Probing peptide and protein insertion in a biomimetic S-layer supported lipid membrane platform

Int J Mol Sci. 2015 Jan 27;16(2):2824-38. doi: 10.3390/ijms16022824.

Abstract

The most important aspect of synthetic lipid membrane architectures is their ability to study functional membrane-active peptides and membrane proteins in an environment close to nature. Here, we report on the generation and performance of a biomimetic platform, the S-layer supported lipid membrane (SsLM), to investigate the structural and electrical characteristics of the membrane-active peptide gramicidin and the transmembrane protein α-hemolysin in real-time using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring in combination with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. A shift in membrane resistance is caused by the interaction of α-hemolysin and gramicidin with SsLMs, even if only an attachment onto, or functional channels through the lipid membrane, respectively, are formed. Moreover, the obtained results did not indicate the formation of functional α-hemolysin pores, but evidence for functional incorporation of gramicidin into this biomimetic architecture is provided.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Biomimetics*
  • Dielectric Spectroscopy
  • Gramicidin / chemistry
  • Gramicidin / metabolism
  • Hemolysin Proteins / chemistry
  • Hemolysin Proteins / metabolism
  • Monosaccharide Transport Proteins / chemistry
  • Monosaccharide Transport Proteins / metabolism
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Peptides / metabolism*
  • Quartz Crystal Microbalance Techniques
  • Unilamellar Liposomes / chemistry
  • Unilamellar Liposomes / metabolism*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Hemolysin Proteins
  • Monosaccharide Transport Proteins
  • Peptides
  • SbpA protein, bacteria
  • Unilamellar Liposomes
  • Gramicidin