Optical detection of ion-channel-induced proton transport in supported phospholipid bilayers

The integration of ion-channel transport functions with responses derived from nanostructured and nanoporous silica mesophase materials is demonstrated. Patterned thin-film mesophases consisting of alternating hydrophilic nanoporous regions and hydrophobic nanostructured regions allow for spatially localized proton transport via selective dimerization of gramicidin in lipid bilayers formed on the hydrophilic regions. The adjoining hydrophobic mesostructure doped with a pH sensitive dye reports the transport. The ease of integrating functional membranes and reporters through the use of patterned mesophases should enable high throughput studies of membrane transport.