Supported Bilayer Electrophoresis under Controlled Buffer Conditions

A pH controlled flow cell device was constructed to allow electrdphoretic movement of charged lipids and membrane associate proteins in supported lipid bilayers. The device isolated: electrolysis products near the electrodes from the electrophoresis process within the bilayer. This allowed the pH over we bilayer rgion remain within +/- 0.2 pH units or better over many hours at salt concentration up to 10 mM. Using this setup, it was found that the electriiphoretic mobility of a dye conjugated lipid (Texas Red 1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (TR-DHPE)) was essentially constant between pH 3.3 and 9.3. In contrast, streptavidin; which was bound to biotinylated lipids, shifted from migrating cathodically at acidic pH values to migrating anodically under basic conditions. This shift was due to the modulation of the net charge on the protein, which changed the electrophoretic forces experienced by the macromolecule. The addition of a polyethylene glycol (PEG) cushion beneath the bilayer or the increase in the ionic strength of the buffer solution resulted in a decrease of the electroosmotic force experienced by the streptavidin with little effect on the Texas Red-DHPE. As such, it was possible in part to control the electrophoretic and electroosmotic contributions to streptavidin independently of one another.