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US 6,602,398 B1Granted
Assay method using polyhydroxybutyrate and polyphosphate membranes with channels
OwnerRosetta N. Reuschinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Lipid bilayers which incorporate poly-3-hydroxybutyrate/polyphosphate ion channels. The ion channels are preferably purified polyhydroxybutyrate polyphosphate complexes extracted from organisms or prepared from the individual constituents which have been size selected. The bilayers are useful for testing the affect of various molecules and ions on the channel which correlates to the in vivo result. The bilayers are useful for transporting the channels into cells or other bilayers.
Claims11
A method for transporting a cation through a channel in a membrane in an assay which comprises:
- (a) providing an assembled stable bilayer or multi layer membrane having a first side and a second side and the channel therethrough, wherein the membrane separates two aqueous regions such that there is one of the regions on each of the sides of the membrane, wherein the membrane exhibits single channel current-voltage relationship ratios between 40 mV and 120 mV for Ca+2, Sr+2, and Ba+2 when an identical solution is present in the two aqueous regions, and wherein the membrane comprises:
- a phospholipid bilayer or multilayer produced from isolated phospholipids which separates the two aqueous regions;
- and
- one or more channels produced from a substantially pure mixture of (1) an isolated polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and (2) an isolated polyphosphate, the PHB and the polyphosphate each having molecular weights which allow the formation of the channel across the phospholipid during assembly of the membrane;
- and
- (b) providing transport means for transporting the cation through the channel in the membrane in the assay.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.