Surface modification by the in situ growth of polymer chains from surface-anchored initiators (the “grafting from” strategy) offers unique advantages in the design of platforms with excellent mechanical stability. In combination with controlled polymerization techniques, in particular atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), polymer architectures with precise control over thickness, density and composition can be synthesized on a variety of substrates. These platforms are especially useful in biologically-oriented applications involving the confinement of membrane proteins onto solid supports, including screening of pharmaceuticals and biosensing. Here, the lack of stability and poor functionality of the supported lipid membranes, where membrane proteins are embedded, are major limitations and surface functionalization strategies are often required to improve device biocompatibility. In our research we aim at developing tunable polymeric interfaces that can guide the assembly of neutral lipid membranes with high mechanical stability and reproducibility on various synthetic materials. By controlling the polymer architecture using ATRP, we show that phospholipid membranes can be made to self-assemble on thin layers of charge-balanced poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) from fusion of DOPC vesicles at physiological conditions. The self-assembly kinetics and functionality of the polymer-supported lipid membranes are investigated using various surface sensitive techniques, including surface plasmon resonance, fluorescence microscopy, and atomic force microscopy operated in Peak Force Tapping mode. In addition, this study provides novel insight into the association states of grafted sulfobetaine-based polymers and how they relate to the surface hydration properties that have been largely exploited in the design of anti-fouling interfaces. This work is financially supported by the European Commission through the FP7 program ASMENA “Functional Assays for Membrane Protein on Nanostructured Supports”.
Functional supported biomembranes on surface-grafted polymer architectures / Santonicola, Mariagabriella; M., Memesa; A., Meszynska; Y., Ma; G. J., Vancso. - (2011). (Intervento presentato al convegno ESF-EMBO Symposium on Biological Surfaces and Interfaces 2011 tenutosi a Sant Feliu de Guixols, Spain nel June 26 – July 1, 2011).
Functional supported biomembranes on surface-grafted polymer architectures
SANTONICOLA, MARIAGABRIELLA;
2011
Abstract
Surface modification by the in situ growth of polymer chains from surface-anchored initiators (the “grafting from” strategy) offers unique advantages in the design of platforms with excellent mechanical stability. In combination with controlled polymerization techniques, in particular atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), polymer architectures with precise control over thickness, density and composition can be synthesized on a variety of substrates. These platforms are especially useful in biologically-oriented applications involving the confinement of membrane proteins onto solid supports, including screening of pharmaceuticals and biosensing. Here, the lack of stability and poor functionality of the supported lipid membranes, where membrane proteins are embedded, are major limitations and surface functionalization strategies are often required to improve device biocompatibility. In our research we aim at developing tunable polymeric interfaces that can guide the assembly of neutral lipid membranes with high mechanical stability and reproducibility on various synthetic materials. By controlling the polymer architecture using ATRP, we show that phospholipid membranes can be made to self-assemble on thin layers of charge-balanced poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) from fusion of DOPC vesicles at physiological conditions. The self-assembly kinetics and functionality of the polymer-supported lipid membranes are investigated using various surface sensitive techniques, including surface plasmon resonance, fluorescence microscopy, and atomic force microscopy operated in Peak Force Tapping mode. In addition, this study provides novel insight into the association states of grafted sulfobetaine-based polymers and how they relate to the surface hydration properties that have been largely exploited in the design of anti-fouling interfaces. This work is financially supported by the European Commission through the FP7 program ASMENA “Functional Assays for Membrane Protein on Nanostructured Supports”.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
