Incorporation of alpha-hemolysin in different tethered bilayer lipid membrane architectures.

Tethered bilayer lipid membranes are stable solid supported model membrane systems. They can be used to investigate the incorporation and function of membrane proteins. In order to study ion translocation mediated via incorporated proteins, insulating membranes are necessary. The architecture of the membrane can have an important effect on both the electrical properties of the lipid bilayer as well as on the possibility to functionally host proteins. Alpha-hemolysin pores have been functionally incorporated into a tethered bilayer lipid membrane coupled to a gold electrode. The protein incorporation has been monitored optically and electrically and the influence of the molecular structure of the anchor lipids on the insertion properties has been investigated.