Enhanced long-term stability for single ion channel recordings using suspended poly(lipid) bilayers

Area of Science:

• Biophysics
• Materials Science
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Black lipid membranes (BLMs) are crucial for studying ion channel proteins.
• Conventional BLMs exhibit limited stability, rupturing within hours, hindering long-term experiments.
• There is a need for more robust BLM platforms for reliable biosensing and drug screening.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a stabilized BLM system with enhanced longevity.
• To investigate the stability and functional integrity of polymerizable BLMs.
• To assess the potential of stabilized BLMs for housing functional ion channels.

Main Methods:

• Formation of BLMs using polymerizable bis-dienoyl phosphatidylcholine (bis-DenPC) on glass pipettes.
• In-situ polymerization of bis-DenPC lipids within the BLM structure.
• Incorporation and functional assessment of alpha-hemolysin ion channel within polymerized BLMs.
• Monitoring membrane conductance and ion channel activity over extended periods.

Main Results:

• Polymerized bis-DenPC BLMs demonstrated remarkable stability, maintaining steady conductance for several weeks.
• Unpolymerized control membranes ruptured within hours.
• Incorporated alpha-hemolysin ion channel activity remained stable for up to 1 week in polymerized BLMs.
• Achieved lifetimes represent a significant improvement over conventional BLM technologies.

Conclusions:

• Polymerizable lipids enable the creation of highly stable BLMs.
• Stabilized BLMs maintain the functionality of incorporated ion channels for extended durations.
• Polymerized BLMs offer a promising platform for developing robust biosensors and drug screening devices.