BILAYERS
A method for producing a bilayer of amphipathic molecules comprising providing a hydrated support and providing a hydrophilic body, and bringing the hydrated support and hydrophilic body into contact to form a bilayer of amphipathic molecules. A bilayer produced by the method of the invention, and uses of the bilayer.
1 . A method for producing a bilayer of amphipathic molecules comprising the steps of:
(i) providing a hydrated support in a hydrophobic medium, wherein a first monolayer of amphipathic molecules is present on the surface of the hydrated support;
(ii) providing a hydrophilic body in a hydrophobic medium, wherein a second monolayer of amphipathic molecules is present on the surface of the hydrophilic body; and
(iii) bringing the first monolayer and the second monolayer into contact to form a bilayer of amphipathic,
wherein either: (a) the hydrophobic medium in which the hydrated support is provided contains amphipathic molecules and the hydrophobic medium in which the hydrophilic body is provided contains amphipathic molecules; or (b) the hydrated support contains amphipathic molecules and the hydrophilic body contains amphipathic molecules.
2 - 7 . (canceled)
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the amphipathic molecules are lipid molecules.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the lipid molecules are selected from the group comprising fatty acyls, glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, sterol lipids, prenol lipids, saccharolipids, polyketides, phospholipids, glycolipids and cholesterol.
10 . The method of claim 8 wherein the lipid molecules are selected from the group comprising monoolein; 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC); 1,2-diphytanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DPhPC); palmitoyl oleoyl phosphatidylcholine (POPC); 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine (POPE); 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine; and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylphosphatidylglycerol (POPE/POPG) mixtures; or mixtures thereof.
11 . (canceled)
12 . The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrated support comprises a solid or a semi-solid substrate.
13 . The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrated support is hydrophilic.
14 . (canceled)
15 . The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrated support is selected from the group comprising hydrogels, agarose, polyacrylamide, [cross-linked] polyethylene glycol, nitro-cellulose, polycarbonate, anodisc material, polyethersulphone, cellulose acetate, nylon, Naphion materials, mesoporous silica, water and glass.
16 . The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrated support is a protein or analyte separation gel.
17 . (canceled)
18 . The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrophilic body comprises a droplet of aqueous solution.
19 . The method of claim 18 wherein the droplet is from 5 nm to 10 cm in diameter.
20 . The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrophilic body comprises a hydrated solid or semi-solid support/substrate.
21 . The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrophobic medium is an oil.
22 . The method of claim 21 wherein the oil is a hydrocarbon.
23 . The method or bilayer of claim 21 wherein the oil is selected from the group comprising alkanes, alkenes, fluorinated oils, silicone based oils and carbon tetrachloride.
24 . The method of claim 1 wherein the bilayer has a diameter from about 1 μm to greater than about 1 cm.
25 . (canceled)
26 . The method of claim 1 wherein a membrane-associated protein is present in at least one of the hydrated support, the hydrophilic body and the hydrophobic medium, said membrane-associated protein being capable of insertion into the bilayer.
27 . (canceled)
28 . The method of claim 26 wherein the membrane-associated protein is selected from the group comprising a selective or non-selective membrane transport protein, an ion channel, a pore forming protein and a membrane-resident receptor.
29 . The method of claim 26 wherein the one or more protein is inserted into the bilayer after the bilayer has formed.
30 . The method of claim 1 wherein the area of the bilayer can be varied by varying the relative positions of the hydrophilic body and the hydrated substrate.
31 . The method of claim 1 wherein the bilayer can be disassembled by removing contact between the hydrated support and the hydrophilic body.
32 . The method of claim 31 wherein the bilayer can be reformed by restoring contact between a lipid monolayer on the hydrated support and a lipid monolayer on the hydrophilic body.
33 - 56 . (canceled)