Kramer Kristina, Sari Merve, Schulze Kathrin, Flegel Hendrik, Stehr Miriam, Mey Ingo, Janshoff Andreas, Steinem Claudia
Institute of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Göttingen, Tammannstrasse 2, 37077Göttingen, Germany.
Institute of Physical Chemistry, University of Göttingen, Tammannstrasse 6, 37077Göttingen, Germany.
J Phys Chem B. 2022 Oct 20;126(41):8233-8244. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c05685. Epub 2022 Oct 10.
Pore-spanning membranes (PSMs) are a versatile tool to investigate membrane-confined processes in a bottom-up approach. Pore sizes in the micrometer range are most suited to visualize PSMs using fluorescence microscopy. However, the preparation of these PSMs relies on the spreading of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). GUV production faces several limitations. Thus, alternative ways to generate PSMs starting from large or small unilamellar vesicles that are more reproducibly prepared are highly desirable. Here we describe a method to produce PSMs obtained from large unilamellar vesicles, making use of droplet-stabilized GUVs generated in a microfluidic device. We analyzed the lipid diffusion in the free-standing and supported parts of the PSMs using -scan fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching experiments in combination with finite element simulations. Employing atomic force indentation experiments, we also investigated the mechanical properties of the PSMs. Both lipid diffusion constants and lateral membrane tension were compared to those obtained on PSMs derived from electroformed GUVs, which are known to be solvent- and detergent-free, under otherwise identical conditions. Our results demonstrate that the lipid diffusion, as well as the mechanical properties of the resulting PSMs, is almost unaffected by the GUV formation procedure but depends on the chosen substrate functionalization. With the new method in hand, we were able to reconstitute the syntaxin-1A transmembrane domain in microfluidic GUVs and PSMs, which was visualized by fluorescence microscopy.
跨孔膜(PSMs)是一种通用工具,可用于以自下而上的方式研究膜限制过程。微米级的孔径最适合使用荧光显微镜观察PSMs。然而,这些PSMs的制备依赖于巨型单层囊泡(GUVs)的铺展。GUV的生产面临一些限制。因此,非常需要从更易于重复制备的大或小单层囊泡开始生成PSMs的替代方法。在这里,我们描述了一种从大单层囊泡制备PSMs的方法,该方法利用了在微流控装置中产生的液滴稳定的GUVs。我们使用 -扫描荧光相关光谱和光漂白后荧光恢复实验结合有限元模拟,分析了PSMs的独立部分和支撑部分中的脂质扩散。通过原子力压痕实验,我们还研究了PSMs的力学性能。在其他条件相同的情况下,将脂质扩散常数和横向膜张力与从电铸GUVs衍生的PSMs上获得的结果进行了比较,已知电铸GUVs不含溶剂和洗涤剂。我们的结果表明,所得PSMs的脂质扩散以及力学性能几乎不受GUV形成过程的影响,而是取决于所选的底物功能化。有了这种新方法,我们能够在微流控GUVs和PSMs中重组 syntaxin-1A跨膜结构域,并通过荧光显微镜进行观察。