skip to main content

Explore Research Products in the PAR
It may take a few hours for recently added research products to appear in PAR search results.


This content will become publicly available on March 1, 2025

Title: Nanoscopic lipid domains determined by microscopy and neutron scattering
Biological membranes are highly complex supramolecular assemblies, which play central roles in biology. However, their complexity makes them challenging to study their nanoscale structures. To overcome this challenge, model membranes assembled using reduced sets of membrane-associated biomolecules have been found to be both excellent and tractable proxies for biological membranes. Due to their relative simplicity, they have been studied using a range of biophysical characterization techniques. In this review article, we will briefly detail the use of fluorescence and electron microscopies, and X-ray and neutron scattering techniques used over the past few decades to study the nanostructure of biological membranes.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2219289
PAR ID:
10526465
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ;
Publisher / Repository:
osti.gov
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Methods
Volume:
223
Issue:
C
ISSN:
1046-2023
Page Range / eLocation ID:
127 to 135
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. ; ; ; ; ; ; ( , Symmetry)
    null (Ed.)
    It is well known that the lipid distribution in the bilayer leaflets of mammalian plasma membranes (PMs) is not symmetric. Despite this, model membrane studies have largely relied on chemically symmetric model membranes for the study of lipid–lipid and lipid–protein interactions. This is primarily due to the difficulty in preparing stable, asymmetric model membranes that are amenable to biophysical studies. However, in the last 20 years, efforts have been made in producing more biologically faithful model membranes. Here, we review several recently developed experimental and computational techniques for the robust generation of asymmetric model membranes and highlight a new and particularly promising technique to study membrane asymmetry. 
    more » « less
  2. ; ; ; ; ( , Nature Methods)
    Abstract

    In spite of their great importance in biology, methods providing access to spontaneous molecular interactions with and on biological membranes have been sparse. The recent advent of mass photometry to quantify mass distributions of unlabeled biomolecules landing on surfaces raised hopes that this approach could be transferred to membranes. Here, by introducing a new interferometric scattering (iSCAT) image processing and analysis strategy adapted to diffusing particles, we enable mass-sensitive particle tracking (MSPT) of single unlabeled biomolecules on a supported lipid bilayer. We applied this approach to the highly nonlinear reaction cycles underlying MinDE protein self-organization. MSPT allowed us to determine the stoichiometry and turnover of individual membrane-bound MinD/MinDE protein complexes and to quantify their size-dependent diffusion. This study demonstrates the potential of MSPT to enhance our quantitative understanding of membrane-associated biological systems.

     
    more » « less
  3. ; ; ; ( , npj 2D Materials and Applications)
    Abstract

    Millions of people across the globe are severely afflicted because of water potability issues, and to proffer a solution to this crisis, efficient and cost-effective desalination techniques are necessitated. Membranes, in particular Graphene-derived membranes, have emerged as a potential answer to this grave problem because of their tunable ionic and molecular sieving capability, thin structure, and customizable microstructure. Among graphene-derived membranes, Graphene Oxide membranes have been the most promising, given the replete presence of oxygen-containing functional groups on its surface. However, the prospects of commercial applicability of these membranes are currently plagued by uneven stacking, crossflow delamination, flawed pores, screening and pH effects, and horizontal defects in the membrane. In addition, due to the selectivity–permeability trade-off that commonly exists in all membranes, the separation efficiency is negatively influenced. This review, while studying these challenges, aims to outline the most recent ground-breaking developments in graphene-based membrane technology, encompassing their separation mechanism, selectivity, adjustable mechanical characteristics, and uses. Additionally, we have covered in detail how several process variables such as temperature, total oxygen concentration, and functional groups affect the effectiveness of membrane separation with the focal point tilted toward studying the currently used intercalation techniques and effective nanomaterial graphene oxide membranes for water desalination

     
    more » « less
  4. ; ; ; ( , Annual Review of Materials Research)
    Aquaporins (AQPs) are naturally occurring water channel proteins. They can facilitate water molecule translocation across cellular membranes with exceptional selectivity and high permeability that are unmatched in synthetic membrane systems. These unique properties of AQPs have led to their use as functional elements in membranes in recent years. However, the intricate nature of AQPs and concerns regarding their stability and processability have encouraged researchers to develop synthetic channels that mimic the structure and properties of AQPs and other biological water-conducting channels. These channels have been termed artificial water channels. This article reviews current progress and provides a historical perspective as well as an outlook toward developing scalable membranes based on artificial water channels. 
    more » « less
  5. ; ( , Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy)

    Various types of channel proteins, broadly named porins, present in the cell membrane of gram‐negative bacteria have specific functionalities depending on their selectivity toward different nutrients or toward water. The high selectivity of porins has led to their incorporation into synthetic systems, in a field called biomimetics. An example is the addition of water channel proteins, or aquaporins, to polymeric separations membranes in order to enhance their performance in terms of selectivity and permeability. The concept of incorporating aquaporins into synthetic membranes has been studied for the last 10 years; however, there are still limitations such as costs, alignment into the membrane assembly, and scalability of membrane fabrication. Therefore, in recent years, there has been an increase in the study of synthesizing molecules with similar structure–function relationships of porins. These artificial channels attempt to mimic the biological porins, while being synthesized using simpler chemistry, being solvent compatible, and requiring less space on the membrane surface which helps to incorporate more channels into the membrane assembly. In summary, the future of biomimetic and bioinspired membranes depends on the design strategies, level of nature imitation, and the performance of these systems on a commercial scale. © 2019 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 38:e13215, 2019

     
    more » « less
  • Citation Formats
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago
  • BibTeX
  • Save / Share this Record
  • Send to Email