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Updated: Apr 11, 2026

Single-Molecule Diffusion and Assembly on Polymer-Crowded Lipid Membranes
Published on: July 19, 2022
Dynamics of Membrane Proteins within Synthetic Polymer Membranes with Large Hydrophobic Mismatch
Fabian Itel1, Adrian Najer1, Cornelia G Palivan1
1Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 80, 4056 Basel, Switzerland.
Abstract:
The functioning of biological membrane proteins (MPs) within synthetic block copolymer membranes is an intriguing phenomenon that is believed to offer great potential for applications in life and medical sciences and engineering. The question why biological MPs are able to function in this completely artificial environment is still unresolved by any experimental data. Here, we have analyzed the lateral diffusion properties of different sized MPs within poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)-containing amphiphilic block copolymer membranes of membrane thicknesses between 9 and 13 nm, which results in a hydrophobic mismatch between the membrane thickness and the size of the proteins of 3.3-7.1 nm (3.5-5 times). We show that the high flexibility of PDMS, which provides membrane fluidities similar to phospholipid bilayers, is the key-factor for MP incorporation.
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