Production of dynamic lipid bilayers using the reversible thiol–thioester exchange reaction

Abstract

Thiol lysolipids undergo thiol–thioester exchange with two phenyl thioester-functionalized tails to produce phospholipid structures that assemble into liposomes with differences in exchange rates, temperature sensitivity, permeability, and continued exchange behavior. This in situ formation reaction imparts dynamic characteristics into the membrane for downstream liposome functionalization and mimics native membrane remodeling.