Positively charged poly(styrene-co-maleimide) extracts functional membrane proteins into nanodiscs, overcoming some limitations of current nanodisc technology.

Polymer stabilized nanodiscs are self-assembled structures composed of a polymer belt that wraps around a segment of lipid bilayer, and as such are capable of encapsulating membrane proteins directly from the cell membrane. To date, most studies on these nanodiscs have used poly(styrene- co-maleic acid) (SMA) with the term SMA-lipid particles (SMALPs) coined to describe them. In this study, we have determined the physical and thermodynamic properties of such nanodiscs made with two different SMA copolymers. These include a widely used and commercially available statistical poly(styrene- co-maleic acid) copolymer (coSMA) and a reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer synthesized copolymer with narrow molecular weight distribution and alternating styrene and maleic acid groups with a polystyrene tail, (altSMA). We define phase diagrams for each polymer, and show that, regardless of polymer topological structure, self-assembly is driven by the free energy change associated with the polymers. We also show that nanodisc size is polymer dependent, but can be modified by varying polymer concentration. The thermal stability of each nanodisc type is similar, and both can effectively solubilize proteins from the E. coli membrane. These data show the potential for the development of different SMA polymers with controllable properties to produce nanodiscs that can be optimized for specific applications and will enable more optimized and widespread use of the SMA-based nanodiscs in membrane protein research.

Styrene-alt-maleic acid lipid particles (SMALPs) are self-assembled discoidal structures composed of a polymer belt and a segment of lipid bilayer, which are capable of encapsulating membrane proteins directly from the cell membrane. Here we present evidence of the exchange of lipids between such "nanodiscs" and lipid monolayers adsorbed at either solid-liquid or air-liquid interfaces. This behavior has important implications for the potential uses of nanodiscs.

The E. coli membrane protein ZipA, binds to the tubulin homologue FtsZ, in the early stage of cell division. We isolated ZipA in a Styrene Maleic Acid lipid particle (SMALP) preserving its position and integrity with native E. coli membrane lipids. Direct binding of ZipA to FtsZ is demonstrated, including FtsZ fibre bundles decorated with ZipA. Using Cryo-Electron Microscopy, small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering, we determine the encapsulated-ZipA structure in isolation, and in complex with FtsZ to a resolution of 1.6 nm. Three regions can be identified from the structure which correspond to, SMALP encapsulated membrane and ZipA transmembrane helix, a separate short compact tether, and ZipA globular head which binds FtsZ. The complex extends 12 nm from the membrane in a compact structure, supported by mesoscale modelling techniques, measuring the movement and stiffness of the regions within ZipA provides molecular scale analysis and visualisation of the early divisome.

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