Patent ID: 8148172

Claim:
A method for ionophorically screening pore forming bacterial protein toxins and receptors, comprising: a) forming a membrane in a receptacle comprising an aperture by combining, a lipid bilayer and a receptor, such that the membrane forms across the aperture and provides separation between two compartments in the receptacle, wherein the lipid bilayer comprises at least one of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC), 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (POPE), 1-palmitoyl-2, oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylserine (POPS), 1,2-diphytanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, and cholesterol; b) by contacting the membrane with the pore forming bacterial protein toxin and an ion solution, whereby the pore forming bacterial protein toxin binds the receptor and forms a pore in the membrane; and c) measuring ion flow through the pore in the membrane.