A miniaturized micro-fluorescence film balance for protein-containing lipid monolayers spread from a vesicle suspension.
In order to study protein-lipid monolayers at the air/water interface a miniaturized micro-fluorescence film-balance apparatus has been developed and combined with a modified technique of spreading and separating a monolayer from a vesicle suspension. The spreading method provides non-denaturing conditions for protein-lipids. When applied to protein-lipid vesicles, monolayers with incorporated proteins are obtained, and their thermodynamic parameters may be controlled in a well-defined way by film balance techniques. In the apparatus introduced, a movable microscope allows the observation of micro-fluorescence during the tracking of individual domains at the air/water interface of a fixed Langmuir trough. After the control of parameters such as subphase temperature, surface pressure and lateral molecule distribution, a monolayer may be transferred and immobilized on a planar solid support, making it accessible to optical surface-sensitive measuring methods as well as to electron microscopy and scanning probe techniques.
Heyn
S P
SP
Technische Universität München, Garching, F.R.G.
Tillmann
R W
RW
Egger
M
M
Gaub
H E
HE
D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012984:Software; D013499:Surface Properties; D013535:Suspensions
D008055:Lipids; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011506:Proteins; D013535:Suspensions