Molecular recognition and colorimetric detection of cholera toxin by poly(diacetylene) liposomes incorporating G(m1) ganglioside

Molecular recognition sites on cell membranes serve as the main communication channels between the inside of a cell and its surroundings. Upon receptor binding, celular messages such as ion channel opening or activation of enzymes are triggered. In this report, we demonstrate that artificial cell membranes made from conjugated lipid polymers (poly(diacetylene)) can, on a simple level, mimic membrane processes of molecular recognition and signal transduction. The ganglioside GM1 was incorporated into poly(diacetylene) liposomes. Molecular recognition of cholera toxin at the interface of the liposome resulted in a change of the membrane color due to conformational changes in the conjugated (ene-yne) polymer backbone. The ''colored liposomes'' might be used as simple colorimetric sensors for drug screening or as new tools to study membrane-membrane or membrane-receptor interactions.