Two-Dimensional Streptavidin Crystals on Giant Lipid Bilayer Vesicles

Streptavidin was crystallized on giant bilayer vesicles (20−60 μm) in sucrose solution at various pH values. The streptavidin-coated vesicles exhibited unique roughened spherical and prolate ellipsoidal shapes, illustrating resistance to curvature of the two-dimensional crystals. Studies indicated that the spheroids and prolate ellipsoids correspond to different crystal morphologies. Through confocal microscopy, the various crystal morphologies on vesicle surfaces were observed under different solution conditions. Unlike two-dimensional (2D) streptavidin crystals grown in ionic buffer that assume the P 1, P 2, and C 222 lattices at pH 4, 5.5, and 7, respectively (Wang et al . Langmuir 1999, 15, 1541), crystals grown in sucrose with no added salt show only the lowest density C 222 lattice due to strong electrostatic interactions.