General method for modification of liposomes for encoded assembly on supported bilayers

Area of Science:

• Biophysics
• Materials Science
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Traditional methods for modifying phospholipid assemblies often require specialized lipids with reactive headgroups.
• Post-modification of preformed vesicles and proteoliposomes is challenging without altering their native composition or integrity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a versatile reagent, (C18)2-DNA, for efficient and gentle surface display of encoded tether sequences on phospholipid assemblies.
• To demonstrate the utility of (C18)2-DNA for creating DNA-hybridized, tethered vesicles on supported lipid bilayers.
• To explore the potential of this system for studying vesicle-vesicle interactions and creating spatially defined vesicle arrays.

Main Methods:

• Insertion of the amphiphilic oligonucleotide ((C18)2-DNA) into preformed vesicles and proteoliposomes.
• Tethering of DNA-modified vesicles to supported phospholipid bilayers via DNA hybridization.
• Utilizing the encoding capability of the DNA tether for spatial organization of vesicles.

Main Results:

• The (C18)2-DNA reagent inserts readily into vesicles and proteoliposomes of diverse compositions.
• This method allows for post-modification of any phospholipid assembly without special lipids.
• Tethered vesicles exhibit two-dimensional mobility, indicating stable membrane association and fluidity.
• Spatially defined arrays of tethered vesicles can be formed based on DNA sequence encoding.

Conclusions:

• (C18)2-DNA is a powerful and broadly applicable tool for modifying the surface of lipid assemblies.
• This technique provides a simple and effective means to tether vesicles to supported bilayers for advanced applications.
• The system offers a promising platform for investigating membrane dynamics and vesicle interactions.