1
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Gao R, Yu X, Kumar BVVSP, Tian L. Hierarchical Structuration in Protocellular System. SMALL METHODS 2023; 7:e2300422. [PMID: 37438327 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202300422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Spatial control is one of the ubiquitous features in biological systems and the key to the functional complexity of living cells. The strategies to achieve such precise spatial control in protocellular systems are crucial to constructing complex artificial living systems with functional collective behavior. Herein, the authors review recent advances in the spatial control within a single protocell or between different protocells and discuss how such hierarchical structured protocellular system can be used to understand complex living systems or to advance the development of functional microreactors with the programmable release of various biomacromolecular payloads, or smart protocell-biological cell hybrid system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Gao
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardio-Cerebral Vascular Detection Technology and Medicinal Effectiveness Appraisal, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Xinran Yu
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardio-Cerebral Vascular Detection Technology and Medicinal Effectiveness Appraisal, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | | | - Liangfei Tian
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardio-Cerebral Vascular Detection Technology and Medicinal Effectiveness Appraisal, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
- Department of Ultrasound, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
- Innovation Center for Smart Medical Technologies & Devices, Binjiang Institute of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310053, China
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2
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Challenges and opportunities in achieving the full potential of droplet interface bilayers. Nat Chem 2022; 14:862-870. [PMID: 35879442 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-022-00989-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Model membranes can be used to elucidate the intricacies of the chemical processes that occur in cell membranes, but the perfectly biomimetic, yet bespoke, model membrane has yet to be built. Droplet interface bilayers are a new type of model membrane able to mimic some features of real cell membranes better than traditional models, such as liposomes and black lipid membranes. In this Perspective, we discuss recent work in the field that is starting to showcase the potential of these model membranes to enable the quantification of membrane processes, such as the behaviour of protein transporters and the prediction of in vivo drug movement, and their use as scaffolds for electrophysiological measurements. We also highlight the challenges that remain to enable droplet interface bilayers to achieve their full potential as artificial cells, and as biological analytical platforms to quantify molecular transport.
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3
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Baxani DK, Jamieson WD, Barrow DA, Castell OK. Encapsulated droplet interface bilayers as a platform for high-throughput membrane studies. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:5089-5096. [PMID: 35766018 PMCID: PMC9277618 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm01111a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Whilst it is highly desirable to produce artificial lipid bilayer arrays allowing for systematic high-content screening of membrane conditions, it remains a challenge due to the combined requirements of scaled membrane production, simple measurement access, and independent control over individual bilayer experimental conditions. Here, droplet bilayers encapsulated within a hydrogel shell are output individually into multi-well plates for simple, arrayed quantitative measurements. The afforded experimental throughput is used to conduct a 2D concentration screen characterising the synergistic pore-forming peptides Magainin2 and PGLa. Maximal enhanced activity is revealed at equimolar peptide concentrations via a membrane dye leakage assay, a finding consistent with models proposed from NMR data. The versatility of the platform is demonstrated by performing in situ electrophysiology, revealing low conductance pore activity (∼15 to 20 pA with 4.5 pA sub-states). In conclusion, this array platform addresses the aforementioned challenges and provides new and flexible opportunities for high-throughput membrane studies. Furthermore, the ability to engineer droplet networks within each construct paves the way for "lab-in-a-capsule" approaches accommodating multiple assays per construct and allowing for communicative reaction pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- D K Baxani
- College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University Redwood Building, King Edward VII Avenue, CF10 3NB Cardiff, UK.
| | - W D Jamieson
- College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University Redwood Building, King Edward VII Avenue, CF10 3NB Cardiff, UK.
| | - D A Barrow
- School of Engineering, Cardiff University, 14-17 The Parade, CF4 3AA Cardiff, UK
| | - O K Castell
- College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University Redwood Building, King Edward VII Avenue, CF10 3NB Cardiff, UK.
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4
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Stephenson EB, García Ramírez R, Farley S, Adolph-Hammond K, Lee G, Frostad JM, Elvira KS. Investigating the effect of phospholipids on droplet formation and surface property evolution in microfluidic devices for droplet interface bilayer (DIB) formation. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2022; 16:044112. [PMID: 36035888 PMCID: PMC9402269 DOI: 10.1063/5.0096193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Despite growing interest in droplet microfluidic methods for droplet interface bilayer (DIB) formation, there is a dearth of information regarding how phospholipids impact device function. Limited characterization has been carried out for phospholipids, either computationally (in silico) or experimentally (in situ) in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic devices, despite recent work providing a better understanding of how other surfactants behave in microfluidic systems. Hence, microfluidic device design for DIB applications relies heavily on trial and error, with many assumptions made about the impact of phospholipids on droplet formation and surface properties. Here, we examine the effects of phospholipids on interfacial tension, droplet formation, wetting, and hence device longevity, using DPhPC as the most widely used lipid for DIB formation. We use a customized COMSOL in silico model in comparison with in situ experimental data to establish that the stabilization of droplet formation seen when the lipid is dosed in the aqueous phase (lipid-in) or in the oil phase (lipid-out) is directly dependent on the effects of lipids on the device surface properties, rather than on how fast they coat the droplet. Furthermore, we establish a means to visually characterize surface property evolution in the presence of lipids and explore rates of device failure in the absence of lipid, lipid-out, and lipid-in. This first exploration of the effects of lipids on device function may serve to inform the design of microfluidic devices for DIB formation as well as to troubleshoot causes of device failure during microfluidic DIB experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ricardo García Ramírez
- School of Engineering and Sciences, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey, Nuevo León, 64849, Mexico
| | | | | | - Gihyun Lee
- Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, Victoria BC V8P 5C2, Canada
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5
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Priyadarshini D, Ivica J, Separovic F, de Planque MRR. Characterisation of cell membrane interaction mechanisms of antimicrobial peptides by electrical bilayer recording. Biophys Chem 2022; 281:106721. [PMID: 34808479 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2021.106721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Many antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are cationic host defence peptides (HDPs) that interact with microbial membranes. This ability may lead to implementation of AMPs as therapeutics to overcome the wide-spread antibiotic resistance problem as the affected bacteria may not be able to recover from membrane lysis types of attack. AMP interactions with lipid bilayer membranes are typically explained through three mechanisms, i.e., barrel-stave pore, toroidal pore and carpet models. Electrical bilayer recording is a relatively simple and sensitive technique that is able to capture the nanoscale perturbations caused by the AMPs in the bilayer membranes. Molecular-level understanding of the behaviour of AMPs in relation to lipid bilayers mimicking bacterial and human cell membranes is essential for their development as novel therapeutic agents that are capable of targeted action against disease causing micro-organisms. The effects of four AMPs (aurein 1.2, caerin 1.1, citropin 1.1 and maculatin 1.1 from the skin secretions of Australian tree frogs) and the toxin melittin (found in the venom of honeybees) on two different phospholipid membranes were studied using the electrical bilayer recording technique. Bilayers composed of zwitterionic (DPhPC) and anionic (DPhPC/POPG) lipids were used to mimic the charge of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell membranes, respectively, so as to determine the corresponding interaction mechanisms for different concentrations of the peptide. Analysis of the dataset corresponding to the four frog AMPs, as well as the resulting dataset corresponding to the bee toxin, confirms the proposed peptide-bilayer interaction models in existing publications and demonstrates the importance of using appropriate bilayer compositions and peptide concentrations for AMP studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Priyadarshini
- Electronics and Computer Science, Faculty of Physical & Applied Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Josip Ivica
- Electronics and Computer Science, Faculty of Physical & Applied Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Frances Separovic
- School of Chemistry, Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia.
| | - Maurits R R de Planque
- Electronics and Computer Science, Faculty of Physical & Applied Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
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6
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Du X, Wang Y, Zhang S, Fan P, Yan S, Zhang P, Chen HY, Huang S. Microscopic Screening of Cyclodextrin Channel Blockers by DiffusiOptoPhysiology. Anal Chem 2021; 93:14161-14168. [PMID: 34641671 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c02775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Blockers of pore-forming toxins (PFTs) limit bacterial virulence by blocking relevant channel proteins. However, screening of desired blockers from a large pool of candidate molecules is not a trivial task. Acknowledging its advantages of low cost, high throughput, and multiplicity, DiffusiOptoPhysiology (DOP), an emerging nanopore technique that visually monitors the states of individual channel proteins without using any electrodes, has shown its potential use in the screening of channel blockers. By taking different α-hemolysin (α-HL) mutants as model PFTs and different cyclodextrins as model blockers, we report direct screening of pore blockers solely by using fluorescence microscopy. Different combinations of pores and blockers were simultaneously evaluated on the same DOP chip and a single-molecule resolution is directly achieved. The entire chip is composed of low-cost and biocompatible materials, which is fully disposable after each use. Though only demonstrated with cyclodextrin derivatives and α-HL mutants, this proof of concept has also suggested its generality to investigate other pore-forming proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Du
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.,Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yuqin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.,Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Shanyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.,Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Pingping Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.,Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Shuanghong Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.,Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Panke Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Hong-Yuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Shuo Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.,Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
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7
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Novikova OD, Naberezhnykh GA, Sergeev AA. Nanostructured Biosensors Based on Components of Bacterial Membranes. Biophysics (Nagoya-shi) 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s0006350921040187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
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8
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Sharan P, Postek W, Gemming T, Garstecki P, Simmchen J. Study of Active Janus Particles in the Presence of an Engineered Oil-Water Interface. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2021; 37:204-210. [PMID: 33373252 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c02752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We present a systematic study of motion of Pt@SiO2 Janus particles at a liquid-liquid interface. A special microfluidic trap is used for creating such an interface. The increased surface energy of the large surface results in partial wetting of the substrate, leaving patches of oil on the glass surface. This allows us to directly compare the motion at the two interfaces, i.e., oil-water and solid-water interface within the same setting, guaranteeing identical conditions in terms of additional parameters. The propulsion behavior of Janus particles is found to be quantitatively similar at both surfaces. The interplay of reaction product absorption by oil, slip locking by surfactant, microscale friction, lubrication efficiency, and potential Marangoni effect controls the resemblance of motion characteristics at the two interfaces. Additionally, we also observed guidance effect on the Janus particles by the pinning line of oil patches, similar to solid side walls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Sharan
- Physical Chemistry, TU Dresden, Zellescher Weg 19, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Witold Postek
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Thomas Gemming
- Institute of Complex Materials, Leibniz IFW Dresden, Helmholtzstrasse 20, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Piotr Garstecki
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Juliane Simmchen
- Physical Chemistry, TU Dresden, Zellescher Weg 19, 01069 Dresden, Germany
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9
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Yamada T, Kamiya K, Osaki T, Takeuchi S. A pumpless solution exchange system for nanopore sensors. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2019; 13:064104. [PMID: 31700563 PMCID: PMC6828575 DOI: 10.1063/1.5123316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
This paper proposes a nanopore-based sensor exploiting the solution exchange of a droplet-based lipid bilayer driven by a superabsorbent polymer. Biological nanopores are candidates for use in portable sensors because of their potential to recognize and detect single molecules. One of the current challenges in the development of portable nanopore sensors is the inability to achieve continuous detection. To achieve continuous detection, we have exploited the suction force of a superabsorbent polymer to drive the continuous microfluidic flow required to wash the analyte out of the droplet. The superabsorbent polymer drives the microfluidic flow without electricity, and the developed solution exchange system remains compact. To demonstrate solution exchange in the droplet containing the lipid bilayer, the concentration of heptakis(6-O-sulfo)-β-cyclodextrin was monitored in a time-dependent manner using α-hemolysin nanopores. A reduction in the concentration, attributable to solution exchange, was successfully observed. We believe that the proposed system will increase the portability and usability of nanopore sensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetsuya Yamada
- Artificial Cell Membrane Systems Group, Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Science and Technology, 3-2-1 Sakado Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 213-0012, Japan
| | - Koki Kamiya
- Artificial Cell Membrane Systems Group, Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Science and Technology, 3-2-1 Sakado Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 213-0012, Japan
| | - Toshihisa Osaki
- Artificial Cell Membrane Systems Group, Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Science and Technology, 3-2-1 Sakado Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 213-0012, Japan
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10
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Misawa N, Osaki T, Takeuchi S. Membrane protein-based biosensors. J R Soc Interface 2019; 15:rsif.2017.0952. [PMID: 29669891 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2017.0952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2017] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
This review highlights recent development of biosensors that use the functions of membrane proteins. Membrane proteins are essential components of biological membranes and have a central role in detection of various environmental stimuli such as olfaction and gustation. A number of studies have attempted for development of biosensors using the sensing property of these membrane proteins. Their specificity to target molecules is particularly attractive as it is significantly superior to that of traditional human-made sensors. In this review, we classified the membrane protein-based biosensors into two platforms: the lipid bilayer-based platform and the cell-based platform. On lipid bilayer platforms, the membrane proteins are embedded in a lipid bilayer that bridges between the protein and a sensor device. On cell-based platforms, the membrane proteins are expressed in a cultured cell, which is then integrated in a sensor device. For both platforms we introduce the fundamental information and the recent progress in the development of the biosensors, and remark on the outlook for practical biosensing applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nobuo Misawa
- Artificial Cell Membrane Systems Group, Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Science and Technology, 3-2-1 Sakado, Takatsu, Kawasaki 213-0012, Japan
| | - Toshihisa Osaki
- Artificial Cell Membrane Systems Group, Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Science and Technology, 3-2-1 Sakado, Takatsu, Kawasaki 213-0012, Japan.,Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8505, Japan
| | - Shoji Takeuchi
- Artificial Cell Membrane Systems Group, Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Science and Technology, 3-2-1 Sakado, Takatsu, Kawasaki 213-0012, Japan .,Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8505, Japan
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11
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Dols-Perez A, Marin V, Amador GJ, Kieffer R, Tam D, Aubin-Tam ME. Artificial Cell Membranes Interfaced with Optical Tweezers: A Versatile Microfluidics Platform for Nanomanipulation and Mechanical Characterization. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:33620-33627. [PMID: 31448892 PMCID: PMC6753654 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b09983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Cell lipid membranes are the site of vital biological processes, such as motility, trafficking, and sensing, many of which involve mechanical forces. Elucidating the interplay between such bioprocesses and mechanical forces requires the use of tools that apply and measure piconewton-level forces, e.g., optical tweezers. Here, we introduce the combination of optical tweezers with free-standing lipid bilayers, which are fully accessible on both sides of the membrane. In the vicinity of the lipid bilayer, optical trapping would normally be impossible due to optical distortions caused by pockets of the solvent trapped within the membrane. We solve this by drastically reducing the size of these pockets via tuning of the solvent and flow cell material. In the resulting flow cells, lipid nanotubes are straightforwardly pushed or pulled and reach lengths above half a millimeter. Moreover, the controlled pushing of a lipid nanotube with an optically trapped bead provides an accurate and direct measurement of important mechanical properties. In particular, we measure the membrane tension of a free-standing membrane composed of a mixture of dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) to be 4.6 × 10-6 N/m. We demonstrate the potential of the platform for biophysical studies by inserting the cell-penetrating trans-activator of transcription (TAT) peptide in the lipid membrane. The interactions between the TAT peptide and the membrane are found to decrease the value of the membrane tension to 2.1 × 10-6 N/m. This method is also fully compatible with electrophysiological measurements and presents new possibilities for the study of membrane mechanics and the creation of artificial lipid tube networks of great importance in intra- and intercellular communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurora Dols-Perez
- Department
of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience,
Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, Delft 2629 HZ, The Netherlands
| | - Victor Marin
- Department
of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience,
Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, Delft 2629 HZ, The Netherlands
| | - Guillermo J. Amador
- Department
of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience,
Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, Delft 2629 HZ, The Netherlands
- Laboratory
for Aero and Hydrodynamics, Delft University
of Technology, Delft 2628 CD, The Netherlands
| | - Roland Kieffer
- Department
of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience,
Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, Delft 2629 HZ, The Netherlands
| | - Daniel Tam
- Laboratory
for Aero and Hydrodynamics, Delft University
of Technology, Delft 2628 CD, The Netherlands
| | - Marie-Eve Aubin-Tam
- Department
of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience,
Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, Delft 2629 HZ, The Netherlands
- E-mail: (M.A.)
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12
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Allen-Benton M, Findlay HE, Booth PJ. Probing membrane protein properties using droplet interface bilayers. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2019; 244:709-720. [PMID: 31053046 PMCID: PMC6552395 DOI: 10.1177/1535370219847939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPACT STATEMENT The paper presents a comprehensive review of integral membrane protein studies utilizing droplet interface bilayers. Droplet interface bilayers are a novel method of constructing artificial lipid bilayers with enhanced stability and physicochemical complexity compared to existing methods. Their unique morphology also suggests applications in the construction of synthetic biological systems and protocells. As well as serving as a guide to in vitro membrane protein functional studies using droplet interface bilayers in the literature to date, a novel in vitro study of a flippase protein in a droplet interface bilayer is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Paula J Booth
- Department of Chemistry, King’s College London,
London SE1 1DB, UK
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13
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Friddin MS, Elani Y, Trantidou T, Ces O. New Directions for Artificial Cells Using Prototyped Biosystems. Anal Chem 2019; 91:4921-4928. [PMID: 30841694 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b04885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidics has has enabled the generation of a range of single compartment and multicompartment vesicles and bilayer-delineated droplets that can be assembled in 2D and 3D. These model systems are becoming increasingly used as artificial cell chassis and as biomimetic constructs for assembling tissue models, engineering therapeutic delivery systems, and screening drugs. One bottleneck in developing this technology is the time, expertise, and equipment required for device fabrication. This has led to interest across the microfluidics community in using rapid prototyping to engineer microfluidic devices from computer-aided-design (CAD) drawings. We highlight how this rapid-prototyping revolution is transforming the fabrication of microfluidic devices for artificial cell construction in bottom-up synthetic biology. We provide an outline of the current landscape and present how advances in the field may give rise to the next generation of multifunctional biodevices, particularly with Industry 4.0 on the horizon. Successfully developing this technology and making it open-source could pave the way for a new generation of citizen-led science, fueling the possibility that the next multibillion-dollar start-up could emerge from an attic or a basement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark S Friddin
- Department of Chemistry , Imperial College London , Wood Lane , London , W12 0BZ , United Kingdom
| | - Yuval Elani
- Department of Chemistry , Imperial College London , Wood Lane , London , W12 0BZ , United Kingdom.,Institute of Chemical Biology , Imperial College London , Wood Lane , London , W12 0BZ , United Kingdom.,fabriCELL, Molecular Sciences Research Hub , Imperial College London , Wood Lane , London , W12 0BZ , United Kingdom
| | - Tatiana Trantidou
- Department of Chemistry , Imperial College London , Wood Lane , London , W12 0BZ , United Kingdom
| | - Oscar Ces
- Department of Chemistry , Imperial College London , Wood Lane , London , W12 0BZ , United Kingdom.,Institute of Chemical Biology , Imperial College London , Wood Lane , London , W12 0BZ , United Kingdom.,fabriCELL, Molecular Sciences Research Hub , Imperial College London , Wood Lane , London , W12 0BZ , United Kingdom
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14
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Trantidou T, Friddin MS, Salehi-Reyhani A, Ces O, Elani Y. Droplet microfluidics for the construction of compartmentalised model membranes. LAB ON A CHIP 2018; 18:2488-2509. [PMID: 30066008 DOI: 10.1039/c8lc00028j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The design of membrane-based constructs with multiple compartments is of increasing importance given their potential applications as microreactors, as artificial cells in synthetic-biology, as simplified cell models, and as drug delivery vehicles. The emergence of droplet microfluidics as a tool for their construction has allowed rapid scale-up in generation throughput, scale-down of size, and control over gross membrane architecture. This is true on several levels: size, level of compartmentalisation and connectivity of compartments can all be programmed to various degrees. This tutorial review explains and explores the reasons behind this. We discuss microfluidic strategies for the generation of a family of compartmentalised systems that have lipid membranes as the basic structural motifs, where droplets are either the fundamental building blocks, or are precursors to the membrane-bound compartments. We examine the key properties associated with these systems (including stability, yield, encapsulation efficiency), discuss relevant device fabrication technologies, and outline the technical challenges. In doing so, we critically review the state-of-play in this rapidly advancing field.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Trantidou
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
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15
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Rambach RW, Biswas P, Yadav A, Garstecki P, Franke T. Fast selective trapping and release of picoliter droplets in a 3D microfluidic PDMS multi-trap system with bubbles. Analyst 2018; 143:843-849. [PMID: 29234760 DOI: 10.1039/c7an01100h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The selective manipulation and incubation of individual picoliter drops in high-throughput droplet based microfluidic devices still remains challenging. We used a surface acoustic wave (SAW) to induce a bubble in a 3D designed multi-trap polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) device to manipulate multiple droplets and demonstrate the selection, incubation and on-demand release of aqueous droplets from a continuous oil flow. By controlling the position of the acoustic actuation, individual droplets are addressed and selectively released from a droplet stream of 460 drops per s. A complete trapping and releasing cycle can be as short as 70 ms and has no upper limit for incubation time. We characterize the fluidic function of the hybrid device in terms of electric power, pulse duration and acoustic path.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard W Rambach
- Soft Matter and Biological Physics Group, Universität Augsburg, Universitätsstr. 1, D-86159 Augsburg, Germany
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16
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Guiselin B, Law JO, Chakrabarti B, Kusumaatmaja H. Dynamic Morphologies and Stability of Droplet Interface Bilayers. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2018; 120:238001. [PMID: 29932701 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.120.238001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Revised: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
We develop a theoretical framework for understanding dynamic morphologies and stability of droplet interface bilayers (DIBs), accounting for lipid kinetics in the monolayers and bilayer, and droplet evaporation due to imbalance between osmotic and Laplace pressures. Our theory quantitatively describes distinct pathways observed in experiments when DIBs become unstable. We find that when the timescale for lipid desorption is slow compared to droplet evaporation, the lipid bilayer will grow and the droplets approach a hemispherical shape. In contrast, when lipid desorption is fast, the bilayer area will shrink and the droplets eventually detach. Our model also suggests there is a critical size below which DIBs can become unstable, which may explain experimental difficulties in miniaturizing the DIB platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Guiselin
- Department of Physics, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
| | - Jack O Law
- Department of Physics, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
| | - Buddhapriya Chakrabarti
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH, United Kingdom
| | - Halim Kusumaatmaja
- Department of Physics, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
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17
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Beltramo PJ, Scheidegger L, Vermant J. Toward Realistic Large-Area Cell Membrane Mimics: Excluding Oil, Controlling Composition, and Including Ion Channels. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2018; 34:5880-5888. [PMID: 29715042 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b00837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Capacitance measurements provide unique insights into the thickness, compressibility, and composition of large-area membrane bilayers and are used here in addition to demonstrate the successful incorporation of model ion channels. The simultaneous ability to control the bilayer size, manipulate tension, and optically monitor and electrically stimulate freestanding membranes enables precise determination of their specific capacitance and thickness across a wide range of areas. We confirm that membranes formed by this recently developed technique have capacitive properties similar to those formed by existing protocols, including solvent-free approaches, and discuss the effect using either hexadecane or squalene as the oil solvent. The results obtained here are relevant for other methods where lipid membranes are reconstituted from a bulk oil solvent. Because biological membranes have a diverse phospholipid profile, we show that the technique can successfully reconstitute membranes with binary composition mixtures. As an outlook, we show the capability of model membrane proteins, specifically α-hemolysin and alamethicin, to be incorporated into the formed bilayers and measure ion transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Beltramo
- Department of Chemical Engineering , University of Massachusetts Amherst , Amherst , Massachusetts 01003 , United States
| | - Laura Scheidegger
- Department of Materials , ETH Zürich , Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5 , 8093 Zürich , Switzerland
| | - Jan Vermant
- Department of Materials , ETH Zürich , Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5 , 8093 Zürich , Switzerland
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18
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Tian K, Chen X, Luan B, Singh P, Yang Z, Gates KS, Lin M, Mustapha A, Gu LQ. Single Locked Nucleic Acid-Enhanced Nanopore Genetic Discrimination of Pathogenic Serotypes and Cancer Driver Mutations. ACS NANO 2018; 12:4194-4205. [PMID: 29664612 PMCID: PMC6157732 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.8b01198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Accurate and rapid detection of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in pathogenic mutants is crucial for many fields such as food safety regulation and disease diagnostics. Current detection methods involve laborious sample preparations and expensive characterizations. Here, we investigated a single locked nucleic acid (LNA) approach, facilitated by a nanopore single-molecule sensor, to accurately determine SNPs for detection of Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) serotype O157:H7, and cancer-derived EGFR L858R and KRAS G12D driver mutations. Current LNA applications that require incorporation and optimization of multiple LNA nucleotides. But we found that in the nanopore system, a single LNA introduced in the probe is sufficient to enhance the SNP discrimination capability by over 10-fold, allowing accurate detection of the pathogenic mutant DNA mixed in a large amount of the wild-type DNA. Importantly, the molecular mechanistic study suggests that such a significant improvement is due to the effect of the single-LNA that both stabilizes the fully matched base-pair and destabilizes the mismatched base-pair. This sensitive method, with a simplified, low cost, easy-to-operate LNA design, could be generalized for various applications that need rapid and accurate identification of single-nucleotide variations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Tian
- Department of Bioengineering and Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, United States
| | - Xiaowei Chen
- Food Science Program, Division of Food Systems and Bioengineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, United States
| | - Binquan Luan
- Computational Biology Center, IBM Thomas J. Watson Research, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598, United States
| | - Prashant Singh
- Food Science Program, Division of Food Systems and Bioengineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, United States
| | - Zhiyu Yang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, United States
| | - Kent S. Gates
- Department of Chemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, United States
| | - Mengshi Lin
- Food Science Program, Division of Food Systems and Bioengineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, United States
| | - Azlin Mustapha
- Food Science Program, Division of Food Systems and Bioengineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, United States
| | - Li-Qun Gu
- Department of Bioengineering and Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, United States
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19
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Booth MJ, Restrepo Schild V, Downs FG, Bayley H. Functional aqueous droplet networks. MOLECULAR BIOSYSTEMS 2018; 13:1658-1691. [PMID: 28766622 DOI: 10.1039/c7mb00192d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Droplet interface bilayers (DIBs), comprising individual lipid bilayers between pairs of aqueous droplets in an oil, are proving to be a useful tool for studying membrane proteins. Recently, attention has turned to the elaboration of networks of aqueous droplets, connected through functionalized interface bilayers, with collective properties unachievable in droplet pairs. Small 2D collections of droplets have been formed into soft biodevices, which can act as electronic components, light-sensors and batteries. A substantial breakthrough has been the development of a droplet printer, which can create patterned 3D droplet networks of hundreds to thousands of connected droplets. The 3D networks can change shape, or carry electrical signals through defined pathways, or express proteins in response to patterned illumination. We envisage using functional 3D droplet networks as autonomous synthetic tissues or coupling them with cells to repair or enhance the properties of living tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Booth
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TA, UK.
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20
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Dogan Guzel F, Citak F. Development of an On-Chip Antibiotic Permeability Assay With Single Molecule Detection Capability. IEEE Trans Nanobioscience 2018; 17:155-160. [DOI: 10.1109/tnb.2018.2809592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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21
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Kim YH, Hang L, Cifelli JL, Sept D, Mayer M, Yang J. Frequency-Based Analysis of Gramicidin A Nanopores Enabling Detection of Small Molecules with Picomolar Sensitivity. Anal Chem 2018; 90:1635-1642. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.7b02961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - David Sept
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2110, United States
| | - Michael Mayer
- Adolphe
Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
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22
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Gach PC, Iwai K, Kim PW, Hillson NJ, Singh AK. Droplet microfluidics for synthetic biology. LAB ON A CHIP 2017; 17:3388-3400. [PMID: 28820204 DOI: 10.1039/c7lc00576h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic biology is an interdisciplinary field that aims to engineer biological systems for useful purposes. Organism engineering often requires the optimization of individual genes and/or entire biological pathways (consisting of multiple genes). Advances in DNA sequencing and synthesis have recently begun to enable the possibility of evaluating thousands of gene variants and hundreds of thousands of gene combinations. However, such large-scale optimization experiments remain cost-prohibitive to researchers following traditional molecular biology practices, which are frequently labor-intensive and suffer from poor reproducibility. Liquid handling robotics may reduce labor and improve reproducibility, but are themselves expensive and thus inaccessible to most researchers. Microfluidic platforms offer a lower entry price point alternative to robotics, and maintain high throughput and reproducibility while further reducing operating costs through diminished reagent volume requirements. Droplet microfluidics have shown exceptional promise for synthetic biology experiments, including DNA assembly, transformation/transfection, culturing, cell sorting, phenotypic assays, artificial cells and genetic circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip C Gach
- Technology Division, DOE Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, California 94608, USA
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23
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Ivica J, Williamson PTF, de Planque MRR. Salt Gradient Modulation of MicroRNA Translocation through a Biological Nanopore. Anal Chem 2017; 89:8822-8829. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.7b01246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Josip Ivica
- Electronics
and Computer Science, ‡Centre for Biological Sciences, and §Institute for
Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Philip T. F. Williamson
- Electronics
and Computer Science, ‡Centre for Biological Sciences, and §Institute for
Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Maurits R. R. de Planque
- Electronics
and Computer Science, ‡Centre for Biological Sciences, and §Institute for
Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
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24
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Trantidou T, Friddin M, Elani Y, Brooks NJ, Law RV, Seddon JM, Ces O. Engineering Compartmentalized Biomimetic Micro- and Nanocontainers. ACS NANO 2017; 11:6549-6565. [PMID: 28658575 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.7b03245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Compartmentalization of biological content and function is a key architectural feature in biology, where membrane bound micro- and nanocompartments are used for performing a host of highly specialized and tightly regulated biological functions. The benefit of compartmentalization as a design principle is behind its ubiquity in cells and has led to it being a central engineering theme in construction of artificial cell-like systems. In this review, we discuss the attractions of designing compartmentalized membrane-bound constructs and review a range of biomimetic membrane architectures that span length scales, focusing on lipid-based structures but also addressing polymer-based and hybrid approaches. These include nested vesicles, multicompartment vesicles, large-scale vesicle networks, as well as droplet interface bilayers, and double-emulsion multiphase systems (multisomes). We outline key examples of how such structures have been functionalized with biological and synthetic machinery, for example, to manufacture and deliver drugs and metabolic compounds, to replicate intracellular signaling cascades, and to demonstrate collective behaviors as minimal tissue constructs. Particular emphasis is placed on the applications of these architectures and the state-of-the-art microfluidic engineering required to fabricate, functionalize, and precisely assemble them. Finally, we outline the future directions of these technologies and highlight how they could be applied to engineer the next generation of cell models, therapeutic agents, and microreactors, together with the diverse applications in the emerging field of bottom-up synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Trantidou
- Department of Chemistry and ‡Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London , Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Friddin
- Department of Chemistry and ‡Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London , Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Yuval Elani
- Department of Chemistry and ‡Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London , Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas J Brooks
- Department of Chemistry and ‡Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London , Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Robert V Law
- Department of Chemistry and ‡Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London , Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - John M Seddon
- Department of Chemistry and ‡Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London , Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Oscar Ces
- Department of Chemistry and ‡Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London , Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
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25
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An Automated Microfluidic System for the Generation of Droplet Interface Bilayer Networks. MICROMACHINES 2017. [PMCID: PMC6190347 DOI: 10.3390/mi8030093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Networks of droplets, in which aqueous compartments are separated by lipid bilayers, have shown great potential as a model for biological transmembrane communication. We present a microfluidic system which allows for on-demand generation of droplets that are hydrodynamically locked in a trapping structure. As a result, the system enables the formation of a network of four droplets connected via lipid bilayers and the positions of each droplet in the network can be controlled thanks to automation of microfluidic operations. We perform electrophysiological measurements of ionic currents indicating interactions between nanopores and small molecules to prove the potential of the device in screening of the inhibitors acting on membrane proteins. We also demonstrate, for the first time, a microfluidic droplet interface bilayer (DIB) system in which the testing of inhibitors can be performed without direct contact between the tested sample and the electrodes recording picoampere currents.
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26
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Kaminski TS, Garstecki P. Controlled droplet microfluidic systems for multistep chemical and biological assays. Chem Soc Rev 2017; 46:6210-6226. [DOI: 10.1039/c5cs00717h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Droplet microfluidics is a relatively new and rapidly evolving field of science focused on studying the hydrodynamics and properties of biphasic flows at the microscale, and on the development of systems for practical applications in chemistry, biology and materials science.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. S. Kaminski
- Institute of Physical Chemistry
- Polish Academy of Sciences
- 01-224 Warsaw
- Poland
| | - P. Garstecki
- Institute of Physical Chemistry
- Polish Academy of Sciences
- 01-224 Warsaw
- Poland
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27
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshihisa Osaki
- Artificial Cell
Membrane
Systems Group, Kanagawa Academy of Science and Technology, 3-2-1
Sakado, Takatsu, 213-0012 Kawasaki, Japan
- Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro, 153-8505 Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shoji Takeuchi
- Artificial Cell
Membrane
Systems Group, Kanagawa Academy of Science and Technology, 3-2-1
Sakado, Takatsu, 213-0012 Kawasaki, Japan
- Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro, 153-8505 Tokyo, Japan
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28
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Barlow NE, Bolognesi G, Flemming AJ, Brooks NJ, Barter LMC, Ces O. Multiplexed droplet Interface bilayer formation. LAB ON A CHIP 2016; 16:4653-4657. [PMID: 27831583 DOI: 10.1039/c6lc01011c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
We present a simple method for the multiplexed formation of droplet interface bilayers (DIBs) using a mechanically operated linear acrylic chamber array. To demonstrate the functionality of the chip design, a lipid membrane permeability assay is performed. We show that multiple, symmetric DIBs can be created and separated using this robust low-cost approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan E Barlow
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK. and Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
| | - Guido Bolognesi
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK. and Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
| | - Anthony J Flemming
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK. and Syngenta, Jealott's Hill International Research Centre, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG42 6EY, UK.
| | - Nicholas J Brooks
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK. and Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
| | - Laura M C Barter
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK. and Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
| | - Oscar Ces
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK. and Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
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29
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Nguyen MA, Srijanto B, Collier CP, Retterer ST, Sarles SA. Hydrodynamic trapping for rapid assembly and in situ electrical characterization of droplet interface bilayer arrays. LAB ON A CHIP 2016; 16:3576-3588. [PMID: 27513561 DOI: 10.1039/c6lc00810k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The droplet interface bilayer (DIB) is a modular technique for assembling planar lipid membranes between water droplets in oil. The DIB method thus provides a unique capability for developing digital, droplet-based membrane platforms for rapid membrane characterization, drug screening and ion channel recordings. This paper demonstrates a new, low-volume microfluidic system that automates droplet generation, sorting, and sequential trapping in designated locations to enable the rapid assembly of arrays of DIBs. The channel layout of the device is guided by an equivalent circuit model, which predicts that a serial arrangement of hydrodynamic DIB traps enables sequential droplet placement and minimizes the hydrodynamic pressure developed across filled traps to prevent squeeze-through of trapped droplets. Furthermore, the incorporation of thin-film electrodes fabricated via evaporation metal deposition onto the glass substrate beneath the channels allows for the first time in situ, simultaneous electrical interrogation of multiple DIBs within a sealed device. Combining electrical measurements with imaging enables measurements of membrane capacitance and resistance and bilayer area, and our data show that DIBs formed in different trap locations within the device exhibit similar sizes and transport properties. Simultaneous, single channel recordings of ion channel gating in multiple membranes are obtained when alamethicin peptides are incorporated into the captured droplets, qualifying the thin-film electrodes as a means for measuring stimuli-responsive functions of membrane-bound biomolecules. This novel microfluidic-electrophysiology platform provides a reproducible, high throughput method for performing electrical measurements to study transmembrane proteins and biomembranes in low-volume, droplet-based membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary-Anne Nguyen
- Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering, University of Tennessee, USA.
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30
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Guzowski J, Gizynski K, Gorecki J, Garstecki P. Microfluidic platform for reproducible self-assembly of chemically communicating droplet networks with predesigned number and type of the communicating compartments. LAB ON A CHIP 2016; 16:764-772. [PMID: 26785761 DOI: 10.1039/c5lc01526j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
We report a microfluidic system for individually tailored generation and incubation of core-shell liquid structures with multiple cores that chemically communicate with each other via lipid membranes. We encapsulate an oscillating reaction-diffusion Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) medium inside the aqueous droplets and study the propagation of chemical wave-fronts through the membranes. We further encapsulate the sets of interconnected BZ-droplets inside oil-lipid shells in order to i) chemically isolate the structures and ii) confine them via tunable capillary forces which leads to self-assembly of predesigned topologies. We observe that doublets (pairs) of droplets encapsulated in the shell exhibit oscillation patterns that evolve in time. We collect statistical data from tens of doublets all created under precisely controlled, almost identical conditions from which we conclude that the different types of transitions between the patterns depend on the relative volumes of the droplets within a chemically coupled pair. With this we show that the volume of the compartment is an important control parameter in designing chemical networks, a feature previously appreciated only by theory. Our system not only allows for new insights into the dynamics of geometrically complex and interacting chemical systems but is also suitable for generating autonomous chemically interconnected microstructures with possible future use, e.g., as smart biosensors or drug-release capsules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Guzowski
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Kasprzaka 44/52, 03-982 Warsaw, Poland.
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31
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Schmidt J. Membrane platforms for biological nanopore sensing and sequencing. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2016; 39:17-27. [PMID: 26773300 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2015.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2015] [Revised: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 12/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In the past two decades, biological nanopores have been developed and explored for use in sensing applications as a result of their exquisite sensitivity and easily engineered, reproducible, and economically manufactured structures. Nanopore sensing has been shown to differentiate between highly similar analytes, measure polymer size, detect the presence of specific genes, and rapidly sequence nucleic acids translocating through the pore. Devices featuring protein nanopores have been limited in part by the membrane support containing the nanopore, the shortcomings of which have been addressed in recent work developing new materials, approaches, and apparatus resulting in membrane platforms featuring automatability and increased robustness, lifetime, and measurement throughput.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Schmidt
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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32
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Claudet C, In M, Massiera G. Method to disperse lipids as aggregates in oil for bilayers production. THE EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL. E, SOFT MATTER 2016; 39:9. [PMID: 26830758 DOI: 10.1140/epje/i2016-16009-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2015] [Accepted: 11/10/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Several techniques to assemble artificial lipid bilayers involve the zipping of monolayers. Their efficiency is determined by the renewal of the saturated monolayers to be zipped and this proceeds by adsorption of lipids dispersed in oil as aggregates. The size of these lipids aggregates is a key parameter to ensure both the stability of the suspension and a fast release of lipids at the interface. We propose a new method inspired from the solvent-shifting nucleation process allowing to control and tune the lipid aggregates size and that improves the production of artificial membranes. It is simpler and faster than current methods starting from a dry lipid film, which are highly sensitive to environmental conditions. This method opens the route to bilayer production processes with new potentialities in membrane composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyrille Claudet
- Laboratoire Charles Coulomb, UMR5221 CNRS-Université de Montpellier, 34095, Montpellier, France
| | - Martin In
- Laboratoire Charles Coulomb, UMR5221 CNRS-Université de Montpellier, 34095, Montpellier, France
| | - Gladys Massiera
- Laboratoire Charles Coulomb, UMR5221 CNRS-Université de Montpellier, 34095, Montpellier, France.
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33
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34
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Carreras P, Elani Y, Law RV, Brooks NJ, Seddon JM, Ces O. A microfluidic platform for size-dependent generation of droplet interface bilayer networks on rails. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2015; 9:064121. [PMID: 26759638 PMCID: PMC4698115 DOI: 10.1063/1.4938731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2015] [Accepted: 12/14/2015] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Droplet interface bilayer (DIB) networks are emerging as a cornerstone technology for the bottom up construction of cell-like and tissue-like structures and bio-devices. They are an exciting and versatile model-membrane platform, seeing increasing use in the disciplines of synthetic biology, chemical biology, and membrane biophysics. DIBs are formed when lipid-coated water-in-oil droplets are brought together-oil is excluded from the interface, resulting in a bilayer. Perhaps the greatest feature of the DIB platform is the ability to generate bilayer networks by connecting multiple droplets together, which can in turn be used in applications ranging from tissue mimics, multicellular models, and bio-devices. For such applications, the construction and release of DIB networks of defined size and composition on-demand is crucial. We have developed a droplet-based microfluidic method for the generation of different sized DIB networks (300-1500 pl droplets) on-chip. We do this by employing a droplet-on-rails strategy where droplets are guided down designated paths of a chip with the aid of microfabricated grooves or "rails," and droplets of set sizes are selectively directed to specific rails using auxiliary flows. In this way we can uniquely produce parallel bilayer networks of defined sizes. By trapping several droplets in a rail, extended DIB networks containing up to 20 sequential bilayers could be constructed. The trapped DIB arrays can be composed of different lipid types and can be released on-demand and regenerated within seconds. We show that chemical signals can be propagated across the bio-network by transplanting enzymatic reaction cascades for inter-droplet communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Carreras
- Department of Chemistry and Institute of Chemical Biology , Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Y Elani
- Department of Chemistry and Institute of Chemical Biology , Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - R V Law
- Department of Chemistry and Institute of Chemical Biology , Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - N J Brooks
- Department of Chemistry and Institute of Chemical Biology , Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - J M Seddon
- Department of Chemistry and Institute of Chemical Biology , Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - O Ces
- Department of Chemistry and Institute of Chemical Biology , Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
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Schlicht B, Zagnoni M. Droplet-interface-bilayer assays in microfluidic passive networks. Sci Rep 2015; 5:9951. [PMID: 25909686 PMCID: PMC4408985 DOI: 10.1038/srep09951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2015] [Accepted: 03/24/2015] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Basic biophysical studies and pharmacological processes can be investigated by mimicking the intracellular and extracellular environments across an artificial cell membrane construct. The ability to reproduce in vitro simplified scenarios found in live cell membranes in an automated manner has great potential for a variety of synthetic biology and compound screening applications. Here, we present a fully integrated microfluidic system for the production of artificial lipid bilayers based on the miniaturisation of droplet-interface-bilayer (DIB) techniques. The platform uses a microfluidic design that enables the controlled positioning and storage of phospholipid-stabilized water-in-oil droplets, leading successfully to the scalable and automated formation of arrays of DIBs to mimic cell membrane processes. To ensure robustness of operation, we have investigated how lipid concentration, immiscible phase flow velocities and the device geometrical parameters affect the system performance. Finally, we produced proof-of-concept data showing that diffusive transport of molecules and ions across on-chip DIBs can be studied and quantified using fluorescence-based assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bárbara Schlicht
- Centre for Microsystems and Photonics, Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G1 1XW, UK
| | - Michele Zagnoni
- Centre for Microsystems and Photonics, Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G1 1XW, UK
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Teng W, Ban C, Hahn JH. Formation of lipid bilayer membrane in a poly(dimethylsiloxane) microchip integrated with a stacked polycarbonate membrane support and an on-site nanoinjector. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2015; 9:024120. [PMID: 26015832 PMCID: PMC4409621 DOI: 10.1063/1.4919066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2015] [Accepted: 04/14/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
This paper describes a new and facile approach for the formation of pore-spanning bilayer lipid membranes (BLMs) within a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microfluidic device. Commercially, readily available polycarbonate (PC) membranes are employed for the support of BLMs. PC sheets with 5 μm, 2 μm, and 0.4 μm pore diameters, respectively, are thermally bonded into a multilayer-stack, reducing the pore density of 0.4 μm-pore PC by a factor of 200. The BLMs on this support are considerably stable (a mean lifetime: 17 h). This multilayer-stack PC (MSPC) membrane is integrated into the PDMS chip by an epoxy bonding method developed to secure durable bonding under the use of organic solvents. The microchip has a special channel for guiding a micropipette in the proximity of the MSPC support. With this on-site injection technique, tens to hundreds of nanoliters of solutions can be directly dispensed to the support. Incorporating gramicidin ion channels into BLMs on the MSPC support has confirmed the formation of single BLMs, which is based on the observation from current signals of 20 pS conductance that is typical to single channel opening. Based on the bilayer capacitance (1.4 pF), about 15% of through pores across the MSPC membrane are estimated to be covered with BLMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Teng
- Department of Chemistry, BioNanotechnology Center, Pohang University of Science and Technology , 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, 790-784 Pohang, South Korea
| | - Changill Ban
- Department of Chemistry, BioNanotechnology Center, Pohang University of Science and Technology , 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, 790-784 Pohang, South Korea
| | - Jong Hoon Hahn
- Department of Chemistry, BioNanotechnology Center, Pohang University of Science and Technology , 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, 790-784 Pohang, South Korea
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