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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2011
A novel supported bilayer membrane was formed on top of a hydrophobic spacer layer of hexyl thioctate (HT) and its application in the detection of pore forming toxins was demonstrated. The formation kinetics, effect of different flow rates on the fusion process of vesicles and perforation by incubation with streptolysin O (SLO) and pristine membranes were investigated. Individual layers of the multilayer structure were successfully characterized with surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and the resulting spectra were analyzed in order to determine the layer thickness and other membrane properties. The interaction of SLO with the pristine biomimetic membrane resulted in a pronounced change in the reflectivity spectrum. Elements of these spectral changes were analyzed to explain the process of toxin binding and pore formation taking place on the lipid membrane.