Immobilization of proteins to lipid bilayers

Phospholipid bilayers deposited on sensor surfaces are excellent substrates for immobilizing proteins via a molecular anchor. An integrated optics sensing device was used to accurately measure the binding kinetics of proteins thus anchored. By comparing the results with measurements using proteins from which the anchor had been enzymatically removed, it was shown that the anchor accounts for essentially all the irreversible binding. The insertion of the anchor into the lipid bilayer is a spontaneous process. This method of immobilization should be widely applicable to many soluble protein molecules, to which an anchor can be attached by routine methods of molecular engineering.