Model biological membrane having a nanometric gap structure

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K14489
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Biophysics
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: Morigaki Kenichi 神戸大学, バイオシグナル総合研究センター, 准教授 (10358179)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): Hayashi Fumio 神戸大学, 大学院理学系研究科, 名誉教授 (80093524)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 膜タンパク質 / 人工膜 / ナノ空間 / 1分子計測

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We developed a model biological membrane having a nanometric gap structure (nanogap-junction) as a platform for the single molecule observation of membrane proteins. The model biological membrane was composed of polymeric and fluid lipid bilayers. The polymeric lipid bilayer was attached with a silicone elastomer (PDMS) sheet using polymer-brush-coated silica nanoparticles as the adhesion layer, creating a nanometric gap junction between the fluid bilayer and PDMS. Silica nanoparticles proved to be an excellent material for the adhesion layer due to the mono-disperse size and mechanical stability. Thickness of the nanogap-junction was controlled by the size of silica nanoparticles. Nanogap-junction enabled to observe reconstituted membrane proteins with a heightened signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio. The nanogap-junction provides new opportunities for the single molecule biophysics of membrane proteins.

Free Research Field

生物物理学