Description
Conjugated oligoelectrolytes (COEs) are fluorescent, amphiphilic molecules that can spontaneously integrate with lipid bilayer membranes. Due to their adjustable molecular lengths and charged groups, COEs exhibit selective antimicrobial capabilities by impacting lipid bilayers of varying compositions. However, the mechanism underlying COE-membrane interactions and their influence on membrane deformability at the nanoscale remains poorly understood. This study introduced a nanostructure-supported lipid bilayer platform to investigate the intercalation behavior of a series of COEs with varying molecular designs into synthetic membranes. Intriguingly, our results revealed a significant preference of these COEs for highly curved membrane regions that can be tuned by the length and charges of the molecular design. These findings elucidate the membrane geometry as a new angle to interpretate COE-membrane interactions and underscore the critical role of molecular design in developing effective antimicrobial strategies.
