AI Article Synopsis
- Anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) is a porous material with tiny, aligned cylindrical pores, allowing researchers to create fluid lipid bilayers that cover these pores while maintaining the AAO's transparency.
- The researchers used silane chemistry to immobilize giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs), leading to the formation of continuous membrane patches across the pores, which they studied using fluorescence microscopy.
- The findings revealed low immobile fractions of lipids and similar diffusion characteristics to those in other materials, demonstrating the membranes' ability to trap small molecules while blocking larger ones, opening new avenues for three-dimensional studies with advanced imaging techniques.
Article Abstract
Anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) is a porous material having aligned cylindrical compartments with 55-60 nm diameter pores, and being several micrometers deep. A protocol was developed to generate pore-spanning fluid lipid bilayers separating the attoliter-sized compartments of the nanoporous material from the bulk solution, while preserving the optical transparency of the AAO. The AAO was selectively functionalized by silane chemistry to spread giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) resulting in large continuous membrane patches covering the pores. Formation of fluid single lipid bilayers through GUV rupture could be readily observed by fluorescence microscopy and further supported by conservation of membrane surface area, before and after GUV rupture. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching gave low immobile fractions (5-15%) and lipid diffusion coefficients similar to those found for bilayers on silica. The entrapment of molecules within the porous underlying cylindrical compartments, as well as the exclusion of macromolecules from the nanopores, demonstrate the barrier function of the pore-spanning membranes and could be investigated in three-dimensions using confocal laser scanning fluorescence imaging.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/nn201266e | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Analysis of the MODIST Sequence for Selective Proton-Proton Recoupling.
J Phys Chem A
December 2024
Department of NMR based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Faßberg 11, Göttingen 37077, Germany.
Theoretical and simulated analyses of selective homonuclear dipolar recoupling sequences serve as primary tools for understanding and determining the robustness of these sequences under various conditions. In this article, we investigate the recently proposed first-order dipolar recoupling sequence known as MODIST (Modest Offset Difference Internuclear Selective Transfer). We evaluate the MODIST transfer efficiency, assessing its dependence on rf-field strengths and the number of simulated spins, extending up to 10 spins.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPhotophysical behavior of meso-N-butylcarbazole-substituted BODIPY in different nano-scale organized media.
Photochem Photobiol Sci
December 2024
Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600036, Tamil Nadu, India.
The present work focuses on the photophysical behavior of meso-N-butylcarbazole-substituted BODIPY (CBZ-BDP) in different organized media towards exploring the possible use of the dye as a molecular sensor and imaging agent. The molecule shows an appreciable change in absorption and emission spectra at 75% water-acetonitrile mixture compared to pure acetonitrile. In water-acetonitrile mixture, it displays aggregate-induced emission (AIE) bands.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAssessing the interaction between the N-terminal region of the membrane protein magnesium transporter A and a lipid bilayer.
J Colloid Interface Sci
December 2024
Division of Computational Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, Lund, 22100, Sweden. Electronic address:
Unlabelled: This study investigates the interaction of KEIF, the intrinsically disordered N-terminal region of the magnesium transporter MgtA, with lipid bilayers mimicking cell membranes. Combining experimental techniques such as neutron reflectometry (NR), quartz-crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), synchrotron radiation circular dichroism (SRCD), and oriented circular dichroism (OCD), with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we characterized KEIF's adsorption behavior.
Hypothesis: KEIF undergoes conformational changes upon interacting with lipid bilayers, potentially influencing MgtA's function within the plasma membrane.
Advancing Membrane Biology: Single-Molecule Approaches Meet Model Membrane Systems.
BMB Rep
December 2024
Department of Physics, POSTECH, Pohang, Republic of Korea.
Model membrane systems have emerged as essential platforms for investigating membrane-associated processes in controlled environments, mimicking biological membranes without the complexity of cellular systems. However, integrating these model systems with single-molecule techniques remains challenging due to the fluidity of lipid membranes, including undulations and the lateral mobility of lipids and proteins. This mini-review explores the evolution of various model membranes ranging from black lipid membranes to nanodiscs and giant unilamellar vesicles as they adapt to accommodate electrophysiology, force spectroscopy, and fluorescence microscopy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAtomistic Simulations and Analysis of Peripheral Membrane Proteins with Model Lipid Bilayers.
Methods Mol Biol
December 2024
Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA.
All-atom molecular dynamics (AAMD) is a computational technique that predicts the movement of particles based on the intermolecular forces acting on the system. It enables the study of biological systems at atomic detail, complements observations from experiments, and can help the selection of experimental targets. Here, we describe the applications of MD simulations to study the interaction between peripheral membrane proteins and lipid bilayers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!