Regensburg 2002 – scientific programme

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SYBM: Physik biologischer Materie

SYBM 401: Physics of biological matter: Poster

SYBM 401.41: Poster

Tuesday, March 12, 2002, 18:00–19:30, H37

Electrochemical Monitoring of Incorporation of Antibiotic Peptides into Supported Lipid Membranes on Silicon Based Devices — •Oliver Purrucker and Motomu Tanaka — Technische Universität München, Lehrstuhl für Biophysik E22, James-Franck-Str., 85748 Garching, Germany

Design of artificial cell membranes on semiconductor devices enables us to investigate the basic principles of complex functions in nature. In this study, highly resistive (membrane resistance: 1 MΩ cm²) lipid bilayers were deposited onto silicon - silicon dioxide electrodes. Electrical properties of membranes (resistance, capacitance) as well as the kinetics of membrane growth were monitored by ac impedance spectroscopy. Furthermore, in spite of its large area (0.5 cm²), the electrical properties remained stable for more than a week. To study selective ion transport across the supported membrane, antibiotic peptide gramicidin D was incorporated from solution. Kinetics of the peptide insertion can be monitored by impedance spectroscopy, and the incorporated channels showed high ion selectivity. Such a simple and reproducible method can also be applied for studies on the insertion kinetics and inhibition mechanism of other membrane-active peptides.