Organizing cell-free expressed membrane proteins in synthetic membranes using lipid-protein interactions

Abstract

Cell-mimetic membranes are powerful tools for studying lipid-protein interactions and engineering membrane-based materials. Many proteins have been incorporated into artificial membranes, however the ability to organize proteins between and within synthetic membranes has not yet been achieved. Cells possess many membrane-bound structures, each unique in lipid and protein composition, enabling diverse and specialized functions. Furthermore, biological membranes are laterally heterogenous, possessing lipid rafts which enable distinct regions differing in composition, biophysical properties, and function.