Mapping Redox Activity in Supported Lipid Bilayers

AYA SAKAYA; ANDRS M. DURANTINI; TARA VERKO; VINCENT WIECZNY; GONZALO COSA

Encuentro; Quebec Center for Advanced Materials Annual Meeting; 2018

Supported lipid bilayers (SLB) have gained wide attention as assembly scaffolds, owing to their ability to self-assemble into well-defined fluid structures, allowing the compartmentalization and direct assembly of components of interest in a fluid platform. An excellent model of cellular membranes, supported lipid bilayers offer the opportunity to mimic and study processes occurring across these fluid mosaics such as respiration, transport and signaling.In this study, we have explored redox reactions within supported lipid bilayers, proof of concept experiments intended to address the response of membrane embedded redox systems. Experimentally, a supported lipid bilayer was formed on top on an indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass, mimicking the lateral fluidity of a cell membrane. H4ClPrB-PMHC, a redox sensitive fluorogenic probe analogous to α-tocopherol (Vitamin E) was incorporated within the SLB, and its electrochemical and optical properties were studied using spectro-electrochemical (SEC) total internal reflection (TIRF) microscopy. We will discuss the general methodology, results, and implications of the work in the context of electron transport through relay redox systems.