ARS | Publication request: 1,2-dielaidoylphosphocholine/1,2-dimyristoylphosphoglycerol supported phospholipid bilayer formation in calcium and calcium-free buffer

Submitted to: Thin Solid Films
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: December 1, 2011
Publication Date: December 9, 2011
Citation: Evans, K.O. 2011. 1,2-dielaidoylphosphocholine/1,2-dimyristoylphosphoglycerol supported phospholipid bilayer formation in calcium and calcium-free buffer. Thin Solid Films. 520:3026-3030. DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2011.12.002.

Interpretive Summary: Thin phospholipid films formed on surfaces are used to mimic cell surfaces. Proteins that require a cell surface to do bioconversions can then be immobilized onto a surface and potentially improve the bioconversion. This work focused on understanding which mixture of neutrally and negatively charged phospholipids readily formed a thin film with and without calcium ions in solution. The results demonstrate that, contrary to literature, calcium is not required for a lipid system containing 50% negatively charged phospholipids to form a thin film on a surface. We and other scientists, to better understanding the conditions under which thin phospholipid films will form, will use these fundamental results.

Technical Abstract: Phospholipid membranes were found to be useful in many fields of research in recent years, in particular biocatalysis. By functionalizing surfaces with a supported phospholipid membrane, a biomimetic interface can be created that supports biocatalytic processes. In this work, supported bilayer formation from phospholipid vesicles containing dielaidoylphosphocholine and dimyristoylphosphoglycerol were studied using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring and an atomic force microscope. Results show that vesicles with up to 50-mol% dimyristoylphosphoglycerol can form a supported bilayer without the presence of calcium ions; however, few vesicles adsorbed when the buffer contained calcium ions.