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Title: Synthesis, lipid membrane incorporation, and ion permeability testing of carbon nanotube porins

Journal Article · · Nature Protocols
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4]
  1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
  2. Univ. of Basque Country, Leioa (Spain)
  3. Univ. of Basque Country, Leioa (Spain); Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao (Spain)
  4. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Univ. of California Merced, Merced, CA (United States)

Carbon nanotube porins (CNTPs) are 10- to 20-nm-long segments of lipid-stabilized single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) that can be inserted into phospholipid membranes to form nanometer-scale-diameter pores that approximate the geometry and many key transport characteristics of biological membrane channels. We report on protocols for CNTP synthesis by ultrasound-assisted cutting of long CNTs in the presence of lipid amphiphiles, and for validation of CNTP incorporation into a lipid membrane using a proton permeability assay. Moreover, we describe protocols for measuring conductance of individual CNTPs in planar lipid bilayers and plasma membranes of live cells. The protocol for the preparation and testing of the CNTPs in vesicle systems takes 3 d, and single CNTP conductance measurements take 2–5 h. The CNTPs produced by this cutting protocol remain stable and active for at least 10–12 weeks.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22). Materials Sciences & Engineering Division; Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness
Grant/Contract Number:
AC52-07NA27344; AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
1530684
Report Number(s):
LLNL-JRNL--691260; 819066
Journal Information:
Nature Protocols, Journal Name: Nature Protocols Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 11; ISSN 1754-2189
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Cited By (4)

Carbon Nanotube Porins in Amphiphilic Block Copolymers as Fully Synthetic Mimics of Biological Membranes journal October 2018
Impact of PEG additives and pore rim functionalization on water transport through sub-1 nm carbon nanotube porins journal January 2018
Versatile cyclodextrin nanotube synthesis with functional anchors for efficient ion channel formation: design, characterization and ion conductance journal January 2018
Enhanced water permeability and tunable ion selectivity in subnanometer carbon nanotube porins journal August 2017