lipid membrane to a supported lipid membrane, in which one lipid leaflet is confined by a solid support. With the use of microcantilevers and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP), we measure the solubility and interactions of triblock copolymers (F68 and F98) within supported lipid bilayers. Two factors are found to affect the lipid polymer interactions: temperature and number of repeating units in hydrophobic PPO block.

Interactions of pluonics with supported lipid membranes

247th National Meeting (2014)

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