The effect of hydrophilic ionic liquids 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium lactate and choline lactate on lipid vesicle fusion.

ABSTRACT: Ionic liquids (ILs) are room-temperature molten salts that have applications in both physical sciences and more recently in the purification of proteins and lipids, gene transfection and sample preparation for electron microscopy (EM) studies. Transfection of genes into cells requires membrane fusion between the cell membrane and the transfection reagent, thus, ILs may be induce a membrane fusion event. To clarify the behavior of ILs with cell membranes the effect of ILs on model membranes, i.e., liposomes, were investigated. We used two standard ILs, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium lactate ([EMI][Lac]) and choline lactate ([Ch][Lac]), and focused on whether these ILs can induce lipid vesicle fusion. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer and dynamic light scattering were employed to determine

SUBMITTER: Hayakawa EH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3877375 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature