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Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Dynamic Light-Induced Protein Patterns at Model Membranes
Published on: February 23, 2024
Reversible control of exo- and endo-budding transitions in a photosensitive lipid membrane
Ken-ichi Ishii1, Tsutomu Hamada, Masaomi Hatakeyama
1School of Materials Science, Japan, Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 1-1 Asahidai, Nomi, Ishikawa 923-1292, Japan.
Abstract:
We have developed a method for the photomanipulation of lipid membrane morphology in which the shape of a vesicle can be switched by light through the use of a synthetic photosensitive amphiphile containing an azobenzene unit (KAON12). We prepared cell-sized liposomes from KAON12 and 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) and conducted real-time observations of vesicular transformation in the photosensitive liposome by phase-contrast microscopy. Budding transitions-either budding toward the centre of the liposome (endo-bud) or budding out of the liposome (exo-bud)-could be controlled by light. We discuss the mechanism of this transformation in terms of the change in the effective membrane surface area due to photoisomerization of the constituent molecules.
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