Systems and methods for assembling a lipid bilayer on a substantially planar solid surface

• US 20120052188A1
• Filed: 02/08/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Genia Technologies, Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Genia Technologies, Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Chen, Roger, Davis, Randy
• Application Number:
  US12/658,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20120052188A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/8
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 5/00 Nanobiotechnology or nanomedicine, e.g. protein engineering or drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6876 Nucleic acid products used in the analysis of nucleic acids, e.g. primers or probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48721 Investigating individual macromolecules, e.g. by translocation through nanopores Coulter counters in general G01N15/12; fabrication methods for nanoscale apertures B81B1/00; sequencing of nucleic acids C12Q1/68

Abstract

Techniques for assembling a lipid bilayer on a substantially planar solid surface are described herein. In one example, a lipid material such as a lipid suspension is deposited on a substantially planar solid surface, a bubble filled with fast diffusing gas molecules is formed on the solid surface, and the gas molecules are allowed to diffuse out of the bubble to form a lipid bilayer on the solid surface.

Claims

1. A method of assembling a lipid bilayer on a substantially planar solid surface including:

depositing a lipid material adjacent the solid surface;

forming a bubble filled with fast diffusing gas molecules on the solid surface;

allowing the gas molecules to diffuse out of the bubble to form a lipid bilayer on the solid surface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the solid surface comprises a lipid bilayer compatible surface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the solid surface comprises an electrode surface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the solid surface is formed from materials selected from the group consisting of silver-silver chloride, silver-gold alloy, silver-platinum alloy, doped silicon, and other semiconductor materials.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the solid surface includes a layer of adsorbed water molecules and the lipid bilayer is formed over the adsorbed water molecules.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the bubble includes initiating formate decomposition to generate gaseous molecules.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein initiating formate decomposition is achieved by applying a bubble initiating electrical stimulus at the electrode surface.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the initiating electrical stimulus is a bubble initiating voltage level having a range of 1.4 V to 3.0 V and a duration of 100 ms to 1 s.

9. The method of claim 8, further including detecting the formation of the bubble by detecting an electrical parameter of the bubble.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the electrical parameter comprises a resistance of the bubble.

11. The method of claim 1, further including monitoring the integrity of the lipid bilayer by detecting an electrical parameter of the lipid bilayer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the electrical parameter comprises a capacitance of the lipid bilayer measured under an alternating current (AC).

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the electrical parameter comprises an impedance of the lipid bilayer measured under an alternating current

14. The method of claim 11, further including applying an erasing electrical stimulus level to erase a lipid bilayer detected to have inadequate structural integrity.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein one or more steps are automated.

16. A system for assembling a lipid bilayer on a planar solid surface including:

a dispenser configured to deposit a lipid material adjacent the planar hydrophilic solid surface;

a variable voltage source configured to apply a stimulus to the lipid suspension to cause a bubble filled with fast diffusing gas molecules to form on the solid surface;

a sensing circuit configured to detect that the gas molecules has diffused out of the bubble to form a lipid bilayer on the solid surface.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the solid surface comprises a lipid bilayer compatible surface.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the solid surface comprises an electrode surface.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the solid surface is formed from materials selected from the group consisting of silver-silver chloride, silver-gold alloy, silver-platinum alloy, doped silicon, and other semiconductor materials.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the solid surface includes a layer of adsorbed water molecules and the lipid bilayer is formed over the adsorbed water molecules.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the stimulus actuator is further configured to apply an bubble initiating stimulus that is designed to initiate formate decomposition to generate gaseous molecules.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein bubble initiating stimulus comprises an electrical stimulus.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the initiating electrical stimulus comprises a bubble initiating voltage level having a range of 1.4 V to 3.0 V and a duration of 100 ms to 1 s.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the sensing circuit is further configured to detect the formation of the bubble by detecting an electrical parameter of the bubble.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the electrical parameter comprises a resistance of the bubble.

26. The system of claim 22, the sensing circuit is further configured to monitor the integrity of the lipid bilayer.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the sensing circuit is further configured to monitor the integrity of the lipid bilayer by detecting an electrical parameter of the lipid bilayer.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the electrical parameter comprises a capacitance of the lipid bilayer measured under an alternating current (AC).

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the electrical parameter comprises an impedance of the lipid bilayer measured under an alternating current (AC).

30. The system of claim 27, the variable voltage source is further configured to apply an erasing electrical stimulus level to erase a lipid bilayer detected to have inadequate structural integrity.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the system is automated.

32. A system for assembling a lipid bilayer on a planar solid surface including:

means for depositing a lipid material adjacent the planar hydrophilic solid surface;

means for applying a stimulus to the lipid suspension to cause a bubble filled with fast diffusing gas molecules to form on the solid surface;

means for detecting that the gas molecules has diffused out of the bubble to form a lipid bilayer on the solid surface.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the solid surface comprises a lipid bilayer compatible surface.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the solid surface comprises an electrode surface.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the solid surface is formed from materials selected from the group consisting of silver-silver chloride, silver-gold alloy, silver-platinum alloy, doped silicon, and other semiconductor materials.

36. The system of claim 32, wherein the solid surface includes a layer of adsorbed water molecules and the lipid bilayer is formed over the adsorbed water molecules.

37. The system of claim 32, further including means for delivering a bubble initiating stimulus that for initiating formate decomposition to generate gaseous molecules.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein bubble initiating stimulus comprises an electrical stimulus.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the initiating electrical stimulus comprises a bubble initiating voltage level having a range of 1.4 V to 3.0 V and a duration of 100 ms to 1 s.

40. The system of claim 32, further including means for detecting the formation of the bubble by detecting an electrical parameter of the bubble.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the electrical parameter comprises a resistance of the bubble.

42. The system of claim 32, further including means for monitoring the integrity of the lipid bilayer.

43. The system of claim 32, further including means for monitoring the integrity of the lipid bilayer by detecting an electrical parameter of the lipid bilayer.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the electrical parameter comprises a capacitance of the lipid bilayer measured under an alternating current (AC).

45. The system of claim 43, wherein the electrical parameter comprises an impedance of the lipid bilayer measured under an alternating current (AC).

46. The system of claim 43, further including means for applying an erasing electrical stimulus level to erase a lipid bilayer detected to have inadequate structural integrity.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the system is automated.