Analytical Sciences

A Simple Method for Ion Channel Recordings Using Fine Gold Electrode

Daichi OKUNO,* Minako HIRANO,** Hiroaki YOKOTA,** Yukiko ONISHI,* Junya ICHINOSE,*** and Toru IDE***

*Laboratory for Cell Dynamics Observation, Quantitative Biology Center, Riken, 6-2-3 Furue-dai, Suita, Osaka 565-0874, Japan
**The Graduate School for the Creation of New Photonics Industries, 1955-1 Kurematsu, Nishi, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-1202, Japan
***Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, 3-1-1 Tsushima-naka, Kita, Okayama, Okayama 700-8530, Japan

The artificial bilayer single-channel recording technique is commonly used to observe detailed pharmacological properties of various ion channel proteins. It permits easy control of the solution and membrane lipid composition, and is also compatible with pharmacological screening devices. However, its use is limited due to low measurement efficiency. Here, we develop a novel artificial bilayer single-channel recording technique in which bilayers are made and channels are reconstituted into the membranes by contacting a gold electrode to the lipid-solution interface. Using this technique, we measured the single-channel currents of two channel-forming peptides, gramicidin and alamethicin, and a channel-forming protein, α-hemolysin. This technique requires only one action, allowing the technique to potentially be combined with high-throughput screening devices.

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