P-065

Anastasija Aleksandrovič

anastasija.aleksandrovic@ftmc.lt

Aušra Valiūnienė, Inga Gabriūnaitė, Gintaras Valinčius

Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (FTMC), Lithuania

Regeneration of Tethered Bilayer Lipid Membranes for Reusable Biosensors

For biosensor development, tethered phospholipid membranes (tBLMs) on conductive surfaces offer significant potential, enabling the detection of biological analytes through specific interactions. This study explores the use of cost-effective fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO), modified with silane self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), as a viable alternative to traditional gold substrates. While gold has been widely used due to its conductivity and ease of surface modification, its high cost and challenges in membrane regeneration limit its practicality for widespread biosensor applications. FTO, on the other hand, provides a more affordable and potentially reusable platform.

We investigated the interaction of proteins with tBLMs of varying compositions on FTO, focusing on the critical aspect of membrane regeneration. The ability to effectively remove proteins and lipids from the surface without damaging the underlying SAM is essential for creating reusable biosensors. Our approach relies on the differential solubility of phospholipids and proteins in alcohols. Phospholipids, the primary components of tBLMs, are readily soluble in many alcohols, while proteins, depending on their structure and properties, exhibit lower solubility.

By optimizing regeneration protocols, we aimed to selectively remove both components while preserving the SAM-modified FTO surface for repeated membrane formation. The goal was to achieve complete removal of the protein-incorporated tBLM without compromising the integrity of the silane layer, which is crucial for subsequent membrane formation.

This research evaluates the impact of regeneration conditions on the efficiency of removing protein-incorporated tBLMs. We used techniques such as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to monitor membrane formation, protein incorporation, and regeneration effectiveness. By analysing the results, we identified the conditions that provided the most efficient and reproducible regeneration, paving the way for the development of robust and cost-effective tBLM-based biosensors. The ability to regenerate the sensor surface effectively is a key step towards making these sensors more accessible and sustainable for a wide range of applications, including diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and drug discovery.