In this study we developed a methodology for solving an inverse problem to obtain structural information about distribution of nanoscale defects in surface supported, tethered bilayer membranes (tBLMs) using the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique. We demonstrate that the EIS spectra contain physical information about the electrical and structural parameters of tBLMs as well as information about distribution of density of defects in membranes. Such defects can be naturally occurring collapsed sites of bilayers due to imperfections of solid substrates onto which tBLMs are assembled. Also, the membrane defects can be introduced artificially by insertion of pore-forming toxin proteins into phospholipid bilayers or by other means such as electroporation. The proposed methodology can be used for the development of precision biosensors sensitive to agents impairing integrity of biological membranes, and in general studies of protein membrane interactions that involves damage of phospholipid bilayers.

在这项研究中，我们开发了一种方法来解决逆问题，以使用电化学阻抗谱 (EIS) 技术获得有关表面支持的束缚双层膜 (tBLM) 中纳米级缺陷分布的结构信息。我们证明 EIS 光谱包含有关 tBLM 的电气和结构参数的物理信息以及有关膜中缺陷密度分布的信息。由于组装 tBLM 的固体基板的缺陷，此类缺陷可能是双层自然发生的塌陷位点。此外，可以通过将成孔毒素蛋白插入磷脂双层或通过其他方式（如电穿孔）人为地引入膜缺陷。