Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 10, 2026

Synthesis and Characterization of Amphiphilic Gold Nanoparticles
Published on: July 2, 2019
Synthesis and Characterization of a New Bifunctionalized, Fluorescent, and Amphiphilic Molecule for Recruiting
Monique Mertens1, Malte Hilsch2, Ivan Haralampiev2
1University of Potsdam, Department of Chemistry, Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 24-25, 14476, Potsdam, Germany.
Abstract:
This study describes the synthesis and characterization of an amphiphilic construct intended to recruit SH-containing molecules to membranes. The construct consists of 1) an aliphatic chain to enable anchoring within membranes, 2) a maleimide moiety to react with the sulfhydryl group of a soluble (bio)molecule, and 3) a fluorescence moiety to allow the construct to be followed by fluorescence spectroscopy and microscopy. It is shown that the construct can be incorporated into preformed membranes, thus allowing application of the approach with biological membranes. The close proximity between the fluorophore and the maleimide moiety within the construct causes fluorescence quenching. This allows monitoring of the reaction with SH-containing molecules by measurement of increases in fluorescence intensity and lifetime. Notably, the construct distributes into laterally ordered membrane domains of lipid vesicles, which is probably triggered by the length of its membrane anchor. The advantages of the new construct can be employed for several biological, biotechnological, and medicinal applications.
More Related Videos
08:47Characterizing Single-Molecule Conformational Changes Under Shear Flow with Fluorescence Microscopy
Published on: January 25, 2020
06:55Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers and Characterization of Their Diffusive Motion in the Melt State at the Single Molecule Level
Published on: September 26, 2016
Related Concept Videos
Molecules and Compounds
Negative Regulator Molecules
Types of Signaling Molecules
Behavior of Gas Molecules: Molecular Diffusion, Mean Free Path, and Effusion
Positive Regulator Molecules
Positive Regulator Molecules