Assessing the mechanism of facilitated proton transport across GUVs trapped in a microfluidic device.

Proton transport across lipid membranes is one of the most fundamental reactions that make up living organisms. In vitro, however, the study of proton transport reactions can be very challenging due to limitations imposed by proton concentrations, compartment size, and unstirred layers as well as buffer exchange and buffer capacity. In this study, we have developed a proton permeation assay based on the microfluidic trapping of giant vesicles enclosing the pH-sensitive dye pyranine to address some of these challenges.

The Interaction of Gb Glycosphingolipids with and Phase Lipids in Lipid Monolayers Is a Function of Their Fatty Acids.

The glycosphingolipid Gb is a specific receptor of the bacterial Shiga toxin (STx). Binding of STx to Gb is a prerequisite for its internalization into the host cells, and the ceramide's fatty acid of Gb has been shown to influence STx binding. In studies on liquid ordered ()/liquid disordered () coexisting artificial membranes, Shiga toxin B (STxB) binds solely to domains, thus harboring Gb concomitant with an observed lipid redistribution process.