Protein Manipulation in Lipid Bilayers using Surface Acoustic Waves
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leeds
Department Name: Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
The phospholipid bilayer that separates the internal cellular environment from the outside world presents an impervious barrier for the transport of large molecules and charged ions. Proteins located within this bilayer provide a mechanism for the passage of nutrients and waste products between the cytoplasm and the external environment. Further, they also play pivotal role in transmitting the cellular response to chemical changes such as the interaction with hormones, toxins, etc. It is not surprising that such proteins are of significant pharmaceutical interest. Significant progress in understanding the function of many membrane proteins has been hampered since they often change their structure, and lose their functionality, once removed from their membranous environment. Our group has a strong interest in developing new platforms and tools for studying such bilayer membranes and proteins. Here we propose to develop a new technique for manipulating such proteins whilst keeping them in their lipid bilayer environment. In particular, we wish to use the electric fields associated with evanescent waves (created using a modified surface acoustic wave device) to move charged proteins within the lipid bilayer. This represents the first step towards the facile manipulation of membrane proteins and which will eventually allow us to trap, move and separate proteins within the bilayer. The will be a significant breakthrough for the study of membrane proteins.
Publications
O'Rorke R
(2012)
Acousto-microfluidics: Transporting microbubble and microparticle arrays in acoustic traps using surface acoustic waves
in Journal of Applied Physics
Pukenas L
(2015)
Bead-like structures and self-assembled monolayers from 2,6-dipyrazolylpyridines and their iron( ii ) complexes
in Journal of Materials Chemistry C
Krzeminski L
(2011)
Spectroelectrochemical Investigation of Intramolecular and Interfacial Electron-Transfer Rates Reveals Differences Between Nitrite Reductase at Rest and During Turnover
in Journal of the American Chemical Society
McMillan DG
(2013)
Protein-protein interaction regulates the direction of catalysis and electron transfer in a redox enzyme complex.
in Journal of the American Chemical Society
Cheetham MR
(2011)
Concentrating membrane proteins using asymmetric traps and AC electric fields.
in Journal of the American Chemical Society
Stephens CJ
(2011)
Early stages of crystallization of calcium carbonate revealed in picoliter droplets.
in Journal of the American Chemical Society
Blakeston AC
(2015)
New poly(amino acid methacrylate) brush supports the formation of well-defined lipid membranes.
in Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids
Dobrzanska DA
(2013)
Oxidation of tertiary amine-derivatized surfaces to control protein adhesion.
in Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids
Cheng N
(2015)
Facile Formation of Highly Mobile Supported Lipid Bilayers on Surface-Quaternized pH-Responsive Polymer Brushes
in Macromolecules
Benz F
(2015)
Nanooptics of molecular-shunted plasmonic nanojunctions.
in Nano letters
Description | Through this research we integrated on chip surface acoustic waves into microfluidic systems for the manipulation of particles and bubbles in the size regime 1 to 20 um. We were able to demonstrate that we could use SAW to forma standing wave to : i) create particles arrays - test-tubes without walls ii) move particles in arrays in sequential manner iii) use SAW device as a mixer |
Exploitation Route | For lab on chip device / manipulation of micro bubbles for separation / cleaning after functionalisation |
Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Agriculture, Food and Drink,Chemicals,Education,Healthcare,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
Description | The findings of this work have so far been primarily of academic impact. It has contributed to the growing amount of research on the integration of SAW devices into microfluidics. Translation of the impact of this into the CSEP options below is likely to be over many years. |
First Year Of Impact | 2005 |
Sector | Healthcare |
Impact Types | Cultural |