Functional surface engineering by nucleotide-modulated potassium channel insertion into polymer membranes attached to solid supports

• Published in: Biomaterials Vol. 35; no. 26; pp. 7286 - 7294
• Main Authors: Kowal, Justyna Ł, Kowal, Julia K, Wu, Dalin, Stahlberg, Henning, Palivan, Cornelia G, Meier, Wolfgang P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2014
• Subjects: Advanced Basic Science; Amphiphilic block copolymers; Bacterial Proteins - chemistry; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; Biomedical materials; Biomolecule insertion; Biomolecules; Channels; Copolymers; Dentistry; Dimethylpolysiloxanes - chemistry; Functional surfaces; Immobilized Proteins - chemistry; Immobilized Proteins - metabolism; Insertion; Membrane protein; Membranes; Membranes, Artificial; Mesorhizobium - chemistry; Mesorhizobium - metabolism; Mesorhizobium loti; Models, Molecular; Nucleotides - metabolism; Planar solid-supported polymer membranes; Polyamines - chemistry; Potassium; Potassium Channels - chemistry; Potassium Channels - metabolism; Protein Structure, Tertiary; Strategy; Surface Properties; Membrane protein; Biomolecule insertion; Amphiphilic block copolymers; Functional surfaces; Planar solid-supported polymer membranes
• ISSN: 0142-9612; 1878-5905
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2014.05.043

Abstract Planar solid-supported membranes based on amphiphilic block copolymers represent promising systems for the artificial creation of structural surfaces. Here we introduce a method for engineering functional planar solid-supported membranes through insertion of active biomolecules. We show that membranes based on poly(dimethylsiloxane)- block -poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) (PDMS- b -PMOXA) amphiphilic diblock copolymers, which mimic natural membranes, are suitable for hosting biomolecules. Our strategy allows preparation of large-area, well-ordered polymer bilayers via Langmuir–Blodgett and Langmuir–Schaefer transfers, and insertion of biomolecules by using Bio-Beads. We demonstrate that a model membrane protein, the potassium channel from the bacterium Mesorhizobium loti , remains functional after insertion into the planar solid-supported polymer membrane. This approach can be easily extended to generate a platform of functional solid-supported membranes by insertion of different hydrophobic biomolecules, and employing different types of solid substrates for desired applications.