Biomolecular Interactions at Phospholipid-Decorated Surfaces of Liquid Crystals

The spontaneous assembly of phospholipids at planar interfaces between thermotropic liquid crystals and aqueous phases gives rise to patterned orientations of the liquid crystals that reflect the spatial and temporal organization of the phospholipids. Strong and weak specific-binding events involvin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2003-12, Vol.302 (5653), p.2094-2097
Main Authors: Brake, Jeffrey M., Daschner, Maren K., Luk, Yan-Yeung, Abbott, Nicholas L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine - chemistry
Aqueous solutions
Biochemistry
Biphenyl Compounds - chemistry
Calcium
Cartoons
Catalysis
Cellular biology
Chemistry
Crystallization
Exact sciences and technology
Fluorescence
Gas-liquid interface and liquid-liquid interface
General and physical chemistry
Glass
Gold
Hydrolysis
Laboratory Equipment
Lipids
Liquid crystals
Membranes (Biology)
Micelles
Neuroscience
Nitriles - chemistry
Observations
Phosphatidylcholines - chemistry
Phospholipases A - metabolism
Phospholipids
Phospholipids - chemistry
Polarized light
Quaternary Ammonium Compounds - chemistry
Silanes - chemistry
Surface physical chemistry
Temperature
Water - chemistry
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Summary:The spontaneous assembly of phospholipids at planar interfaces between thermotropic liquid crystals and aqueous phases gives rise to patterned orientations of the liquid crystals that reflect the spatial and temporal organization of the phospholipids. Strong and weak specific-binding events involving proteins at these interfaces drive the reorganization of the phospholipids and trigger orientational transitions in the liquid crystals. Because these interfaces are fluid, processes involving the lateral organization of proteins (such as the formation of protein- and phospholipid-rich domains) are also readily imaged by the orientational response of the liquid crystal, as are stereospecific enzymatic events. These results provide principles for label-free monitoring of aqueous streams for molecular and biomolecular species without the need for complex instrumentation.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.1091749