Understanding the Structural Pathways for Lipid Nanodisc Formation: How Styrene Maleic Acid Copolymers Induce Membrane Fracture and Disc Formation.

ABSTRACT: Lipid nanodiscs formed by mixtures of styrene maleic acid (SMA) copolymers and lipid membranes are important tools for studying membrane proteins in many biotechnological applications. However, molecular interactions leading up to their formation are not well understood. Here, we elucidate the nanodisc formation pathways for SMA/lipid vesicle mixtures using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) that allows detailed in situ nanostructural information. SMA copolymer that is initially aggregated in solution inserts its styrene units into the lipid bilayer hydrocarbon region, leading to fractures in the membrane. The initial copolymer-lipid interactions observed in the vesicles are also present in the formed discs, with excess copolymer distributed along the normal of the bilayer. The size and S

SUBMITTER: Bjornestad VA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8280715 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature