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Assembly of Cell Mimicking Supported and Suspended Lipid Bilayer Models for the Study of Molecular Interactions
Published on: August 3, 2021
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Effect of polyelectrolyte structure on formation of supported lipid bilayers on polyelectrolyte multilayers prepared
Ataru Seimei1, Daisuke Saeki2, Hideto Matsuyama1
1Research Center for Membrane and Film Technology, Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan.
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
|March 1, 2020
Summary
Supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) formation on polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) depends on polyelectrolyte structure and charge density. Tailoring PEMs enables robust SLB formation for immobilizing biomolecules.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biophysics
- Surface Chemistry
Background:
- Supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) are crucial model systems for cell membranes.
- Polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) offer tunable surfaces for SLB formation.
- Understanding polyelectrolyte structure's impact on SLB formation is key for advanced applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how the molecular structure of cationic polyelectrolytes influences supported lipid bilayer (SLB) formation on polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs).
- To determine the effect of polyelectrolyte charge density and molecular architecture on SLB properties.
- To explore the potential of tailored PEMs for creating functional SLB platforms.
Main Methods:
- Layer-by-layer assembly of polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) using poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) and various cationic polyelectrolytes.
- Liposome fusion method for supported lipid bilayer (SLB) formation.
- Evaluation of SLB formation via water permeability measurements.
- Assessment of lipid molecule lateral diffusivity using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP).
- Quantification of lipid molecule adsorption onto PEMs.
Main Results:
- SLB formation is significantly influenced by both the molecular structure and charge density of the underlying polyelectrolytes.
- Different cationic polyelectrolyte architectures (linear short, linear long, branched) yield varying SLB formation efficiencies.
- Successful SLB formation on highly permeable PEMs was achieved by combining different cationic polyelectrolytes.
- Water permeability, lipid diffusivity, and lipid adsorption are key indicators of SLB quality.
Conclusions:
- The molecular architecture and charge density of polyelectrolytes are critical parameters controlling SLB formation on PEMs.
- Tailoring PEM composition allows for the rational design of surfaces supporting high-quality SLBs.
- These findings pave the way for developing advanced platforms for immobilizing lipophilic biomolecules using functionalized SLBs.
