Electrochemical-QCM Investigation of Solid-Supported Lipid Bilayer Formed by AH Peptide Derived from HCV's Nonstructural Protein

Supported lipid bilayers formed by the fusion of small unilamellar vesicles onto silicon oxide or organic filmmodified surfaces enable the biofunctionalization of inorganic solids, such as semiconductors, gold-covered surfaces, and optoelectronic lab-on-a-chip devices. They have proven valuable model system for physiological membrane due to resemblance of physical and chemical characteristics, easy of use, and high mechanical stability. Because of the complexity of biomembranes, there is a clear need to develop model membrane systems, where one or a few membrane components can be isolated and studied. In addition, a wide range of available surfacesensitive techniques can be used to study natural biological systems effectively by supporting model membranes on a solid surface. Applications of supported membranes on solid surfaces potentially include biosensors, programmed drug delivery devices, surface modification of medical implants, and the production of catalytic interfaces . In this work, we employed previously developed method by which the amphipathic -helical (AH) peptide was used to destabilize the adsorbed vesicle, leading to lipid bilayer formation on a solid gold substrate.