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Artificial Cell Membranes Interfaced with Optical Tweezers: A Versatile Microfluidics Platform for Nanomanipulation
Aurora Dols-Perez1, Victor Marin1, Guillermo J Amador1,2
1Department of Bionanoscience , Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology , Van der Maasweg 9 , Delft 2629 HZ , The Netherlands.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|August 27, 2019
Summary
This study introduces a new method combining optical tweezers with lipid bilayers to measure membrane mechanics. The technique accurately quantifies membrane tension and peptide interactions, advancing biophysical studies.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Cell Biology
- Materials Science
Background:
- Cell lipid membranes are crucial for biological processes involving mechanical forces.
- Measuring piconewton-level forces requires specialized tools like optical tweezers.
- Existing methods face challenges with optical distortions near lipid bilayers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel technique combining optical tweezers with free-standing lipid bilayers.
- To enable precise measurement of mechanical forces and properties of lipid membranes.
- To investigate the impact of peptides on membrane mechanics.
Main Methods:
- Utilized optical tweezers with specially designed flow cells to overcome optical distortions.
- Created and manipulated free-standing lipid nanotubes.
- Measured membrane tension by pushing lipid nanotubes with optically trapped beads.
Main Results:
- Successfully pushed and pulled lipid nanotubes to lengths over half a millimeter.
- Measured the membrane tension of a DOPC/DPPC lipid mixture to be 4.6 × 10-6 N/m.
- Observed a decrease in membrane tension to 2.1 × 10-6 N/m upon TAT peptide insertion.
Conclusions:
- The developed platform allows for accurate measurement of membrane mechanical properties.
- This method is compatible with electrophysiological measurements.
- Presents new avenues for studying membrane mechanics and creating artificial lipid networks.
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