The formation of lipid bilayers at the interface of adhering aqueous droplets in an oil matrix offers a unique route to study the biophysical properties of lipid bilayers and proteins associated with bilayers. In this presentation, we demonstrate an all optical platform to study the transport of protons across gramicidin pores in droplet interface bilayers (DIBs) via pH gradients. Several pH dependent fluorescent reporters are used. Temporal plots of fluorescence signal using a ratiometric dye indicate a counterion effect on proton transport across these bilayers. We measure a rate constant for proton transport across such DIBs that is found to be dependent on the gramicidin concentration in the vesicles that were used to form the DIBs.

Transport across droplet interface lipid bilayers via a pH gradient

253rd National Meeting (2017)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.