Unveiling the multi-step solubilization mechanism of sub-micron size vesicles by detergents.

ABSTRACT: The solubilization of membranes by detergents is critical for many technological applications and has become widely used in biochemistry research to induce cell rupture, extract cell constituents, and to purify, reconstitute and crystallize membrane proteins. The thermodynamic details of solubilization have been extensively investigated, but the kinetic aspects remain poorly understood. Here we used a combination of single-vesicle Förster resonance energy transfer (svFRET), fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and quartz-crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring to access the real-time kinetics and elementary solubilization steps of sub-micron sized vesicles, which are inaccessible by conventional diffraction-limited optical methods. Real-time injection of a non-ionic detergent, Tr

SUBMITTER: Dalgarno PA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6733941 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature