Membrane fusion mediated by peptidic SNARE protein analogues: Evaluation of FRET‐based bulk leaflet mixing assays

Peptide-mediated membrane fusion is frequently studied with in vitro bulk leaflet mixing assays based on Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET). In these, customized liposomes fusogenic peptides are equipped lipids which labeled fluorophores that form a FRET pair. Since dependent distance and comes along lipid mixing, the allow for conclusions process. The experimental outcome of these assays, however, greatly depends applied parameters. present study, influence peptides, size liposomes, their composition liposome stoichiometry fusogenicity evaluated. As soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive-factor attachment receptor (SNARE) protein analogues featuring artificial recognition units attached to native SNARE transmembrane domains used. work shows it important control parameters order be able properly investigate process prevent undesired effects aggregation.