Bicelles as model membranes for solid‐ and solution‐state NMR studies of membrane peptides and proteins

Abstract

ABSTRACT:Bicelles are an attractive membrane mimetic system because of their planar surface and lipid composition, which resemble biological membranes. In addition, their orientation and morphologic properties make them amenable to solid-and solution-state NMR. This article reviews the physical properties of bicelles, such as magnetic alignment and viscosity as well as the different models proposed in the literature to explain the bicelle morphology. The utility of bicelles for studying the interaction and structure of membrane peptides and proteins by solid-and solution-state NMR is also presented, along with the advantages and limitations of bicelles.

Templated growth of platinum nanowheels using the inhomogeneous reaction environment of bicelles

“…[2][3][4][5] A great deal of attention has been paid to the alignment of bicelles in an external magnetic field and their use as biomimetic membrane models in biophysical and biochemical studies, especially for reconstitution of membrane proteins. [6][7][8][9][10] From the materials synthesis point of view, bicelles can offer a unique inhomogeneous reaction environment in which the central flat bilayer region and the peripheral curved region coexist within a single molecular assembly. Their unique reaction environment is expected to enable the synthesis of novel nanostructures with complex morphologies.…”

Magnetically Oriented Bicelles with Monoalkylphosphocholines: Versatile Membrane Mimetics for Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Applications

“…D14PC/D6PC bicelles typically align between 30 and 50°C, as reviewed elsewhere 5,44 , while the MAPCHO systems with D14PC can orient between 27 and 77°C ( Figure 2 and Table S1), which makes them better systems for the study of aligned membrane molecules.…”

“…We can also define a q v when a powder pattern starts to show on the spectra, the best alignment therefore being between q m and q v . D14PC/D6PC bicelles typically align for q ratios between ~2.5 and 7.5, as reviewed elsewhere 5,44 . By comparison, and although MAPCHO bicelles explored in this work start to align at lower q molar ratios, the q m -q v interval in which aligned objects are found is smaller.…”

Phase behavior of a binary lipid system containing long- and short-chain phosphatidylcholines

“…5 C, 20 C, or 37 C). 12,13,15,26 Besides, the storage of a bicelle solution usually requires isothermal incubation at a specic low temperature, such as 4 C, in a refrigerator.…”

“…The planar bilayer region enriched in the long-chain lipids provides a favorable environment to study membrane proteins using various techniques, such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] X-ray crystallography, [12][13][14][15][16] and spectroscopy techniques. [17][18][19][20][21] Bicelles can also be used as delivery vehicles for membrane proteins or drugs, 22,23 or as templates for the synthesis of platinum nanowheels.…”