Giant unilamellar vesicle formation under physiologically relevant conditions.
We present an upgrade to the giant unilamellar vesicle (GUV) electroformation method allowing easy GUV production in different buffers and with various membrane compositions. Our experimental results reveal that lipid deposits obtained from aqueous liposome or proteoliposome dispersions are highly efficient for GUV electroformation. This is related to the ability of such dispersions to produce readily well-oriented membrane stacks. Furthermore, we present a protocol for GUV electroformation in various aqueous media, including electrolyte-containing buffers at characteristic concentrations of biological fluids. This work unlocks historical barriers to GUV applications in scientific fields like biology, biochemistry, or biophysics where membrane composition, as well as its aqueous environment, should be adapted to biological significance.
Pott
Tanja
T
UMR-CNRS 6510, Université de Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu Case 1003, F-35042 Rennes Cedex, France. Tanja.Pott.1@univ-rennes1.fr
Bouvrais
Hélène
H
Méléard
Philippe
P
D008081:Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry; D053838:Scattering, Small Angle; D053835:Unilamellar Liposomes / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
D008081:Liposomes; D053835:Unilamellar Liposomes