Direct electrochemical interaction between a modified gold electrode and a bacterial membrane extract

Phospholipid-functionalized gold electrode for cellular membrane interface studies - interactions between DMPC bilayer and human cystatin C

This work describes the electrochemical studies on the interactions between V57G mutant of human cystatin C (hCC V57G) and membrane bilayer immobilized on the surface of a gold electrode. The electrode was modified with 6-mercaptohexan-1-ol (MCH) and 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC). DMPC was used as a membrane mimetic for monitoring electrochemical changes resulting from the interactions between the functionalized electrode surface and human cystatin C. The interactions between the modified electrode and hCC V57G were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in a phosphate buffered saline (PBS) containing Fe(CN)63-/4- as a redox probe. The electrochemical measurements confirm that fabricated electrode is sensitive to hCC V57G at the concentration of 1 × 10-14 M. The incubation studies carried out at higher concentrations resulted in insignificant changes observed in cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. The calculated values of surface coverage θR confirm that the electrode is equally covered at higher concentrations of hCC V57G. Measurements of wettability and surface free energy made it possible to determine the influence of individual structural elements of the modified gold electrode on its properties, and thus allowed to understand the nature of the interactions. Contact angle values confirmed the results obtained during electrochemical measurements, indicating the sensitivity of the electrode towards hCC V57G at the concentration of 1 × 10-14 M. In addition, the XPS spectra confirmed the successful anchoring of hCC V57G to the DMPC-functionalized surface.

Tunable biomimetic bacterial membranes from binary and ternary lipid mixtures and their application in antimicrobial testing

The reconstruction of accurate yet simplified mimetic models of cell membranes is a very challenging goal of synthetic biology. To date, most of the research focuses on the development of eukaryotic cell membranes, while reconstitution of their prokaryotic counterparts has not been fully addressed, and the proposed models do not reflect well the complexity of bacterial cell envelopes. Here, we describe the reconstitution of biomimetic bacterial membranes with an increasing level of complexity, developed from binary and ternary lipid mixtures. Giant unilamellar vesicles composed of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE); PC and phosphatidylglycerol (PG); PE and PG; PE, PG and cardiolipin (CA) at varying molar ratios were successfully prepared by the electroformation method. Each of the proposed mimetic models focuses on reproducing specific membrane features such as membrane charge, curvature, leaflets asymmetry, or the presence of phase separation. GUVs were characterized in terms of size distribution, surface charge, and lateral organization. Finally, the developed models were tested against the lipopeptide antibiotic daptomycin. The obtained results showed a clear dependency of daptomycin binding efficiency on the amount of negatively charged lipid species present in the membrane. We anticipate that the models proposed here can be applied not only in antimicrobial testing but also serve as platforms for studying fundamental biological processes in bacteria as well as their interaction with physiologically relevant biomolecules.

Model architectures for bacterial membranes

The complex composition of bacterial membranes has a significant impact on the understanding of pathogen function and their development towards antibiotic resistance. In addition to the inherent complexity and biosafety risks of studying biological pathogen membranes, the continual rise of antibiotic resistance and its significant economical and clinical consequences has motivated the development of numerous in vitro model membrane systems with tuneable compositions, geometries, and sizes. Approaches discussed in this review include liposomes, solid-supported bilayers, and computational simulations which have been used to explore various processes including drug-membrane interactions, lipid-protein interactions, host–pathogen interactions, and structure-induced bacterial pathogenesis. The advantages, limitations, and applicable analytical tools of all architectures are summarised with a perspective for future research efforts in architectural improvement and elucidation of resistance development strategies and membrane-targeting antibiotic mechanisms.

Microbial fuel cells: From fundamentals to applications. A review

In the past 10-15 years, the microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology has captured the attention of the scientific community for the possibility of transforming organic waste directly into electricity through microbially catalyzed anodic, and microbial/enzymatic/abiotic cathodic electrochemical reactions. In this review, several aspects of the technology are considered. Firstly, a brief history of abiotic to biological fuel cells and subsequently, microbial fuel cells is presented. Secondly, the development of the concept of microbial fuel cell into a wider range of derivative technologies, called bioelectrochemical systems, is described introducing briefly microbial electrolysis cells, microbial desalination cells and microbial electrosynthesis cells. The focus is then shifted to electroactive biofilms and electron transfer mechanisms involved with solid electrodes. Carbonaceous and metallic anode materials are then introduced, followed by an explanation of the electro catalysis of the oxygen reduction reaction and its behavior in neutral media, from recent studies. Cathode catalysts based on carbonaceous, platinum-group metal and platinum-group-metal-free materials are presented, along with membrane materials with a view to future directions. Finally, microbial fuel cell practical implementation, through the utilization of energy output for practical applications, is described.

Reconstitution of respiratory complex I on a biomimetic membrane supported on gold electrodes

For the first time, respiratory complex I has been reconstituted on an electrode preserving its structure and activity. Respiratory complex I is a membrane-bound enzyme that has an essential function in cellular energy production. It couples NADH:quinone oxidoreduction to translocation of ions across the cellular (in prokaryotes) or mitochondrial membranes. Therefore, complex I contributes to the establishment and maintenance of the transmembrane difference of electrochemical potential required for adenosine triphosphate synthesis, transport, and motility. Our new strategy has been applied for reconstituting the bacterial complex I from Rhodothermus marinus onto a biomimetic membrane supported on gold electrodes modified with a thiol self-assembled monolayer (SAM). Atomic force microscopy and faradaic impedance measurements give evidence of the biomimetic construction, whereas electrochemical measurements show its functionality. Both electron transfer and proton translocation by respiratory complex I were monitored, simulating in vivo conditions.

Engineering lipid bilayer membranes for protein studies

Lipid membranes regulate the flow of nutrients and communication signaling between cells and protect the sub-cellular structures. Recent attempts to fabricate artificial systems using nanostructures that mimic the physiological properties of natural lipid bilayer membranes (LBM) fused with transmembrane proteins have helped demonstrate the importance of temperature, pH, ionic strength, adsorption behavior, conformational reorientation and surface density in cellular membranes which all affect the incorporation of proteins on solid surfaces. Much of this work is performed on artificial templates made of polymer sponges or porous materials based on alumina, mica, and porous silicon (PSi) surfaces. For example, porous silicon materials have high biocompatibility, biodegradability, and photoluminescence, which allow them to be used both as a support structure for lipid bilayers or a template to measure the electrochemical functionality of living cells grown over the surface as in vivo. The variety of these media, coupled with the complex physiological conditions present in living systems, warrant a summary and prospectus detailing which artificial systems provide the most promise for different biological conditions. This study summarizes the use of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) data on artificial biological membranes that are closely matched with previously published biological systems using both black lipid membrane and patch clamp techniques.

Ubiquinone-10 in gold-immobilized lipid membrane structures acts as a sensor for acetylcholine and other tetraalkylammonium cations

It is reported that the reduction of ubiquinone incorporated into supported lipid bilayers and into immobilized liposome layers on gold electrodes is kinetically and thermodynamically enhanced by the presence of acetylcholine and tetrabutylammonium (TBA(+)) in solution. The reduction peak and the mid-peak potentials of the redox reactions, determined by cyclic voltammetry, are displaced towards more positive potentials by approximately 500 and 250mV, respectively, in the case of TBA(+); and by approximately 750 and 530mV, respectively, in the case of acetylcholine. The intensity of the signal varies with the cation concentration, allowing for quantitative determinations in the millimolar range. It is proposed that the enhanced reduction of ubiquinone arises from the formation of tetraalkylammonium cation-ubiquinone radical anion ion-pairs. Electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (EQCM-D) measurements confirmed that the potential shift and the intensity of the redox signal are coupled with the adsorption of the tetraalkylammonium cations on the lipid membrane. The Langmuir adsorption equilibrium constant (K) of TBA(+) on lipid membranes at physiological pH is determined. In supported lipid bilayers K=440.7±160M(-1), while in an immobilized liposome layer K=35.53±3.53M(-1).

Effect of the structure of cholesterol-based tethered bilayer lipid membranes on ionophore activity

Tethered bilayer lipid membranes (tBLM) are formed on 1) pure tether lipid triethyleneoxythiol cholesterol (EO(3)C) or on 2) mixed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of EO(3)C and 6-mercaptohexanol (6MH). While EO(3)C is required to form a tBLM with high resistivity, 6MH dilutes the cholesterol content in the lower leaflet of the bilayer forming ionic reservoirs required for submembrane hydration. Here we show that these ionic reservoirs are required for ion transport through gramicidin or valinomycin, most likely due to the thermodynamic requirements of ions to be solvated once transported through the membrane. Unexpectedly, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) shows an increase of capacitance upon addition of gramicidin, while addition of valinomycin decreases the membrane resistance in the presence of K(+) ions. We hypothesise that this is due to previously reported phase separation of EO(3)C and 6MH on the surface. This results in ionic reservoirs on the nanometre scale, which are not fully accounted for by the equivalent circuits used to describe the system.

Native E. coli inner membrane incorporation in solid-supported lipid bilayer membranes

Solid-supported bilayer lipid membranes (SBLMs) containing membrane protein have been generated through a simple lipid dilution technique. SBLM formation from mixtures of native Escherichia coli bacterial inner membrane (IM) vesicles diluted with egg phosphatidylcholine (egg PC) vesicles has been explored with dissipation enhanced quartz crystal microbalance (QCM-D), atomic force microscopy (AFM), attenuated total internal-reflection Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP). QCM-D studies reveal that SBLM formation from vesicle mixtures ranging between 0% and 100% IM can be divided into two regimes. Samples with < or = 40% IM form SBLMs, while samples of greater IM fractions are dominated by vesicle adsorption. FRAP experiments showed that the bilayers formed from mixed vesicles with < or = 40% IM were fluid, and comprised a mixture of both egg PC and IM. ATR-FTIR measurements on SBLMs membranes formed with 30% IM confirm that protein is present. SBLM formation was also explored as a function of temperature by QCM-D and FRAP. For samples of 30% IM, QCM-D data show a decreased mass and viscoelasticity at elevated temperatures, and an increased fluidity is observed by FRAP measurements. These results suggest improved biomimetic characteristics can be obtained by forming and maintaining the system at, or close to, 37 degrees C.

Modification of galactitol dehydrogenase from Rhodobacter sphaeroides D for immobilization on polycrystalline gold surfaces

Galactitol dehydrogenase (GatDH) from Rhodobacter sphaeroides is a multifunctional enzyme that catalyzes in the presence of oxidized beta-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+)) the interconversion of various multivalent aliphatic alcohols to the corresponding ketones. The recombinant GatDH was provided with an N-terminal His(6)-tag to which distally up to three cysteine residues were attached. This protein construct maintained nearly full enzymatic activity, and it could be covalently immobilized via thiol bonds onto the surface of a gold electrode. Binding of GatDH onto the gold electrode was verified by SPR measurements, and residual enzyme activity was measured by cyclic voltammetry using 1,2-hexanediol as substrate, the cofactor NAD(+) and the redox mediator CTFM (4-carboxy-2,5,7-trinitrofluorenyliden-malonnitrile) in solute form. The results demonstrate the possibility of a directed functional immobilization of proteins on gold surfaces, which represents a proof-of-concept for the development of reactors for electrochemical synthon preparation using dehydrogenases.

Electrodes modified with lipid membranes to study quinone oxidoreductases

Quinone oxidoreductases are a class of membrane enzymes that catalyse the oxidation or reduction of membrane-bound quinols/quinones. The conversion of quinone/quinol by these enzymes is difficult to study because of the hydrophobic nature of the enzymes and their substrates. We describe some biochemical properties of quinones and quinone oxidoreductases and then look in more detail at two model membranes that can be used to study quinone oxidoreductases in a native-like membrane environment with their native lipophilic quinone substrates. The results obtained with these model membranes are compared with classical enzyme assays that use water-soluble quinone analogues.

Characterization of cytochrome bo3 activity in a native-like surface-tethered membrane

We have developed a simple native-like surface-tethered membrane system to investigate the activity of cbo(3) (cytochrome bo(3)), a terminal oxidase in Escherichia coli. The tethered membranes consist of E. coli inner-membrane extracts mixed with additional E. coli lipids containing various amounts of the cbo(3) substrate UQ-10 (ubiquinol-10). Tethered membranes are formed by self-assembly from vesicles on to gold electrodes functionalized with cholesterol derivatives. cbo(3) activity was monitored using CV (cyclic voltammetry) with electron transfer to cbo(3) mediated by UQ-10. The apparent K(m) for oxygen with this system is 1.1+/-0.4 microM, in good agreement with values reported in the literature for whole-cell experiments and for purified cbo(3). Increasing the concentration of lipophilic UQ-10 in the membrane leads to an increase in cbo(3) activity. The activity of cbo(3) with long-chain ubiquinones appears to be different from previous reports using short-chain substrate analogues such as UQ-1 in that typical Michaelis-Menten kinetics are not observed using UQ-10. This native-like membrane model thus provides new insights into the interaction of transmembrane enzymes with hydrophobic substrates which contrasts with studies using hydrophilic UQ analogues.

Nanoarrays of tethered lipid bilayer rafts on poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels

Lipid rafts are cholesterol- and sphingolipid-rich domains that function as platforms for signal transduction and other cellular processes. Tethered lipid bilayers have been proposed as a promising model to describe the structure and function of cell membranes. We report a nano(submicro) array of tethered lipid bilayer raft membranes (tLBRMs) comprising a biosensing platform. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel was directly patterned onto a solid substrate, using ultraviolet-nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL), as an inert barrier to prevent biofouling. The robust structures of the nanopatterned PVA hydrogel were stable for up to three weeks in phosphate-buffered saline solution despite significant swelling (100% in height) by hydration. The PVA hydrogel strongly restricted the adhesion of vesicles, resulting in an array of highly selective hydrogel nanowells. tLBRMs were not formed by direct vesicle fusion, although raft vesicles containing poly(ethylene glycol) lipopolymer were selectively immobilized on gold substrates patterned with PVA hydrogel. The deposition of tLBRM nano(submicro) arrays was accomplished by a mixed, self-assembled monolayer-assisted vesicle fusion method. The monolayer was composed of a mixture of 2-mercaptoethanol and poly(ethylene glycol) lipopolymer, which promoted vesicle rupture. These results suggest that the fabrication of inert nanostructures and the site-selective modification of solid surfaces to induce vesicle rupture may be essential in the construction of tLBRM nano(submicro) arrays using stepwise self-assembly.

Metallic nanohole arrays on fluoropolymer substrates as small label-free real-time bioprobes

We describe a nanoplasmonic probing platform that exploits small-dimension ( Collapse

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MESH Headings

• Kinetics
• Molecular Probes
• Nanostructures
• Polymers/chemistry

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Grants

• 5R01HG003828-04 NHGRI NIH HHS
• R01 AI020566-24 NIAID NIH HHS
• R01 AI020566-25A1 NIAID NIH HHS
• R21 EB004333 NIBIB NIH HHS
• R01 AI020566 NIAID NIH HHS
• 5R21EB004333-02 NIBIB NIH HHS
• R01 HG003828 NHGRI NIH HHS

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Affiliation(s)

Jiun-Chan Yang Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, 240 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
Jin Ji
James M Hogle
Dale N Larson

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In situ monitoring of the catalytic activity of cytochrome C oxidase in a biomimetic architecture

Cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) from Paracoccus denitrificans was immobilized in a strict orientation via a his-tag attached to subunit I on a gold film and reconstituted in situ into a protein-tethered bilayer lipid membrane. In this orientation, the cytochrome c (cyt c) binding site is directed away from the electrode pointing to the outer side of the protein-tethered bilayer lipid membrane architecture. The CcO can thus be activated by cyt c under aerobic conditions. Catalytic activity was monitored by impedance spectroscopy, as well as cyclic voltammetry. Cathodic and anodic currents of the CcO with cyt c added to the bulk solution were shown to increase under aerobic compared to anaerobic conditions. Catalytic activity was considered in terms of repeated electrochemical oxidation/reduction of the CcO/cyt c complex in the presence of oxygen. The communication of cyt c bound to the CcO with the electrode is discussed in terms of a hopping mechanism through the redox sites of the enzyme. Simulations supporting this hypothesis are included.

Electrochemical Biosensors - Sensor Principles and Architectures

Quantification of biological or biochemical processes are of utmost importance for medical, biological and biotechnological applications. However, converting the biological information to an easily processed electronic signal is challenging due to the complexity of connecting an electronic device directly to a biological environment. Electrochemical biosensors provide an attractive means to analyze the content of a biological sample due to the direct conversion of a biological event to an electronic signal. Over the past decades several sensing concepts and related devices have been developed. In this review, the most common traditional techniques, such as cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, chronopotentiometry, impedance spectroscopy, and various field-effect transistor based methods are presented along with selected promising novel approaches, such as nanowire or magnetic nanoparticle-based biosensing. Additional measurement techniques, which have been shown useful in combination with electrochemical detection, are also summarized, such as the electrochemical versions of surface plasmon resonance, optical waveguide lightmode spectroscopy, ellipsometry, quartz crystal microbalance, and scanning probe microscopy. The signal transduction and the general performance of electrochemical sensors are often determined by the surface architectures that connect the sensing element to the biological sample at the nanometer scale. The most common surface modification techniques, the various electrochemical transduction mechanisms, and the choice of the recognition receptor molecules all influence the ultimate sensitivity of the sensor. New nanotechnology-based approaches, such as the use of engineered ion-channels in lipid bilayers, the encapsulation of enzymes into vesicles, polymersomes, or polyelectrolyte capsules provide additional possibilities for signal amplification. In particular, this review highlights the importance of the precise control over the delicate interplay between surface nano-architectures, surface functionalization and the chosen sensor transducer principle, as well as the usefulness of complementary characterization tools to interpret and to optimize the sensor response.

Enzyme activity to augment the characterization of tethered bilayer membranes

The rate of Ca2+ -triggered phospholipase A2 (PLA2) degradation of tethered bilayer membranes (tBLMs), composed of a synthetic lipid, beta-mercaptoethanol, and palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC), is approximately 80 times greater than for those prepared with diphytanoylphosphatidylcholine (DPhyPC). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and neutron reflectivity (NR) data indicate complete, water-free tBLMs that exhibit near ideal capacitive behavior and the presence of a water reservoir in the bilayer subspace proximal to the substrate (Au) surface for both tBLMs. Together these data indicate that the POPC and the DPhyPC tBLMs are structurally similar along the surface normal but markedly different at the outer leaflet/solution interface and that PLA2 is a sensitive probe of short length scale structural differences not revealed by EIS and NR.

Biomimetic tethered lipid membranes designed for membrane-protein interaction studies

The complexity of the biological membranes restricts their direct investigation at the nanoscale. Lipid bilayer membranes have been developed as a model of biological membranes in order to allow the interaction and insertion of peptides and membrane proteins in a functional manner. Promising models have been developed in the past two decades and tethered bilayer design traduces constant improvement of membrane models. The formation of protein free solid tethered membranes can be achieved by direct vesicle fusion, Langmuir-Blodgett, Langmuir-Schaffer transfers, self assembly of various building blocks such as thiol on gold, silane on quartz, grafting of polymers, as well as ligand receptor recognition. In this review, the current state of different tethered bilayer membrane will be described. We will focus on critical analysis of the main advantages/drawbacks of each kind of model construction and their ability to allow protein incorporation in non-denaturing conditions. Some of the current drawbacks encountered in these biomimetic models can be overcome using an innovative tethered bilayer design based on a reliable and fast formation method. The successful protein incorporation of the Adenylate Cyclase produced by Bordetella pertussis and the voltage dependent anion channel (VDAC) was demonstrated on this model.

Tethered bilayer lipid membranes studied by simultaneous attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

The formation of tethered lipid bilayer membranes (tBLMs) from unilamelar vesicles of egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (EggPC) on mixed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) from varying ratios of 6-mercaptohexanol and EO(3)Cholesteryl on gold has been monitored by simultaneous attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The influence of the lipid orientation (and hence the anisotropy) of lipids on a gold film on the dichroic ratio was studied by simulations of spectra with a matrix method for anisotropic layers. It is shown that for certain tilt angles of the dielectric tensor of the adsorbed anisotropic layer dispersive and negative absorption bands are possible. The experimental data indicate that the structure of the assemblies obtained varies with varying SAM composition. On SAMs with a high content of EO(3)Cholesteryl, tBLMs with reduced fluidity are formed. For SAMs with a high content of 6-mercaptohexanol, the results are consistent with the adsorption of flattened vesicles, and spherical vesicles have been found in a small range of surface compositions. The kinetics of the adsorption process is consistent with the assumption of spherical vesicles as long-living intermediates for surfaces of a high 6-mercaptohexanol content. No long-living spherical vesicles have been detected for surfaces with a large fraction of EO(3)Cholesteryl tethers. The observed differences between the surfaces suggest that for the formation of tBLMs (unlike supported BLMs) no critical surface coverage of vesicles is needed prior to lipid bilayer formation.

Insulating tethered bilayer lipid membranes to study membrane proteins

Tethered bilayer lipid membranes are stable and promising model systems that mimic several properties of biological membranes. They provide an electrically insulating platform for the incorporation and study of functional membrane proteins, especially ion channels. Covalently linked to a solid support, they also offer enhanced stability compared with other model architectures. If the support can be used as an electrode, electrical characterisation of the system is possible and biosensing applications can be envisioned.Here, we will review some tethered bilayer structures developed in the past and show some examples of functional protein incorporation, both on oxide and gold substrates.

A Model System To Study the Insertion of Cholesterol into a Phospholipid Monolayer

Colloidal probe atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to study the interaction between a surface bearing tethered cholesterol groups and an egg phosphatidylcholine (egg-PC) monolayer. The cholesterol bearing surface was comprised of a mixed self-assembled monolayer comprised of O-cholesteryl N-(8'-mecapto-3',6'-dioxaoctyl)carbamate (CPEO3) molecules and beta-mercaptoethanol formed on a 20 mum diameter gold-coated silica particle. The egg-PC monolayer was adsorbed onto an octadecylthiol monolayer formed on template-stripped gold. The force between the surfaces, as a function of separation, was measured for surface concentrations of CPEO3 from 0 to 100 mol %. At all concentrations there was a long-range repulsive double-layer force due to weak surface charges. At surface concentrations of CPEO3 from 1 to 29 mol % the interaction on the approach of the surfaces showed a maximum in the repulsive force, followed by a small (2-5 nm) jump into a force minimum corresponding to adhesion of the surfaces. On separation, a normalized pull-off force of 1.0-1.6 mN m(-1) was measured. Over the same concentration range, the calculated interaction energy per CPEO3 molecule decreased from 1.1 +/- 0.2 kT to 0.04 kT. At surface concentrations of 35 mol % and above there was no reproducible adhesion between the cholesterol-bearing surface and the phospholipid monolayer. We attribute the occurrence of short-range attraction and adhesion in the 1-29 mol % regime to the insertion of (some) cholesterol groups into the phospholipid monolayer. At higher surface concentrations the efficiency of insertion is reduced due to steric effects. We discuss the experimental results in the light of the energetics of the insertion of a cholesterol molecule into a lipid bilayer.

Transport across artificial membranes–an analytical perspective

Biosensors that make use of transport processes across lipid membranes are very rare even though a stimulus, the binding of a single analyte molecule, can enhance the sensor response manifold if the analyte leads to the transport of more than one ion or molecule across the membrane. Prerequisite for a proper function of such membrane based biosensors is the formation of lipid bilayers attached to a support that allow for the insertion of membrane peptides and proteins in a functional manner. In this review, the current state of the art technologies to obtain lipid membranes on various supports are described. Solid supported membranes on transparent and electrically conducting surfaces, lipid bilayers on micromachined apertures and on porous materials are discussed. The focus lies on the applicability of such membranes for the investigation of transport phenomena across lipid bilayers facilitated by membrane embedded peptides, channel proteins and transporters. Carriers and channel forming peptides, which are easy to handle and rather robust, are used frequently to build up membrane based biosensors. However, channel forming proteins and transporters are more difficult to insert functionally and thus, there are yet only few examples that demonstrate the applicability of such systems as biosensor devices.

Redox enzymes in tethered membranes

An electrode surface is presented that enables the characterization of redox-active membrane enzymes in a native-like environment. An ubiquinol oxidase from Escherichia coli, cytochrome bo(3) (cbo(3)), has been co-immobilized into tethered bilayer lipid membranes (tBLMs). The tBLM is formed on gold surfaces functionalized with cholesterol tethers which insert into the lower leaflet of the membrane. The planar membrane architecture is formed by self-assembly of proteoliposomes, and its structure is characterized by surface plasmon resonance (SPR), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and tapping-mode atomic force microscopy (TM-AFM). The functionality of cbo(3) is investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and is confirmed by the catalytic reduction of oxygen. Interfacial electron transfer to cbo(3) is mediated by the membrane-localized ubiquinol-8, the physiological electron donor of cbo(3). Enzyme coverages observed with TM-AFM and CV coincide (2-8.5 fmol.cm(-)(2)), indicating that most-if not all-cbo(3) on the surface is catalytically active and thus retains its integrity during immobilization.