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A Model Membrane Platform for Reconstituting Mitochondrial Membrane Dynamics

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Published on: September 2, 2020

A Versatile Suspended Lipid Membrane System for Probing Membrane Remodeling and Disruption.

Achinta Sannigrahi¹, Vishwesh Haricharan Rai¹, Muhsin Vannan Chalil¹

¹Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, Karnataka, India.

|December 23, 2022

Summary

We developed a stable, easy-to-fabricate suspended lipid bilayer (SULB) platform using commercial filters. This system advances the study of membrane properties, protein interactions, and viral fusion processes.

Keywords:

Cytolysin A pore formation pore-forming toxin suspended bilayer virus fusion

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Area of Science:

Biophysics
Membrane Biology
Biomaterials Science

Background:

Artificial membrane systems model cellular processes like transport and fusion.
Existing models (SUVs, GUVs, supported bilayers) have limitations: high curvature, heterogeneity, and surface artifacts.
Freestanding membranes offer solutions but current fabrication methods are costly and lack stability.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop and characterize a novel, easy-to-fabricate suspended lipid bilayer (SULB) platform.
To overcome limitations of existing artificial membrane systems.
To provide a stable platform for studying lipid composition-dependent membrane properties and interactions.

Main Methods:

Fabrication of suspended lipid bilayers (SULBs) using commercial track-etched porous filters (PCTE) with defined microwell sizes.
Characterization of SULB structural and functional properties.
Investigating the effect of sphingomyelin on Cytolysin A (ClyA) pore formation.
Studying dengue virus-mediated membrane fusion kinetics.

Main Results:

The SULB platform demonstrates exceptional stability and ease of fabrication.
Sphingomyelin significantly enhances Cytolysin A activity, inducing lipid exchange between bilayer leaflets.
High efficiency and rapid kinetics of dengue virus-mediated membrane fusion were observed.
The SULB system effectively models biomembrane interactions.

Conclusions:

The developed SULB platform offers a robust and accessible model for biomembrane research.
This system facilitates detailed investigation of lipid-protein interactions and viral dynamics.
The SULB platform represents a significant advancement for studying a wide range of biomembrane processes.