Supported Lipid Bilayer Electrophoresis for Separation and Analytical Studies of Cell Membrane Biomolecules

Solid-supported lipid bilayer electrophoresis is a recently-developed technique for separating membrane-bound species within a native-like environment of a membrane. The key features of the supported bilayer that make this technique possible are two-dimensional fluidity of the membrane constituents and the ability to tune the bilayer chemistry and physical properties. Flexibility in tailoring membrane properties allows separations to be fine-tuned while allowing the analyte biomolecule of interest to maintain its native shape and orientation. Safeguarding biomolecule structure during purification is paramount for performing reliable analytical and diagnostic assays of biomolecule function and interaction after separation.