Nanoelectrospray based synthesis of large, transportable membranes with integrated membrane proteins

Abstract Membrane proteins tend to be difficult to study since they need to be integrated into a lipid bilayer membrane to function properly. Here I am presenting a method to synthesize a macroscopically large and freely transportable membrane with integrated membrane proteins. This is useful for studying membrane proteins and protein complexes in isolation. The method could serve as a blueprint for the production of larger quantities of functionalised membranes for integration into technical devices similar to the MinION DNA sequencer. It is possible to self-assemble larger biological membranes on solid surfaces. However, they cannot be removed from their solid support without destroying them. In transportable form, self-assembled membranes are limited to sizes of about 17 nm in nanodiscs. Here we electrospray a series of molecular layers onto the liquid surface of a buffer solution. This creates a flat, liquid environment on the surface that directs the self-assembly of the membrane. The composition of the membrane, its lipid and protein content, is experimentally controlled. We have succeeded in producing large membranes with integrated OmpG, a transmembrane pore protein. The technique appears to be compatible with the assembly of membrane based protein complexes.