Systems and methods of preparing stabilized lipid assemblies

A suspended lipid system comprising:

• a. a supporting substrate having a substrate surface and an aperture, wherein an energy modifying layer is disposed on the substrate surface at or near the aperture, wherein the energy modifying layer lowers a surface energy of the substrate surface;
• b. a modified lipid membrane comprising a plurality of non-polymerizable lipid monomers and a plurality of polymerizable, hydrophobic non-lipid monomers dissolved in an organic solvent to form a solution, the non-lipid monomers comprising a methacrylate and a cross-linking agent, wherein the solution is disposed on the substrate such that the lipid monomers form a planar lipid bilayer suspended across the aperture, wherein the energy modifying layer is disposed between the lipid monomers and the substrate surface, wherein the non-lipid monomers are disposed in the suspended planar lipid bilayer and polymerized to stabilize the suspended planar lipid bilayer;
• and
• c. one or more protein ion channels disposed through the suspended planar lipid bilayer;
• wherein the plurality of polymerizable, hydrophobic non-lipid monomers are polymerized by redox polymerization using a redox polymerization mixture comprising an initiator-buffer component and NaHSO3, wherein redox polymerization occurs at a near neutral pH.

A stabilized suspended lipid system comprising:

• a supporting substrate having a substrate aperture and a stabilized, planar lipid bilayer suspended across the aperture, wherein the stabilized, planar lipid bilayer has a polymer scaffold and protein ion channels disposed therein, wherein the stabilized, planar lipid bilayer is formed by:
• a. preparing a monomer mixture comprising non-polymerizable lipid monomers and polymerizable, hydrophobic non-lipid monomers, dissolved in an organic solvent;
• b. adding the monomer mixture to the substrate aperture, wherein the non-polymerizable lipid monomers form a planar lipid bilayer suspended across the aperture, wherein the polymerizable, hydrophobic non-lipid monomers are disposed in the suspended planar lipid bilayer to form a modified lipid membrane;
• c. polymerizing the non-lipid monomers to produce the polymer scaffold that stabilizes the modified lipid membrane;
• and
• d. inserting one or more proteins through the lipid membrane to form the protein ion channels.

A method of enhancing stability of a suspended lipid membrane, said method comprising:

• a. providing a supporting substrate having a substrate surface and an aperture;
• b. preparing a monomer mixture comprising non-polymerizable lipid monomers and polymerizable, hydrophobic non-lipid monomers, dissolved in an organic solvent;
• c. adding the monomer mixture to the substrate aperture, wherein the non-polymerizable lipid monomers form a planar lipid bilayer suspended across the aperture, wherein the polymerizable, hydrophobic non-lipid monomers are disposed in the suspended planar lipid bilayer to form a modified lipid membrane;
• d. polymerizing the non-lipid monomers to stabilize the modified lipid membrane;
• and
• e. inserting one or more proteins through the lipid membrane to form protein ion channels.

A method of enhancing stability of a suspended lipid membrane, said method comprising:

• a. depositing an energy modifying layer on a substrate surface at or near an aperture of a supporting substrate, wherein the energy modifying layer lowers a surface energy of the substrate surface;
• b. preparing a monomer mixture comprising non-polymerizable lipid monomers and polymerizable, hydrophobic non-lipid monomers, dissolved in an organic solvent;
• c. adding the monomer mixture to the substrate aperture, wherein the non-polymerizable lipid monomers form a planar lipid bilayer suspended across the aperture, wherein the polymerizable, hydrophobic non-lipid monomers are disposed in the suspended planar lipid bilayer to form a modified lipid membrane;
• d. polymerizing the non-lipid monomers to stabilize the modified lipid membrane;
• and
• e. inserting one or more proteins through the lipid membrane to form protein ion channels.

A method of enhancing stability of a suspended lipid membrane, said method comprising:

• a. depositing an energy modifying layer on a substrate surface at or near an aperture of a supporting substrate, wherein the energy modifying layer lowers a surface energy of the substrate surface;
• b. preparing a monomer mixture comprising non-polymerizable lipid monomers and polymerizable, hydrophobic non-lipid monomers, dissolved in an organic solvent, wherein the non-lipid monomers comprises a methacrylate and a cross-linking agent;
• c. adding the monomer mixture to the substrate aperture, wherein the non-polymerizable lipid monomers form a planar lipid bilayer suspended across the aperture, wherein the energy modifying layer is disposed between the lipid monomers and the substrate surface, wherein the polymerizable, hydrophobic non-lipid monomers are disposed in the suspended planar lipid bilayer to form a modified lipid membrane;
• d. polymerizing the non-lipid monomers using a redox polymerization mixture to stabilize the modified lipid membrane, wherein the redox polymerization mixtures comprises an initiator-buffer component and NaHSO3, wherein redox polymerization occurs at a near neutral pH;
• and
• e. inserting one or more proteins through the lipid membrane to form protein ion channels.