title: Natural channel protein inserts and functions in a completely artificial, solid-supported bilayer membrane.
abstract: Reconstitution of membrane proteins in artificial membrane systems creates a platform for exploring their potential for pharmacological or biotechnological applications. Previously, we demonstrated amphiphilic block copolymers as promising building blocks for artificial membranes with long-term stability and tailorable structural parameters. However, the insertion of membrane proteins has not previously been realized in a large-area, stable, and solid-supported artificial membrane. Here, we show the first, preliminary model of a channel membrane protein that is functionally incorporated in a completely artificial polymer, tethered, solid-supported bilayer membrane (TSSBM). Unprecedented ionic transport characteristics that differ from previous results on protein insertion into planar, free-standing membranes, are identified. Our findings mark a change in understanding protein insertion and ion flow within natural channel proteins when inserted in an artificial TSSBM, thus holding great potential for numerous applications such as drug screening, trace analyzing, and biosensing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 80, Basel 4056, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wangyang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Cornelia G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Palivan
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Meier
mesh_terms: D004553:Electric Conductivity; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force
chemical_list: D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D007473:Ion Channels; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008565:Membrane Proteins