Biophysical Society Conference | Tahoe 2024

Molecular Biophysics of Membranes

Poster Abstracts

39-POS Board 10 INVESTIGATING LIPID-DETERGENT SEGREGATION IN BICELLES Matthew Necelis 1 ; Christopher Baryiames 1 ; Nicole Swope 1 ; Linda Columbus 1 ; 1 University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA

Bicelles have long been used in biophysical studies of membrane proteins due to the more bilayer like environment they provide on a similar size scale as micelles. A bicelle’s inert behavior of self-segregation into its two components has been an area of particular interest for the Columbus Lab. Historically, the composition of bicelles has been mainly focused on DMPC and DHPC (6:0) combinations. Here we present the diversity of bicelle combinations and the multiple ways to observe bicelle segregation. Using small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) for morphology, and 31 P NMR and Laurdan fluorescence for lipid behavior, we’ve characterized several lipid/detergent combinations. Short Lyso PC detergents, being in a less stable mixed micelle, exhibited a distinct shift in the observed segregation behavior when compared to the two tailed DH6PC. This is indicative that the overall geometry of the detergent monomers has a significant impact on the packing and stabilization of DMPC bicelles.

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