Kowal, Justyna L.Kowal, Julia K.Wu, DalinStahlberg, HenningPalivan, Cornelia G.Meier, Wolfgang P.2020-02-132020-02-132020-02-132014-08-0110.1016/j.biomaterials.2014.05.043https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/165433Planar solid-supported membranes based on amphiphilic block copolymers represent promising systems for the artificial creation of structural surfaces. Here we introduce a method for engineering functional planar solid-supported membranes through insertion of active biomolecules. We show that membranes based on poly(dimethylsiloxane)-block-poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) (PDMS-b-PMOXA) amphiphilic diblock copolymers, which mimic natural membranes, are suitable for hosting biomolecules. Our strategy allows preparation of large-area, well-ordered polymer bilayers via Langmuir-Blodgett and Langmuir-Schaefer transfers, and insertion of biomolecules by using Bio-Beads. We demonstrate that a model membrane protein, the potassium channel from the bacterium Mesorhizobium loti, remains functional after insertion into the planar solid-supported polymer membrane. This approach can be easily extended to generate a platform of functional solid-supported membranes by insertion of different hydrophobic biomolecules, and employing different types of solid substrates for desired applications. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.text::journal::journal article::research article