Development of artificial cell membrane using fluorophobic effect

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K06573
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 43040:Biophysics-related
• Research Institution: Gunma University
• Principal Investigator: Sonoyama Masashi 群馬大学, 大学院理工学府, 教授 (40242242)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 高木 俊之 国立研究開発法人産業技術総合研究所, 生命工学領域, 主任研究員 (10248065)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: リン脂質 / 膜タンパク質 / フッ素化 / 境界脂質 / フルオロフォビック効果 / フルオロフィリック効果 / 脂質膜 / 相分離

Outline of Final Research Achievements

For the development of artificial cell membranes by taking advantage of the fluorophobic effect, we performed the gram scale synthesis of several kinds of novel partially fluorinated analogs of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), Fn-DPPCs. We examined physical and structural properties of Fn-DPPC bilayer membranes with the use of various physicochemical techniques and constructed the phase diagram of the Fn-DPPC/DPPC binary systems.
The structural and functional characteristics of a membrane protein bacteriorhodopsin (bR) reconstituted in the Fn-DPPC bilayer membrane were investigated. Significant differences in the higher-order structures and photointermediates of the reconstituted bR molecules strongly dependent on the perfluoroalkyl chain length were observed. We also tried to reconstitute bR molecules into the binary phospholipid bilayer membranes and obtained biophysical results on membrane proteins.

Free Research Field

生体分子科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

特異的な表・界面物性を示すパーフルオロアルキル基の特性を利用した新規部分フッ素化リン脂質を開発し，その際だった膜物性を明らかにした。さらに，膜タンパク質の再構成実験を行い，膜タンパク質生体機能発現の場となる安定な人工的な脂質膜構造体の基礎を築くことができた。
本研究で得られた成果は，さまざまな生体機能を担う新たな人工細胞膜構築の基盤技術の１つとなることが期待される。また，膜タンパク質再構成系への展開により，リガンドスクリーニング等の創薬研究においても一定の役割を果たす可能性がある。