NANOCAPSULES: Nanocapsules with functionalized surfaces and walls

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 99.0503

Key words (English)

Receptor proteins; fluorescence correlation spectroscopy; laser tweezers; micro-contact printing;
Education; Training; Scientific Research; Social Aspects

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: HPRN-2000-00159

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 4.1.1 Research training networks

Short description (English)

See abstract

Partners and International Organizations (English)

Coordinator: Centre nat. de recherche sc., Toulouse (F)

Abstract (English)

Receptor proteins for investigating signalling reactions
The LCPPM group at the EPFL concentrated on the following projects: Reconstitution of ionotropic receptors and G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) into micrometer-sized lipid vesicles. The 5HT3 receptor and the neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptor were used as an example. The vesicles comprise in addition to the receptors, different functionalized lipid molecules (carrying either NTA-, hexahistidine-, biotin-, oligonucleotide groups) which can be selectively bound to complementary recognition groups microcontact printed at solid supports. These solid supports can be used for either optical or electrical (planar patch clamp) measurents.
In order to manipulte these functionally active vesicles, a laser tweezer combined with single molecule fluorescence detection was developed within the project. Trapping of single vesicles was demonstrated as well as measuring single molecules within the vesicles and in the vesicle bilayer by using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 99.0503