Utilizing the Planar Lipid Bilayer Technique to Investigate Drosophila melanogaster dMpv17 Channel Activity

Abstract

The planar lipid bilayer (PLB) technique represents a highly effective method for the study of membrane protein properties in a controlled environment. The PLB method was employed to investigate the role of mitochondrial inner membrane protein 17 (MPV17), whose mutations are associated with a hepatocerebral form of mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome (MDS). This protocol presents a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to the assembly and utilization of a PLB system. The procedure comprises the formation of a lipid bilayer over an aperture, the reconstitution of the target protein, and the utilization of electrophysiological recording techniques to monitor channel activity. Furthermore, recommendations are provided for optimizing experimental conditions and overcoming common challenges encountered in PLB experiments. Overall, this protocol highlights the versatility of the PLB technique in advancing our understanding of membrane protein function and its broad application in various fields of research.