Lipidic Cubic Phase
Lipidic Cubic Phase - Related Videos
09:09
Preparation and Delivery of Protein Microcrystals in Lipidic Cubic Phase for Serial Femtosecond Crystallography
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Cited by 20 •
2016
We describe procedures for the preparation and delivery of membrane protein microcrystals in lipidic cubic phase for serial crystallography at X-ray free-electron lasers and synchrotron sources. These protocols can also be applied for incorporation and delivery of soluble protein microcrystals, leading to substantially reduced sample consumption compared to liquid injection.
11:53
Crystallization of Membrane Proteins in Lipidic Mesophases
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Cited by 30 •
2011
The protocols describe the essential steps for obtaining diffraction quality crystals of a membrane protein starting from reconstitution of the protein in a lipidic cubic phase (LCP), finding initial conditions with LCP-FRAP pre-crystallization assays, setting up LCP crystallization trials and harvesting crystals.
22:00
Crystallizing Membrane Proteins for Structure Determination using Lipidic Mesophases
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Cited by 48 •
2010
Herein is described the procedure implemented in the Caffrey Membrane Structural and Functional Biology Group to set up manually crystallization trials of membrane proteins in lipidic mesophases.
04:31
Whole-Kidney Three-Dimensional Staining with CUBIC
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Cited by 5 •
2022
The present protocol describes a tissue clearing method and whole-mount immunofluorescent staining for three-dimensional (3D) kidney imaging. This technique can offer macroscopic perspectives in kidney pathology, leading to new biological discoveries.
09:47
Facile Preparation of Internally Self-assembled Lipid Particles Stabilized by Carbon Nanotubes
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Cited by 17 •
2016
We report on a smart application of carbon nanotubes for kinetic stabilization of lipid particles that contain self-assembled nanostructures in their cores. The preparation of lipid particles requires rather low concentrations of carbon nanotubes permitting their use in biomedical applications such as drug delivery.
FAQs
Hydration enables suitable lipids such as monoolein to self-assemble into a cubic arrangement. Instead of producing isolated membrane patches, the lipid and water organize into a continuous bilayer with interconnected aqueous channels. This ordered architecture creates both a stable membrane-like surface and internal water-accessible space for biological investigation.
The aqueous channels provide internal water-filled regions throughout the lipidic cubic phase while the surrounding bilayer preserves a membrane-like environment. This combination allows researchers to examine membrane-associated proteins in a setting that includes both lipid contact and aqueous access, making the structure useful for studying organization, interactions, and transport.
Membrane proteins can be embedded within the continuous lipid bilayer, where the surrounding lipids provide a membrane-like environment. This setting can help stabilize the proteins during investigation and supports their examination through structural analysis. The approach is particularly valuable when researchers need to study proteins in a context that reflects their association with biological membranes.
In meso crystallization, membrane proteins are incorporated into the lipidic cubic phase before structural analysis. The organized bilayer supplies a membrane-like environment that can support protein embedding and stabilization, while the interconnected aqueous network contributes to the surrounding hydrated system. This application connects lipid self-assembly with efforts to determine membrane-protein structures.
Studies using lipidic cubic phase systems can support structural analysis of membrane proteins and investigation of protein-lipid interactions. They also provide models for examining membrane organization and transport. Together, these outcomes help connect the physical arrangement of lipids with the behavior and organization of proteins associated with biological membranes.
These systems are relevant to cell biology and biophysics because they model membrane organization, protein-lipid interactions, and transport in a controlled lipid-water structure. Their use also extends to structural studies of membrane proteins, including in meso crystallization. The same research context makes them useful across several areas of biological investigation.
Its membrane-like environment can support studies of membrane proteins that are important targets in drug discovery. The system also offers a structured lipid-water platform for pharmaceutical formulation research. By combining protein-compatible lipid organization with interconnected aqueous regions, it helps researchers investigate membrane-associated behavior in settings relevant to biological and formulation studies.