Re: [DIYbio] Phospholipid Synthesis

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Matt Lawes

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Sep 21, 2012, 12:50:37 PM9/21/12
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Hi James,

Synthesizing phospholipids chemically is actually pretty hardcore organic chemistry (part of what my business Molecular Forges does).
It's easier from the DIY side to extract the phospholipids from samples .... algae etc. You can also buy the phospholipids as kits which structural biologists and physiologists use to build synthetic membranes and bicelles.

What are you trying to do .... there may be easier approaches?

>matt
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-----Original message-----
From: jcrubino <james....@gmail.com>
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Fri, Sep 21, 2012 11:39:39 EDT
Subject:
[DIYbio] Phospholipid Synthesis

Hello,
Are there any resources available on synthesising a phospholipids... possibly on synthesising films or ideally an empty membrane?

Thanks

James Rubino
New, Interested, and Curious


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Nathan McCorkle

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Sep 22, 2012, 6:14:22 PM9/22/12
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I think that's called micelle formation

On Sep 22, 2012 4:17 PM, "jcrubino" <james....@gmail.com> wrote:
Fascinating work Matt,
My interest is just pure curiosity on whether a film or membrane can be created out of phospholipids.
Since it is a topic repeated over and over any any science dealing will cellular life I thought it might be a place to start.
Instead of "synthesis" is there any way to pull phosopholipids out of an emulsion and into something more membrane like?


James
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Matt Lawes

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Sep 22, 2012, 6:29:09 PM9/22/12
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Not exactly. Micelle will have hydro phobic center and hydrophilic surface exposed to water. In contrast a lipid bilateral membrane has a hydro phobic core with hydrophilic surfaces exposed on each side. Then wrapped around to make a cell like sphere. Liposome or microspere might be a better description.

Emulsion is not the way to make these layers. Micelle formation is a better mechanism ( in the sense of mixing the phospholipids together at monomer concentrations above the critical micelle concentration).

I'll dig up some protocols and post them for y'all.


>matt
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Cathal Garvey

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Sep 24, 2012, 3:56:13 PM9/24/12
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I think you do spontaneously end up with double-walled phospholipid
membranes under the right physical conditions. If I'm not mistaken
(never guaranteed especially when I drift into phys/chem territory)
sonication can create them?

Of course, stability is another issue, I imagine. Living cells have a
lot of structure inside; gels, scaffolds, cytoskeletons.. lots of useful
things around which to pull a membrane. A "naked" double-membrane is
probably a lot more prone to collapse.

On 22/09/12 23:29, Matt Lawes wrote:
> Not exactly. Micelle will have hydro phobic center and hydrophilic surface exposed to water. In contrast a lipid bilateral membrane has a hydro phobic core with hydrophilic surfaces exposed on each side. Then wrapped around to make a cell like sphere. Liposome or microspere might be a better description.
>
> Emulsion is not the way to make these layers. Micelle formation is a better mechanism ( in the sense of mixing the phospholipids together at monomer concentrations above the critical micelle concentration).
>
> I'll dig up some protocols and post them for y'all.
>
>> matt
> Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE DROID
>
>
> -----Original message-----
> From: Nathan McCorkle <nmz...@gmail.com>
> To: "diy...@googlegroups.com" <diy...@googlegroups.com>
> Sent: Sat, Sep 22, 2012 18:14:41 EDT
> Subject: Re: [DIYbio] Phospholipid Synthesis
>
>
> I think that's called micelle formation
>
> To post to this group, send email to diy...@googlegroups.com<mailto:diy...@googlegroups.com>.
> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to diybio+un...@googlegroups.com<mailto:diybio%2Bunsu...@googlegroups.com>.
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